Whether you’re observing Dry January or not, there’s a good chance that at this time of year you’re backing off from alcohol. After the excesses of the holidays, that groggy, morning-after feeling just seems to stick around. And the best way to combat a burnt-out mood is by getting back into a balanced routine. Opting for low- and no-alcohol drinks over booze is one of the simplest ways to boost your energy and get back to acting like your old self—research shows that cutting out alcohol can help you lose weight, stay more active, and improve your sleep.
FreshDirect has lots of ready-to-drink non-alcoholic beverages that bring the complexity you might be longing for while staying sober(ish). But we’re also huge fans of mixing up a mocktail from scratch and experimenting with flavors. There’s something about the ritual of adding a little bit of this and stirring in a dash of that that makes the experience all the more special. To that end, we’ve compiled five of our favorite mocktail recipes for when you’re craving a adult drink without the adult stuff
Bubbly Hibiscus Kombucha Punch
What You’ll Need:
32 oz. water
5 thumbs fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
4 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick, plus more to garnish
1 teaspoon fresh nutmeg
32 oz. sparkling hibiscus water
Juice of 1 orange
1 teaspoon lime juice
Orange slices, to garnish
What To Do:
Bring the water to a boil then remove from heat. Stir in all the spices and let it steep for about an hour.
Pour the steeped water, hibiscus water, orange juice, and lime juice into a large punch bowl. Stir in enough ice to chill before serving.
Spare Tonic Berry Blast
What You’ll Need:
A few handfuls mixed fresh berries, plus more for garnish (blackberries, raspberries, blueberries)
2 cans Blueberry & Ginger Spare Tonic
What To Do:
Place a few fresh berries in a cocktail shaker and muddle. Add a few ice cubes and 1 can Blueberry & Ginger Spare Tonic. Stir well.
Place a few more berries in two drinking glasses and pour in contents of shaker. Top off with another can of Spare Tonic and garnish each with another berry or two.
Spare Tonic Citrus Mocktail
What You’ll Need:
6 oz (half can) Spare Lemon & Ginger Tonic
2 oz orange juice
4-5 drops citrus bitters
For garnish: orange or lemon twist, mint sprig
What To Do:
Stir half a can of Spare Lemon & Ginger tonic with orange juice and citrus bitters in a rocks glass with ice. Garnish with a citrus peel twist and a mint sprig.
Blueberry Rosemary Faux-Tini
What You’ll Need
1 small container blueberries
1 rosemary sprig, stripped
1 oz honey (or hot honey)
The juice of 1 lemon
Ice
4 oz seltzer
What To Do
Muddle about half the blueberries with a few needles of rosemary and the honey in the bottom of a shaker.
Pour in lemon juice and top off with ice. Cover and shake until thoroughly mixed, about 5-10 shakes. Strain into glasses with fresh ice, a couple of blueberries and a small sprig of rosemary.
Bubbly Ginger Lime Tea
What You’ll Need:
¾ oz fresh lime juice
2 oz black tea
2 pieces fresh ginger
½ oz sweetener (we used simple syrup)
3 oz cold sparkling water
Lime wedge, for squeezing
What To Do:
Steep the tea in hot water according to directions and set aside to cool.
In a glass, muddle the fresh ginger to extract its flavors. Add the simple syrup, tea, lime juice and top with the sparkling water. Stir well.
Pour the mixture into a tall glass filled with ice cubes. Garnish the glass with a wedge of lime.