Discovering mocktails was a huge game-changer for my husband and I this year. We both have been limiting (or eliminating) alcohol and having a drink that is delicious and feels like a cocktail definitely helps us feel like we’re not missing out on anything. Once I hit 35, even 1 or 2 drinks started to make me feel awful the next day, so I started to slowly drink less and less until I realized not drinking at all is when I feel my best. It seems there has been a huge shift in many people's drinking habits over the past few years, especially since the pandemic. This has led to lots of new brands offering mocktails, but I’ve found that it’s pretty easy to just create your own at home! Whether you’re trying to eliminate alcohol from your life completely, drinking more mindfully (like many people do for Dry January) or you just want to have some fun drink options for nights when you don’t feel like drinking alcohol, you’ve come to the right place!

I always have my house stocked with non-alcoholic options to drink. I love to have alcohol-free wine on hand since sometimes I just want to have a glass of “wine” with my pizza or pasta. Fre brand Merlot is what I usually buy (there are not a lot of alcohol-free wines in stores around me. Hopefully, that changes!). We do have a lot of alcohol-free beers to choose from in stores. There are so many good ones from Pilsner-type beers to IPAs. We love Athletic Brewing Co. and Heineken 0. I also love to have Kombucha stocked in my refrigerator because when I feel like I want a “drink” that is what I love to have. I swear it has a placebo effect of making me feel calm. Health-Aide Bubbly Rose is my favorite at-home drink.

Before getting into my favorite mocktail recipes, I’d just like to give a HUGE shout-out to the restaurants that have gotten on board with this movement of mindful drinking. It is so nice to go out to a restaurant and see a non-alcoholic beer on the menu, or even an entire mocktail menu! A sushi place near us even has non-alcoholic wine and makes the most amazing alcohol-free sangria! It’s so awesome to have these options when we go out, but if you find yourself in a situation where this is not offered, don’t worry! I’ve got you covered :)

My absolute favorite drink to order in a restaurant is a club soda with some cranberry and pineapple juice. I usually just say “would you mind making me a mocktail?”, and then tell them exactly what I want and I ask if they could put it in a wine glass so I feel more festive. They’ll usually put fun garnishes in it too which makes you feel like you’re having a fun fruity cocktail. It’s lower in sugar than a glass of wine would be and is much more exciting (and healthy) than ordering a Diet Coke. This is usually my go-to drink. I’m also known to order an Arnold Palmer, especially in the summertime. It is the perfect summer drink.

If I’m out for Mexican, I will often order a virgin margarita. I just ask for club soda instead of tequila with some margarita mix (like a skinny margarita version) and I’ll also ask for some muddled jalapenos if I’m in the mood for a spicy version (which is always). The jalapeno adds back the heat you’re not getting from the alcohol, it’s really good! When I’m at home, I’ll make a different version of this with lime-flavored sparkling water and some lemon-lime juice from the store (or a little lemonade and freshly squeezed lime juice, whatever I have), also with the muddled jalapeno. I love having these little tricks that make me feel like I’m not missing out on anything. I actually came up with both of these mocktail recipes while I was pregnant!

When I’m at the beach, a virgin pina colada is my go-to choice. They are SO GOOD and you absolutely get that same feeling of happiness having a sweet frozen “cocktail” beside the ocean as you would from one with alcohol. I actually enjoy it MORE than a real drink, I swear! Sometimes if we are also ordering our kids virgin strawberry daiquiris (my kids are a little fancy, ok?) I will ask for a virgin “Miami Vice” with the pina colada and strawberry daiquiri mixed together. This is my ultimate favorite, although I don’t order it except in this specific situation (I was once a bartender and can imagine this would be an annoying mocktail order). Another nice thing about these frozen mocktails is that one drink does the trick and then you feel satisfied to switch to something else like sparkling water or my club soda/juice drink. This way you’re consuming fewer calories and don’t have that sick sugar feeling later (or a hangover!)

Basically any situation I used to want to have alcohol (which was basically every social interaction) I now have a great replacement option. Frozen mocktails at the beach, alcohol-free wine on pizza night, non-alcoholic beer with a burger… I never feel deprived. I love to go out with friends and have a good time, and I also like to feel healthy and clear-headed while I’m out and not wasting the following day(s) being hungover and missing out on time with my kids. Mocktails are my secret to having the best of both worlds! Which one are you excited to try?