"Rat Poison". That's how I described my daily Diet Dr. Pepper fix to my kids (who would eagerly steal any sip - or can - they could get their little hands on). I was drinking up to three of these time bombs a day, a relic of a high energy workplace with a giant refrigerator full of free soda. I left the job years ago, but the habit lingered on.
I read all the bad news about diet pop: it causes cancer, weight gain and migraines. But it was sooo delicious! I knew that if I wanted to kick the habit, I had to find something equally delicious to drink, preferably something that (a) I could afford to drink in quantity, and (b) wasn't unhealthy when consumed in said quantity.
After months of trial and error, I have three winning candidates! All are quick to make, delicious and will not send you to an early grave.
I read all the bad news about diet pop: it causes cancer, weight gain and migraines. But it was sooo delicious! I knew that if I wanted to kick the habit, I had to find something equally delicious to drink, preferably something that (a) I could afford to drink in quantity, and (b) wasn't unhealthy when consumed in said quantity.
After months of trial and error, I have three winning candidates! All are quick to make, delicious and will not send you to an early grave.
The simplest is seltzer water with juice. Pour out or drink 1/4 of a can of seltzer and then re-fill the can with grapefruit, orange, cranberry or another juice, and you have a delicious soda substitute. Of course, add some vodka to that and you have an even more delicious adult beverage. Bonus health points for using juice with calcium!
The next - requiring the use of a knife and cutting board - is cold water with fruit slices. Think of it like Sangria (again, with the alcohol...) with water instead of wine. I keep it in a quart mason jar stored in my refrigerator. Once you've cut the fruit, drink within 3 days. Fruits that work well include citrus, berries, melon and cucumber, a veggie that occasionally switches teams.
Finally, a cold-brewed iced coffee with milk and a bit of sugar is a tasty treat. There are many ways to flavor your coffee including:
- milk, sugar and vanilla,
- homemade caramel sauce, and
- Vietnamese style, with sweetened condensed milk and half and half.
These are my favorites, but I'm still new on this no-pop journey; if you'd care to share, please comment on your favorite soda sub!
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