There’s no other way to say this than just to say it. I love my nightly cocktail(s). I don’t want to overstate things and say I depend on alcohol to get me through the day, but I’m sure there have been times (the toddler-raising years come to mind) when that was the case. But in general, I don’t often find myself needing a drink. I just want one.

To me, one of summer’s more pleasurable pleasures is that first sip of a cold, tangy gin & tonic. Making a cocktail or pouring a glass of wine is a mini ritual, one that slows you (and calms you) down. It’s a fun way to get together with friends and a nice way to reconnect with your spouse at the end of the day. And it makes cooking dinner a lot more fun.

As much as I’d like to say I think this is not a problem — that I’ve never been a heavy drinker and, hey, it’s my only vice — it’s not lost on me that this is not the healthiest of habits. Or that we have teenagers in the house who are no doubt noticing the empty bottles in the recycling bin. I know I need to cut back, especially after a summer of backyard parties, vacations that are not really vacations (hello, two weeks in the woods with kids), and toasting my lack of carpool duty with chardonnay.

And guess what? Now that I’ve been actively not drinking (to be clear, I’m not talking about quitting drinking here, but rather skipping the drink most nights a week), I discovered that I don’t miss my nightly cocktail nearly as much as I thought I would. For one thing, I’ve preserved part of the ritual (clinking ice in a glass, adding soda, garnishing) by making mocktails, which are refreshing, look fancy, and taste delicious. Sometimes I even muddle. Who knew I could be so content with a non-alcoholic sparkling basil-strawberry cooler while chopping kale?

A mocktail is basically any drink that could be passed off as a cocktail but that doesn’t contain alcohol. It certainly doesn’t have to be complicated, but drinking a La Croix from the can doesn’t really have the same effect. I like to mix in a little fruit, maybe an herb sprig, and serve it in a highball or rocks glass. I try to keep it not too sugary. Turns out healthy adult drinks is not an oxymoron.

Here are some of my favorite non-alcoholic grownup drinks. These are not really recipes but just ideas I’ve tried and liked. If you have one you love, please share it in the comments. Cheers to a fun and healthy rest of the summer.

Watermelon Cooler: Blend cubed watermelon in a blender. Pour watermelon puree into a glass with ice; mix with sparkling water (my favorite is Spindrift) and plenty of squeezed lime. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lemonade Stand Cooler: Mix 1 part Trader Joe’s Organic Lemonade with 2 parts sparkling water. Serve in a mason jar.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lime Tonic: Mix Light Tonic with a squeeze of lime and a sprig of thyme. Garnish with more lime and cucumber slices.