Many times people try to replace alcohol with the usual soft drinks like soda and juice. These are often too sweet and lack the deep, rich flavors of fermented drinks. Additionally, one of the biggest cues for drinking—or any habit—is social pressure. Your willpower is going to be even less effective when you’re at a party or bar and everyone around you has a drink in their hand. You might feel out of place, awkward or even embarrassed to be standing their empty handed.
A drink option that some may not think about when it comes to good non-alcoholic drinks is cranberry juice or pomegranate juice. Not only are the health benefits through the roof, but you can make your own fun mocktails with this juice as your base. There is growing hype around fruit-infused water and we totally get why. They are the perfect low-calorie and low-sugar swap for those sweet alcoholic drinks. Many brands are hopping onto the trend and releasing various flavors with added electrolytes, which help you stay properly hydrated.
Booze Alternatives That Aren’t a Shirley Temple
Take your water to the next level by adding strawberries, lemon, or mint leaves for a light and sweet flavor. They still use traditional methods to produce their sparkling wine but de-alcoholize it to retain its flavor while offering an alcohol-free drinking experience. Adjusting to a sober lifestyle takes time and what to drink instead of alcohol sometimes even a little bit of creativity. Many people in recovery adopt a primary alcohol-free beverage of their choice to stave off cravings or to avoid temptation in social situations. However, simply replacing alcohol with another beverage isn’t going to address the underlying causes of your alcohol addiction.
For instance, a virgin cocktail makes perfect sense at a work party. If it seems strange enough, your subconscious mind might focus on the fact that it isn’t really alcohol. That flop onto the couch reminds us that a beer after work means relaxation.
Coconut Water
For something less physical, you could also try picking up an instrument. Group music lessons can be a much more exciting way to make new friends than grabbing drinks after work. Music also has powerful health benefits, including improved immune system function and stress relief. It can even reduce anxiety in patients headed into surgery. Coconut water is also a low-calorie and low-carbohydrate alternative to alcoholic beverages. Fresh coconut water directly from the fruit is usually preferable, but store-bought is a good choice if you don’t have enough space in the fridge to store coconuts.
In this sense, alcohol alternatives let you fit in while staying healthy. Before finding a substitute for your nightly wine, you might want to search for an activity that delivers a similar feeling of calm and ease. Try running a bath with relaxing essential oils, cooking a meal from scratch, or listening to your favorite music. Treating yourself while you sip your nonalcoholic drink will create a new relaxation routine. Many of us have a ritual of sitting back with the right beverage, and letting the stresses of the day melt away.
Cranberry or pomegranate juice
Or, skip the food altogether and host a coffee or tea cupping. Invite your guests to bring their favorites https://ecosoberhouse.com/ and discuss the experience together. Participate in a community cleanup and meet your neighbors.
- It’s not all health benefits though, many brands sell the beverage with a fruit twist which makes the alcohol alternative a perfectly refreshing drink on warm days.
- There are endless advantages to limiting or totally stopping drinking, especially if you’ve previously been drinking alcohol every day.
- Invite your guests to bring their favorites and discuss the experience together.
- Since these get-togethers are activity-based, alcohol doesn’t have to be the main focus.
You just don’t get the intoxicating effects of alcohol and the damage to your health from long-term drinking. If cocktails are your thing, try building your own “sober bar.” You can build the classics around one of these non-alcoholic liquor substitutes, or even try mixing your own mocktails from scratch. Test out one of these fun mocktail recipes, or simply experiment on your own. Try combining club soda with juices or flavored syrups for a base. Then, add garnishes like fresh herbs, maraschino cherries, or a salt-and-sugar rim to really make it your own.
Scott also has more than 15 years of experience creating, implementing and managing content initiatives while working across departments to grow companies. His most recent editorial post was as editor-in-chief of Liquor.com. Previously, he was the editor-in-chief of Tasting Table and a senior editor at San Francisco magazine. Micro-dosing involves regularly taking sub-perceptual amounts of psychedelic substances (generally 1/20th to 1/10th of a recreational dose) which doesn’t invoke the hallmark hallucinatory effects. Instead, it can enhance creativity, focus, and emotional balance over time.
- If you’ve been looking for alcohol-free ways to spend your spare time, there are tons of things you can do.
- Really, you can find many aspects of your life where you can create good habits to replace alcohol.
- Deciding to live without alcohol may seem challenging, but all you have to do is look for things you can substitute for drinking.