Infused water is a refreshing and healthy way to hydrate.  It is visually appealing, making it an excellent drink to be served to guests. Yet it is also simple enough to make and leave in your fridge or on your counter as a delicious substitute for sugar-filled drinks for your family. For me, infused water is a great way to get my kids (and myself) to drink more water!

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The directions to make infused water are simple:

› Wash your chosen add-in ingredients, slice and place into water pitcher.

› Allow add-ins to infuse for at least 20-30 minutes before serving. For a stronger flavor you can add more ingredients or for a subtle flavor add less.

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I have some common add-ins listed below to help get you thinking about some flavors or flavor combinations. Be creative and try different combinations to find out your favorites.

Citrus Add-ins: Some examples of citrus add-ins are lemon, lime, and orange.

Citrus flavors are always good to mix together. For example, lemon-lime water or lemon-orange flavor.

» Tip: Make sure to slice citrus fruit in rings as shown in the image below for maximum flavor.

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Sweet Add-ins: Some examples of sweet add-ins are strawberry halves, grape halves, kiwi peeled and sliced, and cucumbers peeled and sliced.

Strawberries are usually a favorite for everyone, so they are a nice go-to if you are fixing water for a group.

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Green Herb Add-ins: Herbs are nice addition visually for color, and they can be combined with sweet or citrus flavors to add an extra zing to your water. Herbs can be intimidating, so here are three common ones to add in with a quick explanation of their flavor. As a side note, mint and rosemary are extremely easy to grow!

› Mint: Peppermint or spearmint herb leaves can add a refreshing minty flavor to your water.

› Thyme: Add a few stems to your water for an earthy flavor.

› Rosemary: Rosemary is a strong herb, so one small stem can add a woodsy flavor to an entire pitcher of water.

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Combinations: If you are still feeling intimidated by making combinations, here are some of my family’s favorites:

• Lemon & Mint
• Lemon, Orange & Thyme
• Orange & Rosemary
• Strawberry & Mint
• Strawberry & Lime
• Cucumber & Mint
• Lemon & Lime (kid favorite)
• Strawberry & Kiwi (kid favorite)
• Strawberry & Grape (kid favorite)
• Just Oranges (kid favorite)

 

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>> Notes

• If you have food allergies or dietary restrictions, be sure to carefully read the labels for all ingredients, including condiments and spices. For example, some brands of ingredients (especially sauces, salsas, etc.) may contain gluten and/or soy and/or fish/shellfish and/or carrogeenan (a seaweed-derived food additive difficult for some people to tolerate).