It’s the most wonderful time of the year to make some holiday drinks! The holiday season is a time that is filled with celebration and cheer and is also a great time to relax before the New Year comes with its resolutions and hard work. Being able to enjoy the time with your family, having a relaxing night in while watching movies, getting to just hang out with friends and co-workers. Of course, this year is incredibly different from past holiday seasons because of COVID-19. We can’t forget the importance of remaining safe if not for ourselves, then at least for the people we love.
But, even if this year is different, it doesn’t mean that we can’t still have fun! One of the best parts of the holiday season is all of the fun, festive holiday drinks! Even if you’re someone that doesn’t enjoy an alcoholic beverage, a mocktail is still a great way to get yourself into the holiday spirit! While one of the traditional things about the holidays is the high-calorie meals and snacks, one place we can cut the calories but keep the fun is the drinks! We don’t expect you to go without any holiday merriment, but there are things you can do to make it a bit healthier.
Here are 10 really great alcoholic and non-alcoholic drink recipes to wow your family with this holiday season!
Holiday Moscow Mule
Moscow Mules are an incredibly refreshing and easy drink to make and serve to your guests. It utilizes vodka, spicy ginger beer, and lime juice and is often garnished with lime wedges or mint leaves. While this might sound low-calorie already, the ginger beer is where the majority of the calories stem from. Getting any regular brand of ginger beer can lead to an excessive amount of artificial sweeteners, which in turn can cause the overall calories of the drink to skyrocket. This really great and easy recipe from “Get Healthy U” shows you exactly how to pick out ginger beers with natural sweeteners as well as how to add a cute holiday twist to your Moscow Mules; all while keeping each drink at 129 calories!
Pear And Sage Sparkler
Many people don’t consider pears when thinking of holiday flavors, however, pears are incredibly popular during the colder months and would make a great addition to any dessert or drink! Much like with this sparkler! This particular recipe can be alcoholic or non-alcoholic and still taste amazing and be a showstopper during your holiday party! A food blogger by the name of “Honest Kitchen” has concocted a recipe for a 178-calorie version of this beverage and it sounds amazing! It’s a great drink for the whole family!
Espresso Martini
You can never go wrong with a coffee-flavored beverage at any party, however, mixing coffee and alcohol is a hard thing to master! But, also making it low-calorie? Well, my interest has peaked! “Picklee” and lifestyle blog has shared their absolute favorite Skinny Espresso Martini recipe and it’s super simple but incredibly delicious as well! Each serving is only 145 calories, but you can definitely lower it by getting alcohol that is low in sugars!
Cranberry Mojito
Cranberries are definitely the crowned jewel of all the holiday fruits when it comes to drinks! The tart yet sweet taste that bursts on your tongue when you bite into one is a great compliment to any dish that you make! That’s why there’s no surprise that there’s a drink on this list that incorporates cranberries. Mojitos much like Moscow Mules, is a refreshing drink that incorporates white rum, sugar, lime juice, soda water, and mint. And while it is usually a summer drink, it can also be a great and refreshing drink for the holidays as well! This 128-calorie recipe by “Get Healthy U” incorporates a natural sweetener alternative to the sugar that is usually used when making a Mojito. Making this simple switch can drastically lower the calorie content, but still allow you to enjoy that classic Mojito taste that you love and enjoy!
Eggnog
Whether you enjoy a more adult version of this drink, or you enjoy it on it’s own, eggnog makes for one of the most perfect cold weather drinks. There are a few ways to make this drink healthier. One way is to cut out all of the refined sugars from the condensed milk and the heavy cream, and substitute those ingredients for maple syrup. In this recipe by “Super Healthy Kids”, they have done just that! Another option is to do a non-dairy option! By choosing a rich and creamy plant-milk option, you’re able to cut out the other extra refined sugars in the recipe by “A Sweet Pea Chef”! Plus this recipe also substitutes honey for the sugar! It’s a win-win! You still get that rich creamy flavor that you love, without the guilt from all the extra calories!
Grinch Punch
When you think of a super cute holiday-themed drink, most people don’t automatically think of the Grinch. However, its iconicity over the past decade as one of the most watched holiday films of all time, could lend to its popularity in the drinks department as well! This punch gets its name from the vibrant green color that it gets from the sherbert that is used in it. However, while there are ways to make this drink more adult-friendly, if you’re looking to wow the kids this holiday, this is also a great drink to do so with! Just make sure that you omit the alcohol while making the drink for the kids! This recipe by “Get Healthy U” is only 171 calories (with alcohol) and is extremely easy and fun to make!
Rosemary Gin Fizz
A gin and fizz is another incredibly classic and easy drink to make that requires little work! It only requires gin and a sparkling water of some sort to make the drink! You can always add any other flavors that you would like to, however, to make this holiday version, vegetarian and wholefoods blog “Cookie+Kate” has made this incredibly easy recipe and incorporated rosemary, lemon juice, and honey for added sweetness.
Apple Spiced Mimosas
Apple is another classic holiday/colder month fruit and it goes great with any blend of spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg. This mimosa recipe uses apple juice instead of orange juice as a mix for your champagne! It also incorporates sweetener alternatives such as coconut sugar to create a super cute sugar rim for your champagne flutes!
Kombucha Cosmopolitan
While I’m sure the last thing you were expecting when drinking alcohol was kombucha, it can actually be a great mix for an alcoholic beverage! The natural tang and fizz from the fermentation makes for the perfect mixture for a cosmopolitan. Instead of using a sugary mixer, consider using a flavored kombucha that is already incredibly low in sugar and super high in probiotics! This can be a great drink for soothing the tummy and getting you ready for the big meal that you’re about to have! This recipe by “Get Healthy U” is super easy to make and incorporates some great ingredients that can help you to feel better but still have fun!
Healthier Hot Chocolate
Finally, for the most iconic holiday drink of the season; a nice steaming cup of hot chocolate. But not just any hot chocolate, a low-calorie version that can be mixed with your favorite choice of alcohol! While the recipe provided by “Get Healthy U” is definitely aimed towards those that want to make the drink more adult friendly, you can easily save the calories and allow for it to be more wholesome and appropriate for the whole family without adding the alcohol! An added plus with this recipe is that it is completely dairy free and utilizes honey as a wholesome sweetener alternative to conventional sugar!
