Best sugar free or other low calorie drinks to replace soda at family functions?

wellthenwhat
wellthenwhat Posts: 526 Member
edited November 17 in Food and Nutrition
So my son always wants a soda when we go to family's house. I don't mind him having some soda, but I'd prefer he not have it that often, especially since they usually want to give him a whole can. I am also looking for a drink that I can have as a treat now and then that is lower calorie/sugar instead of soda. I find that I crave a flavored drink, but although I like the taste of soda, I don't like the fizz later on. Diet is not worth it. I used to like Crystal Light, might try finding some of that. I don't like flavored waters very well, either.

Replies

  • crazyycatlady1
    crazyycatlady1 Posts: 292 Member
    One of my kids cannot have caffeine (it makes him crazy hyper), so whenever we're out/at someone's house he's allowed to have caffeine free soda (diet or regular), milk/chocolate milk or water.

    As for me-I drink diet soda, coffee/tea or just plain water.
  • aylajane
    aylajane Posts: 979 Member
    Get some of the Mio type drink mixers - can get caffeine free, made with stevia or sucralose etc whatever you like. Carry it with you and use that as a "treat" drink. Even Koolaid makes them now.
  • KosmosKitten
    KosmosKitten Posts: 10,476 Member
    There's a low calorie Country Time strawberry lemonade they make now that's not bad. Not sure if you are a lemonade fan, but it's comparable to the sugar-y version. They make it in little "on the go" packets as well that you can mix up.

    If you like almond milk, there's always chocolate almond milk which is somewhat lower calorie. It's 40 calories per serving if you get the unsweetened variety (which is still pretty tasty).
  • enterdanger
    enterdanger Posts: 2,447 Member
    chocolate milk.
  • rsclause
    rsclause Posts: 3,103 Member
    water
  • wellthenwhat
    wellthenwhat Posts: 526 Member
    rsclause wrote: »
    water

    Well yes, we usually drink water, but it's nice to have a different choice for every so often treats
  • oocdc2
    oocdc2 Posts: 1,361 Member
    Poland Spring and Dasani both have recently come out with flavored sparkling water (not mineral water) with no sweeteners added. They are an acquired taste, but now they're my go-to when I want something more than plain water or coffee.

    I find the Sparkling ICE line particularly yummy, but they have a lot of artificial sweetener added--I always feel like I'm asking for gastro issues whenever I treat myself to one.
  • wellthenwhat
    wellthenwhat Posts: 526 Member
    I really dislike sparkling water, although my 6 year old likes them.
  • musclesandmusic866
    musclesandmusic866 Posts: 1,396 Member
    I like a jack and coke at the end of the day and have been trying without success to replace the coke part.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I enjoy a nice glass of iced tea with some lemon...
  • andi1222
    andi1222 Posts: 4 Member
    Crystal Light Pure or True Lemon/True Lime -- They both have packets to add to water. It's like drinking Kool-aid, but with 10 or 15 calories instead (I believe they both have stevia and a little bit of sugar). True makes a black cherry limeade and a raspberry lemonade that my 11-year-old and I both love.
  • LadyLilion
    LadyLilion Posts: 276 Member
    edited April 2017
    aylajane wrote: »
    Get some of the Mio type drink mixers - can get caffeine free, made with stevia or sucralose etc whatever you like. Carry it with you and use that as a "treat" drink. Even Koolaid makes them now.

    This is what we drink. I have some right now in fact. :) I especially like the Crystal Light Blackberry Lemonade. You can make it as weak or as strong as you like. They're also good for flavoring tea.

  • samuelgina91
    samuelgina91 Posts: 158 Member
    Iced tea just depends on how much sugar you use to sweeten it, or I just get water with lemon, basil or cucumber. It is pretty good after a while, and very occasionally I purchase a container of orange juice and now it lasts the full month as I don't indulge that often, and when I do I add a lot of ice (to dilute it sometimes it can be too sweet and make the portion smaller). Similarly I love this weird twist on lemonade, which is to make it and add cumin to it.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Nestle Splash. These are lightly flavored waters. They have a bit of fake sugar (Splenda) but not over the top sweet. Mandarin Orange is my favorite.

    Herbal teas make nice iced tea too. Bigelow Red Raspberry - yum!
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    I drink unsweetened tea and my dd will drink that sometimes too.

    Look up infused water.
  • annacole94
    annacole94 Posts: 994 Member
    For the kids, on special occasions, they get juice, pop, or diet pop. Depends what's available. I don't really mind any of them, out of the house.

    For me, I like flavoured water with actual fruit or cucumber in it, Coke Zero (which tastes better, imo, than other Diet drinks), or beer. Beer is not low calorie. ;)
  • ThatLadyFromMN
    ThatLadyFromMN Posts: 301 Member
    We switched from soda to La Croix or other no calorie no aspartame drinks.
  • hulk666
    hulk666 Posts: 11 Member
    ZEVIA ZEVIA ZEVIA !!! It is a stevia based soda but they recently reformulated so they no longer add erytherol to it. I LOVE DR ZEVIA ! It tastes like Diet Dr Pepper. Their Mountain Zevia is okay but dont expect a Mt Dew taste. They also carry fruit flavors. Dr Zevia, Mt Zevia and their cola has caffeine. Best of all NO CARAMEL COLOR !!! They taste awesome and pour like water.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    This content has been removed.
  • moonbeam568
    moonbeam568 Posts: 12 Member
    I get Clear American from Walmart they have different flavors and it's 0calories 0 caffeine 0 carbs and it has the fiz! I used this when I was trying to stop drinking soda. Normally I just drink water but it's nice when you want the fiz and water just won't cut it.
  • laur357
    laur357 Posts: 896 Member
    Unsweetened Iced Tea - you could add a no-calorie sweetener if you'd like, or muddle some berries, herbs, or add a dash of fruit juice (pomegranate or cherry is great with black tea, orange or cranberry with green).

    Infused water with fruit or herbs.

    When I was young, we could only drink soda at my Gram's house or at a restaurant (which we rarely went to). I also usually had to split the can with my brother. Maybe have your son split a can with someone or just give him a small glass and dump the rest.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    moonbeam568 wrote: »
    I get Clear American from Walmart they have different flavors and it's 0calories 0 caffeine 0 carbs and it has the fiz! I used this when I was trying to stop drinking soda. Normally I just drink water but it's nice when you want the fiz and water just won't cut it.

    I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with diet soda. I drink it everyday......but how is Clear American not diet soda?

    Filtered Carbonated Water, Citric Acid, Natural Flavor, Potassium Citrate, Aspartame, Potassium Benzoate (A Preservative), Acesulfame Potassium. Phenylketonurics: Contains Phenylalanine
  • wellthenwhat
    wellthenwhat Posts: 526 Member
    edited April 2017
    laur357 wrote: »
    Unsweetened Iced Tea - you could add a no-calorie sweetener if you'd like, or muddle some berries, herbs, or add a dash of fruit juice (pomegranate or cherry is great with black tea, orange or cranberry with green).

    Infused water with fruit or herbs.

    When I was young, we could only drink soda at my Gram's house or at a restaurant (which we rarely went to). I also usually had to split the can with my brother. Maybe have your son split a can with someone or just give him a small glass and dump the rest.
    I could see if my boyfriend would like half, I don't want it, and they wont really let him split with anyone else, they think I'm crazy for not liking it, lol And I don't want to dump someone else's soda
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    One thing I have done is mix a glass with 1/2 of one of the fruity V-8 Splash and 1/2 with diet ginger ale. Basically, it is a fruit punch. I get the diet V8 although your son might be better off with the calories. Not as much fizz and a fruity refreshing flavor
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    TeaBea wrote: »
    moonbeam568 wrote: »
    I get Clear American from Walmart they have different flavors and it's 0calories 0 caffeine 0 carbs and it has the fiz! I used this when I was trying to stop drinking soda. Normally I just drink water but it's nice when you want the fiz and water just won't cut it.

    I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with diet soda. I drink it everyday......but how is Clear American not diet soda?

    Filtered Carbonated Water, Citric Acid, Natural Flavor, Potassium Citrate, Aspartame, Potassium Benzoate (A Preservative), Acesulfame Potassium. Phenylketonurics: Contains Phenylalanine

    It IS diet soda. Just doesn't have the artificial flavors and colors. I have tried to explain that to a friend. No, it is NOT sparkling water. It even says on the label that it is a "Sparkling Water Beverage" so it is a soda made with sparkling water.
  • ConquerAndBloom
    ConquerAndBloom Posts: 94 Member
    ThatLadyFromMN wrote: »
    We switched from soda to La Croix or other no calorie no aspartame drinks.

    I second La Croix. I don't give my son soda and I am trying to cut back on it myself, but sometimes I just want something bubbly! You mentioned that you don't like sparkling water all that much but your son does. My son really likes La Croix! The peach one is to die for.

This discussion has been closed.

Categories