Festive season is once again upon us. The Christmas bells are a-jinglin', and the new year is not far behind. Holiday season brings with it the opportunity to spend some time with our loved ones. Quality time with family and friends brings joy and comfort, and can help us usher in the new year on a positive, loving, and hopeful note.

 

Related Story: The Perks of Spending Time with Your Family and Friends

 

Talking of celebration brings us to the matter of food and beverages. If you are wondering about what drinks to serve at your festive gathering, here are some fun non-alcoholic beverages to try that can also offer you health benefits.

 

Five Non-alcoholic Winter Party Drinks You Can Make This Festive Season

 

1. Hot Chocolate With Cinnamon
Name a more classic combination than winter and hot chocolate. There isn’t any, right? Not only is it sumptuous, but cocoa is also rich in polyphenols, which have antioxidant properties that can help support your heart health and brain function. Besides, most of the basic ingredients for hot chocolate are easily available. This delicious drink never goes out of style, so serve this cup full of comfort this holiday season.

 

Ingredients

• Milk: 1 cup
• Sugar: 2 Tbsp
• Unsweetened cocoa powder: 2 Tbsp
• A pinch of salt
• A pinch of cinnamon powder
• Bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (chopped or as choco chips)
• Vanilla extract (optional): ¼ tsp
• Marshmallows or whipped cream (optional)

Preparation

1. Bring some milk to simmer in a saucepan.
2. Add sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, cinnamon powder, and a pinch of salt, and whisk well until no lumps remain. Add bittersweet or semisweet chopped chocolate (or chocolate chips), and vanilla (optional), and stir well until chocolate is completely melted.
3. The hot chocolate can be topped with whipped cream or marshmallows.

 

 

2. Strawberry Ko-jito
Kombucha is all the rage these days, being a source of probiotics, and there can be a host of potential benefits that this drink offers, from immunity-boosting properties to antioxidants. Make this refreshing twist on a virgin mojito using kombucha to liven up your party platter.

Ingredients

• A bunch of mint leaves, stems removed
• Fresh strawberries, sliced: ¾ cup
• Lemon juice: 2 Tbsp
• Kombucha: 160 ml
• Sparkling water (optional)
• Ice cubes with mint: 1 cup
• Strawberries, lemon wedges and mint leaves for garnish (optional)

Preparation

1. In a mortar and pestle, muddle ¾ cup fresh sliced strawberries and a bunch of mint leaves.
2. In a glass, take 1 tablespoon of mint and strawberries mixture. Add lemon juice.
3. Now fill the glass up with 160 ml of kombucha. You can also add sparkling water.
4. Top it up with mint ice cubes. To make mint ice cubes, simply add a mint leaf and lemon wedge in every ice cube tray compartment, top with water and freeze.
5. Additionally, you can also use more strawberries and mint leaves for garnish.

Recipe courtesy: Dr. Lakshmi Kilaru, Ph.D Food Science & Nutrition, University of Georgia (USA), Head Nutritionist, URLife

 

 

3. Fennel Ginger Tea
Good food makes for a great time, but festive meals can be a little hard on your digestive system sometimes. Both fennel and ginger offer great benefits for your digestion by addressing issues such as bloating, gas, nausea and indigestion. This fennel ginger tea can be a tasty and healthy accompaniment with all the sumptuous party food.

Ingredients

• Fennel seeds: 1 tsp
• Sliced or grated fresh ginger: 1 inch piece
• Water: 1½ cup
• Honey or maple syrup

Preparation

1. Boil the fennel seeds and the ginger in some water.
2. Strain the tea into a cup. Add honey or maple syrup according to taste.

 

4. Mulled Apple Juice
This hydrating drink is full of the goodness of antioxidants, owing to the fruity and spicy ingredients such as apple juice and cinnamon. This beverage is a great non-alcoholic alternative to mulled wine.

Ingredients

• Apple juice: 1 litre
• Orange peel
• Orange juice: ½ cup
• Cinnamon stick
• A few cloves
• Honey (optional)

Preparation

1. Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and simmer the mixture for about 10 to 15 minutes until all the flavours are infused.
2. Strain the liquid and serve it hot. If using unsweetened apple juice, you can add honey to taste.

 

5. Cranberry Punch
This beverage is chock-full of Vitamin C, and may give your immune system the boost it needs this winter. Cranberry juice is also said to lower the risk of UTIs (urinary tract infections). This tangy and sweet drink will liven up your party palate.

Ingredients

• Cranberry juice
• Orange juice
• Sparkling water
• Fresh cranberries, for garnish

Preparation

1. Combine cranberry juice and orange juice.
2. Add in sparkling water and mix well.
3. Top it off with some fresh cranberries.

 

Related: 5 Step Guide for Your Complete Festive Season Self-Care