The FastDay Forum

What does everyone drink when not allowed alcohol because of medication (they also make alcohol taste gross)and when sweeteners taste awful?

I have a big social meeting coming up next weekend. Hubby and myself are away, on our own, no kids. (yippee). I don't want to drink normal sugared drinks like lemonade or cola all day, or tea, coffee, and plain water. So what do you have that is low calorie, doesn't have sweeteners and won't bore me silly.

Hmmmm... I'm not sure that you can find something that is both low calorie and not boring.
I once had to spend 40 days without alcohol and I chose sparkling water. That's boring.
My friend Elia drinks Kiwi with Sprite but that is not low calorie.
There's also Virgin Mary and Virgin Punch but these aren't low calorie either.
There's also diet coke with grenadine, but you don't want sweeteners...
I think I can't be of any help at all.

Re: Drinks on fast days?
by Melanie Cheeks » 23 Apr 2013, 16:40

Where's that recipe for fake Pimms - I love these now on a fast day.

Melanie Cheeks posted this recipe for a 'fasting' Pimms some while ago. I haven't tried it myself but a few others did and it seemed to win their approval! May be worth a try?

"Large glass with ice.
Splash of balsamic vinegar and/or angostura bitters.
Top up with soda water
Add mint/ cucumber/ lemon/ melon etc garnish.
Fasting is mental!"

I think some people tried it with diet lemonade but that wouldn't match with your request for no sweeteners. If it's OK then any bar should have the required ingredients.

Hope this helps. Have a brilliant weekend!

Unsweetened iced tea dressed up like the fake Pimms might be tasty--maybe using a decaf tea if you get overloaded with caffeine.

I used to drink tonic water with a slice of lemon and ice which everyone thought was a gin and tonic or sometimes dry ginger ale or bitter lemon. Some establishments offer non-alcoholic wine (which I thought tasted like apple juice).

Hi Julie for me its tonic water or soda water both with ice + lemon
Not completely sure about the calories in either Sue

I'm partial to a little elderflower cordial with San Pellegrino or even just water.

Or ginger beer - although that's not low-cal!

If you don't mind me asking, why are some of you mentioning fake drinks and what the others think you're drinking? Does this matter for some reason?

The fakeness doesn't bother me. It just that I don't want to overload on sugar or sweetener and carrying a pot of tea and all the accompanying paraphernalia through crowds is not recommended. Generally the soda or sparkling water seem like good ideas with the occasional gingerbeer and bitter lemon to ring the changes.
As usual for Britain I will be packing everything from a swimming costume to arctic weather gear. It is August in the UK after all. Honestly, I pack more for a weekend away with hubby in the UK than I do for a fortnight abroad.

I soooo feel for you!!! Twice in my life I packed a full suitcase for 10 days in London and I didn't wear anything. I had to buy new stuff, long live Primark!
Once it was April, supposedly spring weather but it turned into winter in day 2 and the second was in July 2005 with the big heatwave. I had packed for summer in London, not in Dubai, LOL!

I'd go for a sparkling water with a dash of Angustura (spelling sorry) bitters. It tastes quite grown up, isn't sweet and as far as I know has minimal calories

TML ... and London is always at least 10deg hotter than the rest of the country, lol!!

Have a great time, Julieathome, whatever you end up drinking ...

Cheats Ginger Beer - I made this (which therefore means it's EASY) for a BBQ the other week & it went down a storm

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2360 ... inger-beer

When i go qlcohol free (pregnant, driving, etc) I drink "rock shandies" half soda water, half lemonade with a dash of bitters. It has the lemonade sugar, so not zero calories, but one of them in an evening not excessive.

I also go soda water or sparkling water or mineral water (never really figured out the differences between all the fizy waters!) with ice and lemon. Super refreshing and tasty.

Tonic water with angostura bitters is really good. I like low cal ginger beer occasionally too. I'm trying to get used to just having water at home more often.

I've been to a BBQ today and was driving, so just had fizzy water. I think that people are much better at having non-alcoholic drinks available nowadays.