This summer, stay hydrated and choose healthier beverages to help you stay cool. While a glass of ice cold lemonade, sweet tea, juice, or soda is refreshing on a hot day, these drinks are full of sugar and packed with calories. Put some of your WIC cash value benefits to good use by making infused water with a portion of the fruits and vegetables that you purchase. You can even eat the fruits and vegetables after the water has finished infusing! By choosing infused water over sweetened beverages, you can decrease the amount of sugar and calories you consume during the day to improve your health while still having a thirst quenching beverage.
Make infused water by soaking a
combination of fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, and tea in water using glass jars,
large pitchers, or personal sized water bottles. Make sure to remove the paper
tag and string from tea bags before soaking them in water. Cut off the rind of
lemons, limes, and grapefruit to reduce bitterness of the water.
Here are several flavor
combinations for 32 ounces (4 cups) of infused water, feel free to mix and
match fruits and other flavors as you prefer.
Mandarin, Basil, and Black Tea Infused Water
2 mandarin oranges, sliced with
rind removed*
4 basil leaves, torn*
4 basil leaves, torn*
1 bag of black tea
Combine ingredients with water, infuse
for 2-3 hours at room temperature and then remove the tea bags. Refrigerate
after infusing.
Green Tea Citrus Infused Water
½ of a grapefruit, sliced with
rind removed*
½ of a lemon, sliced with rind
removed*
1 bag of green tea
Combine ingredients with water, infuse
for 2-3 hours at room temperature and then remove the tea bags. Refrigerate
after infusing.
Mango Mint Infused Water
2 sprigs of fresh mint (or about
8 small leaves)*
½ of a mango, with the skin cut
off and divided into pieces (about 6)*
Combine the mint and mango with
water and let the infusion sit for 3-4 hours at room temperature. Refrigerate
after infusing.
Watermelon Cilantro Infused Water
4 cubes fresh watermelon*
5-6 leaves cilantro*
Tear the cilantro leaves in half
to get the most flavor. Add purified water and chill in the fridge for 2-4
hours.
Cucumber Jalapeño Mint Infused Water
3″ of cucumber (English or
regular), sliced*
½ of a jalapeño pepper, de-seeded*
1 sprig of mint leaves*
To de-seed a jalapeño, cut off
the pepper’s top and then cut the pepper in half. Wear a latex glove or cover
your thumb with plastic wrap, and run your thumb down the length of the
pepper, removing all seeds and the pith. Combine the ingredients in a container
and cover with cold water. Infuse for 4-24 hours in the refrigerator.
Longer infusion times will result in stronger flavors.
There are many other great fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices that can be used to infuse water:
If you are short on time, add a
squeeze of citrus juice or other fruit to a glass of sparkling water. You get
the same flavor with none of the waiting time!
Find even more infused water recipes here.
