Kick off the Memorial Day weekend –the unofficial start of summer– with a refreshing mocktail in hand! Mocktails or “mock cocktails” are mixed drinks minus the alcohol, replicating a traditional cocktail’s fun and exciting hallmarks.
Mocktails make the ideal healthy icy cold summer beverage for seniors looking to jazz up their summer while feeling happy and spirited. We guarantee nobody will mind if they’re alcohol-free. Explore our inspiring roundup of easy mocktails that will make happy hour this holiday weekend much healthier.
1. Virgin Mojito
Feel the chill this summer when you sip on the cool and refreshing minty, citrusy flavors of a Virgin Mojito. Skip the booze and extra sugar with a sugar-free club soda or bubbly seltzer as the base for this popular summer mocktail.
2. Virgin Bloody Mary
Virgin Marys are bloody fantastic! Loaded with spicy, salty, and incredible umami flavor; these mocktails don’t need vodka to be a thirst-quenching showstopper.
Making a non-alcoholic Bloody Mary is as easy as 1-2-3. Omit the vodka and indulge in all the other classic ingredients, such as tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish sauce, and the iconic celery stalk. When choosing a tomato juice for your Virgin Mary, be sure to avoid tomato juices that are high in sodium and sugar.
3. Not So Dark and Stormy
The Not So Dark and Stormy mocktail is a delicious twist on the Dark and Stormy’s mysterious-sounding cocktail. Named for its two-tone appearance from the colliding dark rum, lime juice, and ginger beer, it pays homage to the raging sea.
Enjoying a non-alcoholic Dark and Stormy is simple. Swap out the dark rum for blackstrap molasses which will provide depth and robust flavor. The molasses blended with the ginger beer and lime will offer a refreshingly sweet summery treat with a gingery bite. Even though ginger beer may sound as though it contains alcohol, it is indeed a non-alcoholic beverage and can be purchased at your local grocer, often found in the soda aisle.
4. Virgin Frozen Strawberry Daquiris
You’ll be sipping these Virgin Strawberry Daiquiris all summer! Frozen, refreshing, and brimming with sweet and tart strawberries, it’s no wonder the Strawberry Daiquiri is one of the best mocktails ever! You’ll find no alcohol in these daiquiri look-alikes, but you’ll taste subtle flavorings of rum extract blended into these ruby red frozen treats.
Both frozen and fresh strawberries are used in this recipe for the best flavor combination and added texture. This recipe also calls for a simple syrup, which is highly recommended as it will make for a much smoother mocktail as it’s easier to blend than refined sugar.
5. Virgin White Peach Sangria
A Virgin White Peach Sangria is the perfect mocktail to enjoy on a laid back summer evening for its light and breezy charm. A trio of sweet juices, white grape, orange, and peach nectar is combined with sparkling seltzer water as an alternative to white wine in this white sangria mocktail recipe. A medley of freshly sliced fruits is also added to the mix to complete this crisp, sweet refreshment. A sangria mocktail is an incredibly versatile drink, allowing several variations from the fruit and the juices used as the sangria’s base.
6. Healthy Frozen Mango Margarita Mocktail
Traditional margaritas are often dubbed one of the most unhealthy cocktails you can order, as they’re often packed with sugar. Luckily, the Healthy Frozen Mango Margarita Mocktail ditches all the excess sugar and uses only mango and agave to naturally sweeten this popular drink.
