[Ed Note: While I take the week off, I'm sharing what I hope are interesting posts from the archives that you may have missed the first time around. This one, about using herbal teas as a substitute for less healthful lunch box drinks (originally published on May 10, 2011), was very well received by TLT readers. Be sure to check out the follow-up link below the post with additional tea recommendations.]
So, this is one of those posts where you’ll either thank me for a great idea, or shake your head and say, “Well, DUH.”
The problem was this: my kids were growing dissatisfied with getting water in their lunch every day when so many of their friends were bringing sugary and/or artificially colored and flavored drinks. I was starting to give them Honest Kids juice pouches more and more often, but despite the fact that it’s low-sugar, I didn’t feel great about it. Why inculcate a juice habit, plus there’s the issue of environmental waste from all those empty pouches. (Although, if I were a really handy mom, I’d make a ball gown out of them.)
Meanwhile, my daughter was complaining that among her preteen friends the “in” thing right now is to bring bottled water to mix with packets of Crystal Light, a product I dislike for so many reasons – the artificial sweetener, the questionable chemical ingredients, and the message it might send these young girls about dieting and body image. I grudgingly let her try a natural, stevia-sweetened version of Crystal Light (verdict: blech!) and occasionally I let her bring a lemonade or bottled sweetened tea, but I really needed a long term solution.
Then it hit me – what about iced herbal teas?
I bought several types of tea with kid-friendly flavors like peach, pomegranate and lemon-ginger, brewed up a big pitcher, added a dab of honey, and now both kids are bringing to school delicious colored and flavored drinks — just like their friends. There’s an infinite variety of herbal teas out there so we’ll never run out of new flavors, I control the level of sweetener, and everybody’s happy.
Neat idea, or am I the last to figure this out?
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Very cool idea. You totally burst my bubble though. I thought the fact that my kids were water drinkers automatically meant that we somehow managed to circumvent the issue forever (they’re only 6 and 8). Thanks for the heads- up, Bettina. At least now I have a solution ready for use when we need it. :0)
Alas, the influence of peers does get stronger as they get older, at least in our case. I’m glad you have this tip at the ready if needed! Thanks for stopping by TLT – I checked out Little Ladies, too, and love all your lunch box ideas!
I think this is a great idea! I don’t think I’d have ever thought of it. My kids (age 9) are still ok w/ water. They tell me about some of their kids bringing soda & vitamin water etc to school but they don’t ask me for that stuff…yet. The good thing is my kids take aluminum bottles w/ their water so nobody but them knows what’s inside it
Making your own tea is also a great idea for someone trying to kick the sugared water/soda addiction too!
Erika – yes, it’s been good for me, too! I wasn’t addicted to soda but I often do crave a drink that’s a little sweeter and more interesting than water, and having a pitcher on hand has been great.
I love this idea! I wish I had been doing it when my kids were in school. They’re both tea drinkers now and we play around with different flavors and combinations. I bought my son a tea box a few Christmases ago filled with unusual and some of his favorite teas. When he was in high school he and his friends would come to the house for a “tea party.” They would literally boil a big pot of water and pull out dozens of different teas. They’d make a cup and sit around and talk or play video games while they drank their tea. My daughter has movie nights here and instead of buying snacks and soda we make a big pitcher of herbal iced tea and bake some brownies, or I increase my dinner portions and feed everyone.
If I had known they would have liked it so much I would have been including it in their lunches when they were little, but the thought never occurred to me then. Like Erika mentioned it’s a great idea for someone trying to reduce their sugar intake. There are so many teas that are naturally sweet so no sugar or honey is needed, or very little is added to enhance the flavor. These teas taste so much better than juices and sodas!
A great book for anyone interested in tea and it’s benefits is “The Ultimate Tea Diet” by Mark “Dr. Tea” Ukra. The main focus of the book is tea and weight loss, but he also discusses other advantages to drinking tea, different types of teas, history of tea, and even has food recipes that include tea. The dessert style teas would go over very well in a child’s lunch.
Lenee- my daughter’s friends also like having our teas when they come over. It’s a novelty for them!