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?
[Ed update: To learn which fruity herbal ea brands I like the most, read this follow-up post.]
Get Your Lunch Delivered and never miss another Lunch Tray post! Just “Like” TLT’s Facebook page or “Follow” on Twitter and you’ll also get bonus commentary, interesting kid-and-food links, discussion with other readers AND you’ll be showing TLT some love. ♥♥♥ So what are you waiting for?
shira says
Awesome idea…… I certainly never thought of it. I’m also getting the crystal light pressure from my older one.
Donna says
As always, you are very clever. The colored/flavored drink issue hasn’t hit our school, but I’ll keep this in mind in case it does.
Bettina Elias Siegel says
You are too kind. 🙂
Jill Melton says
We mix club soda with any kind of juice (typically calcium fortified orange, no pulp of course) for a fizzy juice drink, that’s far healthier than soda. It’s good with Lemonade too (we love the Simply Lemonade in a plastic bottle). Might try that. Jill
Bettina Elias Siegel says
That’s a great idea! I do this for myself all the time but for some reason never thought to put in a lunchbox. What bottle do you put it in? I would imagine fizz might not work with some spouts?
AGeorgsson says
So far, I have not been asked for drinks with lunch at school. But this is a great idea for me! And now, if they do ask, I’ve got something to pull out of my mommy hat.
Bettina Elias Siegel says
We need to be here to replenish each other’s Mommy Hats. Mine is empty far too often! 🙂
Charles Kuffner says
Oh, I like this idea. I’ll have to try it at home on the girls before springing it on them in their lunch boxes, but I think they’ll go along. Thanks!
Terra says
I was dealing with the same issue regarding “morning warm drinks”. I found putting herbal tea in a cute ceramic tea pot with little chines- food style tea cups on the table and my kids gulped up many cups each morning. No honey or sweetner of any kind, just fun flavs of fruit and herbs in the tea. Or shoudl I say tisane…
Bettina Elias Siegel says
Great idea! Sometimes presentation is key, isn’t it?
NotCinderell says
BTW, I find that fruity herbal teas are best when done in a three to one ratio of fruit tea to black tea. That’s enough for a pitcher of tea. Another good combination is 2 bags of peppermint and 2 bags of green tea.
Chava says
Funny – we also figured this out recently. I got a big jug at Target with a spout at the bottom that they are selling for iced tea. I make it up, put it in the fridge and the kids can take from the spout into a cup or water bottle.
Bettina Elias Siegel says
That’s a great idea – right now I’m using a heavy glass pitcher that’s not so easy for my youngest.
Kim says
I love those jugs with a spigot at the bottom, too. I like to set one outside on a warm, sunny day and make “sun tea.” I just put the usual # of tea bags and cool tap water into the jug. I close the lid on the jug and set it outside in a sunny spot (sunny is important) and I have a lovely batch of tea in 3 or 4 hours (OK to leave out longer if you’re away from home all day). I especially love that I don’t have to heat up my tiny kitchen by boiling water when it’s hot outside. This is a fun project for kids and a green lesson, too.
Bettina Elias Siegel says
OK, I really hate this side of myself, the nitpicky, overly cautious former food/regulatory lawyer. But I used to work for Lipton, among other companies, and remembered hearing from someone there that sun tea wasn’t a great idea. I just searched around today and found this: http://www.snopes.com/food/prepare/suntea.asp Take it for what it’s worth! 🙂
Becka says
Bettina, I love this idea! I struggle daily with the lunch drink dilemma. My goal is to always try to pack a healthy, interesting, tasty, Earth-friendly lunch….along with the occasional treat (like cookies.)
My kids (a tween & teen) either get ice water, a milk ticket, or once in a while I’ll buy a box of Roaring Waters (fruit-flavored water.) I refuse to buy CL or Kool-aid for all the same reasons.
I will definitely try this!! And it’s great timing since my preteen is moving up to the MS/HS campus next year where BOTH my kids will have access to drink (including SODA!) machines during lunch. :/
Thanks for sharing!
BTW, we have the same last name. ; )
Bettina Elias Siegel says
Becka – I’m glad this idea is helpful! And I do think it has a certain “cachet” for the preteen that the juice pouch does not. 🙂 Love having another “Siegel” around here and intrigued by the name of your site. Can’t have enough “mom sense” – will check it out.
ChrissiHR says
I buy the iced tea blends available to sample frequently at Teavana. I water them down a LOT for my 8 year old because he needs the water more than the caffeine from the green and black teas and I add just a little honey/stevia to make it a bit more palatable when necessary, but many of the fruit teas don’t need sweetening at all. We also use the teas and juices to flavor club soda. My son likes the fizz, but doesn’t care for regular soda because it’s too sweet. Also, most sodas and juices contain dyes that my ADHD child has to avoid. Making tea as a natural koolaid was one of the first changes we made after his diagnosis.
Bettina Elias Siegel says
ChrissiHR – We just “discovered” Teavana (after walking past it, you know, a MILLION times in the mall). Delish!
Gretchen says
My kids love the La Croix sparkling waters which come in an array of natural fruit flavors. It’s fun for them to pop open the top like a soda, they actually taste quite good (and are far less sweet than juice) and then when finished, they put the can in the designated recycling bin at school. There is an HEB brand too. But I like the idea of herbal teas that can be made in large batches..great one to add to the repertoire!
Bettina Elias Siegel says
I love La Croix, too, and so do my kids. I just wish they’d make mini cans the way some soda companies do, as my kids rarely finish an entire one and Im constantly throwing out half-consumed La Croix! Grrr…
Bettina Elias Siegel says
Hey everyone – just wanted to share that, to date, this tea is the kids’ favorite – it tastes less like strawberry and more like tropical punch, with a detectable hint of coconut. The other winner right now is Bigelow’s Perfect Peach.
dawn says
So funny i saw you post . I just did that for my daughter. I made a beautiful passion ice tea with a little raw honey. I told her she needs to be the leader. She is six and she understands that her friends her drink the sugary stuff always have runny noses and allergy problems. We can be satisfies with beautiful healthy food and drinks
Karen Frenchy says
I’m so glad my daughter only drinks water and she actually likes it. Every once in awhile, she’ll have some apple juice in the afternoon but during meals (or the rest of the day), it’s only water (rule at the house and school). Okay, she’s 4YO so it’s easy… It might different in the future.
Bettina Elias Siegel says
Hi Karen! Yeah, just fyi, my kids never drank juice either. It does get harder when peer pressure kicks in! 🙂