Healthy, non-alcoholic drinks for your festivities

Alcohol is a fixture at most parties, but if liquor is off-limits or you’re simply trying to cut back, there are healthy alternatives to help you celebrate any occasion.

These non-alcoholic mocktails contain fewer calories than alcoholic beverages and are full of fresh fruits and vegetables.

So toast to a healthier you with these delicious and nutritious mocktails!

Blueberry Mocktail

Made with juice from antioxidant-rich blueberries, this health-conscious mocktail is a great low-guilt option for those abstaining from alcohol.

1 cup pure blueberry juice
Juice from 2 limes (about a 1/4 cup)
3-4 crushed mint leaves
2 cups crushed ice

Pour all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth. Garnish with fresh blueberries and a slice of lime. 

Minted Honeydew Cooler

With vitamin C, vitamin A, iron and folate, honeydews help you to avoid nutrient deficiencies and stay hydrated.

• 2 Tbsp fresh mint leaves
• 1 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
• 3 cups honeydew melon, cubed
• 2 Tbsp honey (optional)
• 1 cup crushed ice

Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.

Green Tea Mojito

Green tea contains potent antioxidants. The natural chemicals called polyphenols and flavonoids in tea provide its anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic effects.

• 8 large fresh mint leaves, plus more for serving
• 1 cup ice
• 3 ounces green tea (brewed in advance)
• 1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) freshly squeezed lime juice
• 3 tablespoons agave nectar
• 2 ounces club soda

Muddle mint leaves and ice in a cocktail shaker. Add green tea, lime juice and agave into the shaker and shake well. Pour into a glass and top off with club soda. Garnish with a sprig of mint.

Virgin Mary

Tomatoes are a rich source of an antioxidant known as lycopene. Lycopene may help protect against some cancers such as prostate, lung, breast and endometrial.

• 1 large tomato
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• Juice of half lemon
• Pinch of black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco
• Celery – garnish

Soak the tomato in boiling water for 15–20 minutes or until the skin of the tomato is soft. Peel off the tomato skin, place in a blender and mix until smooth. Set aside. Next add one teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce to a cocktail glass, along with the juice of half a lemon, a small pinch of black pepper and four to five drops or a 1/4 teaspoon of Tabasco sauce. Fill the cocktail glass with tomato juice and stir the ingredients — add ice and enjoy. If desired, garnish with a celery stalk.