Easy Kid Drinks to Make at Home

• 15 Non-Alcoholic Cocktail Recipes For Children
• Frequently Asked Questions

Cocktails are alcoholic beverages made by mixing alcoholic beverages, such as vodka or whiskey, with a mixer, such as fruit or vegetable juice or soda (1). Since these drinks aren't suitable for children and teens, you may try non-alcoholic cocktail recipes for kids shared in this post.

These recipes, often termed mocktails, are as colorful and attractive as the cocktails but contain healthy ingredients, such as cordials, homemade fruit punch, and fruit shakes. They are relatively healthy options for children and adolescents and can be relished on different occasions.

Read on as we give you different non-alcoholic cocktail recipes you can try at home using healthy alternatives such as fruit punch, squash, and milk.

15 Non-Alcoholic Cocktail Recipes For Children

Here are some easy-to-prepare, mouth-watering, non-alcoholic cocktail recipes that you can try as an occasional treat for your children and teens.

Fruit Punch

It is a non-alcoholic beverage prepared by mixing fruit juice, water, and sweeteners, such as white sugar. Commercially, fruit punch is sugar-laden, with little or no fruit juice. Besides, it often has fruit-flavored soda or carbonated water, making the drink unhealthy for kids (2). However, you can make a healthy fruit punch at home and use it to prepare no-soda mocktails.

Below are some no-soda, non-alcoholic fruit punch recipes that you can make for your child.

1. Honey Lime Swirl

Image: Shutterstock

You will need:

• 1 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 5 cups water
• 1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves (chopped)
• 1 lemon slice

How to prepare:

1. Mix all the ingredients in a pitcher and refrigerate the drink for 30 minutes.
2. Serve chilled, garnished with a lemon slice.

2. Tropical Fruit Punch

Image: Shutterstock

You will need:

• ¼ cup orange juice
• ½ cup pineapple juice
• ½ cup mango juice
• A splash of grenadine syrup or raspberry syrup
• ½ cup crushed ice
• Maraschino cherry (chopped, for garnishing)

How to prepare:

1. Pour the grenadine syrup into a martini glass and add some crushed ice.
2. Add orange juice, followed by pineapple juice, and mango juice one over the other to create colorful layers.
3. Garnish with chopped cherries and serve immediately.

3. Pink Grapefruit Punch

Image: Shutterstock

You will need:

• 1 cup pink grapefruit juice
• ½ cup homemade lemonade
• 2 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice
• 2 tablespoons date syrup
• 4 cups water
• 1 grapefruit (for garnishing)

How to prepare:

1. Mix grapefruit juice, lemonade, cherry juice, date syrup, and water in a pitcher, and refrigerate for 15–20 minutes.
2. Pour the drink in a highball glass, garnish with grapefruit slices, and serve immediately.

4. Homemade Hawaiian Punch

Image: Shutterstock

You will need:

• 2 cups water
• 1 passion fruit
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 2 cups guava nectar
• ½ cup orange juice
• ½ cup apple juice
• ½ cup papaya nectar
• ¼ cup apricot nectar
• ¾ cup date syrup
• ½ tablespoon natural red food coloring or cranberry juice

How to prepare:

1. Blend passion fruit and a cup of water into a smooth-flowing liquid, using a blender.
2. Strain the liquid into a punch bowl with a fine-mesh sieve.
3. Add the remaining water and all the other ingredients into the punch bowl and whisk until the date syrup dissolves.
4. Refrigerate the drink for an hour.
5. Serve it with pinwheel sandwich or feta cheese and grilled vegetable salad.

5. Banana slush

Image: Shutterstock

You will need:

• 1 ripe banana (chopped)
• 2 cups fresh pineapple juice
• 2 cups homemade ginger ale
• 1 cup frozen orange juice (thawed)
• 1 cup frozen lemonade (thawed)
• 1 cup raisin puree
• 3 cups water

How to prepare:

1. Blend banana pieces, raisin puree, and water into a smooth-flowing liquid, using a blender or food processor.
2. Pour the blend into a large bowl
3. Add pineapple juice, orange juice, and lemonade, and mix well.
4. Store the drink in the refrigerator, and take it out after approximately four hours. Add two cups of ginger ale to each cup of the banana blend and serve right away!

Homemade Cordial Or Squash

Cordials are non-alcoholic, syrup-like, high-sugar beverages that are considered to have medicinal properties. As a non-alcoholic drink, they are often mixed with carbonated water/soda to prepare mocktails, which may not be healthy. However, you can tweak these recipes and create tasty and refreshing low-sugar, non-alcoholic drinks for your child.

6. Cucumber And Lime Cordial

Image: Shutterstock

You will need:

• 1 cucumber (roughly chopped)
• 2 fresh limes (juiced)
• 100g unrefined coconut sugar
• 200ml water

How to prepare:

1. Add sugar and 200ml of water in a saucepan, and bring to a simmer, over medium heat.
2. Blend the cucumber in a food processor or blender to get a smooth puree.
3. Strain it into a bowl through a fine strainer, pressing gently with a spoon/ladle to extract the juice.
4. Add sugar syrup and strain the mixture again into an airtight jar. Add lime juice and refrigerate for two weeks.
5. To serve, pour 30 to 40ml of the mix in a flute glass or cocktail glass, add a cup of ginger ale, and serve immediately.

7. Blackcurrant Cordial

Image: Shutterstock

You will need:

• 500g blackcurrants
• 200g coconut sugar
• 100ml homemade ginger ale
• 300ml water
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest

How to prepare:

1. Put coconut sugar and 300ml of water in a saucepan, and boil to make a thin syrup over medium heat.
2. Turn the heat low and add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and blackcurrants into the syrup.
3. Boil the mixture over medium heat for 15–20 minutes or until the blackcurrants soften. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool.
4. Pour the mixture into a bowl through a fine strainer lined with a muslin cloth. Keep the mix in the fridge for up to a month.
5. While serving, mix 100ml of ginger ale to 25ml of cordial.

8. Sweet And Tangy Raspberry Cordial

Image: Shutterstock

You will need:

• 500g fresh raspberries (chopped)
• 250ml date syrup
• 300ml water
• 1 cup homemade ginger ale
• 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime zest

How to prepare:

1. Put raspberries, date syrup, water, and lime zest in a large saucepan and boil over medium heat.
2. Boil the mixture while gently stirring until the raspberries turn soft and mushy and the mixture thickens. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool for ten minutes.
3. Add lime juice, mix well, and strain it into a large bowl through a fine strainer lined with a muslin cloth.
4. Transfer the mixture into an airtight jar, seal it, and refrigerate for up to a month.
5. Dilute 30ml of the mix in a cup of chilled ginger ale and serve.

9. Refreshing Mint Cordial

Image: Shutterstock

You will need:

• 30g fresh mint with stems
• 80g honey
• 2 drops mint extract (optional)

How to prepare:

1. Crush mint leaves in a pestle mortar until you get a coarse paste.
2. Add the paste to 150ml of boiling water in a bowl and stir well. Cover the bowl and let the mixture stand for about two hours.
3. Pour the mixture into a fine sieve and press it well with a spoon to extract all the juice into a saucepan.
4. Put the saucepan over medium heat, boil the mixture for two minutes, and add mint extract if needed.
5. Transfer the cordial to an airtight bottle or jar, let it cool, and store in the fridge.
6. Mix 30ml of mint cordial with a cup of water, and serve.

10. Mango Squash

Image: iStock

You will need:

• 1 cup homemade, fresh mango juice
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
• 2 cups water

How to prepare:

1. Add water and brown sugar in a saucepan and let the mixture boil over low heat.
2. Once the mixture starts boiling, turn the heat to high and continuously stir until you attain a mixture with one-thread consistency.
3. Switch off the flame, add lemon and mango juice, and mix everything well.
4. Serve right away or chill the squash for an hour. Any leftover can be stored in an airtight jar or bottle for a few days.

Non-Alcoholic Cocktails With Milk

These drinks are made by mixing milk (animal or plant-based) with fruit or fruit juices, just as shakes. Generally, non-alcoholic cocktails with milk contain full-fat milk or cream, but you can alter the recipe and make it healthier.

11. Berry-Berry Cocktail

Image: iStock

You will need:

• 1 cup fresh berries (chopped)
• 1 cup coconut milk
• ½ cup crushed ice
• 1 tablespoon honey

How to prepare:

1. Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend into a smooth-textured liquid.
2. Pour the cocktail into a Collins glass, add some crushed ice, and serve.

12. Virgin Pina Colada

Image: Shutterstock

You will need:

• ½ cup fresh pineapple juice
• ½ cup canned coconut milk
• ⅛ cup coconut cream
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon vanilla paste
• 1 pineapple (for garnishing)

How to prepare:

1. Blend all the ingredients into a smooth-flowing liquid using a blender or food processor.
2. Pour the liquid into a glass, garnish with pineapple slices, and the drink is ready to serve.

13. Coco Lemonade

Image: Shutterstock

You will need:

• 1 cup frozen pineapple (thawed)
• 1 cup fresh homemade lemonade
• ½ cup coconut milk
• 1 pineapple slice (for garnishing)

How to prepare:

1. Put frozen pineapple, lemonade, and coconut milk into a blender and blend them into a smooth-flowing liquid.
2. Pour the drink into a clean coconut shell or glass, garnish with a pineapple slice, and serve.

14. Great Good Morning

Image: Shutterstock

You will need:

• ½ orange (peeled and deseeded)
• ½ lime (peeled and deseeded)
• ½ apple
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• 1 tablespoon apple juice
• A dash of coconut cream

How to prepare:

1. Grind all the ingredients into a fibery-liquid using a food processor.
2. Pour in a mason jar or glass, garnish with a dash of cream, and the drink is ready to serve!

15. Papaya Splash

Image: Shutterstock

You will need:

• 2 cups papaya (sliced)
• ½ cup skimmed milk or almond milk
• 2tbsp coconut sugar

How to:

1. Blend the ingredients until you see a smooth liquid.
2. Pour it into a glass and serve immediately.
3. Add a handful of crushed ice, and serve the drink chilled.

1. Is zero alcohol beer okay for children?

There is insufficient research to elaborate on the safety aspects of zero alcohol beverages for children (3). In general, you may consider other alternative beverages for children.

2. Can children drink Red Bull?

According to recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics, children should not be given any energy drinks (including Red Bull) due to their high caffeine component and risk of adverse effects (4).

3. Can children drink wine?

Experts suggest that no amount of alcoholic beverages (due to their associated health risks) should be consumed by children under 18 (5).

Non-alcoholic cocktails are refreshing beverages that children across ages can consume in moderation. You can try different non-alcoholic cocktail recipes for kids to add variety to the drinks they consume. Involve your child in the preparation process and let them pick ingredients. Doing so will train them to make healthy choices and teach them the importance of healthy eating. So share different cocktail recipes with your child and let them experiment with its ingredients and preparation to create that cocktail's healthier version.

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References:

MomJunction's articles are written after analyzing the research works of expert authors and institutions. Our references consist of resources established by authorities in their respective fields. You can learn more about the authenticity of the information we present in our editorial policy.

1. The Cocktail Collection.
   https://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/cocktails/index.html
2. Sugary Drinks.
   https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-drinks/sugary-drinks/
3. Mia Miller et al., (2021); Zero-alcohol beverages: Harm-minimisation tool or gateway drink?
   https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/dar.13359
4. Energy Drinks: Do You Really Want to "Unleash the Beast?"
   https://www.childrenscolorado.org/conditions-and-advice/sports-articles/sports-nutrition/energy-drinks-are-they-safe/
5. Should my child drink alcohol?
   https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/childrens-health/should-my-child-drink-alcohol/

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Swati Patwal is a clinical nutritionist, a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) and a toddler mom with over eight years of experience in diverse fields of nutrition. She started her career as a CSR project coordinator for a healthy eating and active lifestyle project catering to school children. Then she worked as a nutrition faculty and clinical nutrition coach in different... more

Natasha Uspensky is a certified holistic nutrition counselor, Ayurvedic practitioner, wellness blogger, and founder of NU Health & Wellness and The Organic Beauty. She practices a holistic approach to wellness, believing that health and happiness come from achieving a sense of balance in all areas of life — from food, movement, and environment, to relationships, community, and career. She specializes... more

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