With the recent buzz on the hazards of too much sugar in our diets, I’ve found myself looking for ways to trim sugar wherever I can while maintaining a bit of fun. My boys drink a lot of water, but every now and again they want something different, something sweeter.
That’s when I turn to making a pitcher of fresh fruit water. In the latin community, this is often referred to as “aguas frescas.” A few slices of lemon, lime and orange makes a glass of cold water even more refreshing. One of our favorite combinations include a few lemon slices along with some sweet, ruby-red strawberries. Instant strawberry lemonade without all the added sugar!
Try adding some fruit to your child’s lunch box water bottle as a change from the usual juice, milk or (hopefully) water.
Related: Top 5 Lunchboxes We’ve Tested
A few flavor combination suggestions…
- Strawberries and lemons
- Lemon, orange and lime slices
- Strawberries and blueberries
Make sure your water is chilled and give the lemons, limes or oranges a little squeeze to release the juices as you add them to the water. Enjoy!
Love this idea. so healhy, so fresh and looks gorgeous! Great tips, Laura!
Quick… how much fruit should I use for a pitcher of water? I forgot I needed to provide a drink for the teachers’ lunch tomorrow!
I only send water for my girls, if they get hot lunch they get bottled water. Then throw the bottle in the recycle can on their way out.
I’m lucky my girls like just plain old water, so many kids don’t
What a wonderful and simple solution. I love the idea, too, of having my son help to make this!
These are not aguas frescas. Real aguas frescas would blend the fruit with water and some sugar (how much depends on how sweet the fruit already is and your personal preference). This is just a glass of ice water you garnished with sliced fruit and while there’s nothing inherently wrong or awful with that in and of itself, it is so incredibly off-putting that you would try to pass it off as something it isn’t when I’m convinced you know better.
Adelita-you are correct that these are not aguas frescas as we Latinos know them. However, our subscribers were asking for ways to make fresh fruit water without the added sugar or fruit juice. I’m sorry this is so “off putting” to you. We’ve had great feedback from other Latino moms (not just my friends) that they didn’t think it could be so simple to flavor water with fresh fruit. -Laura Fuentes
Adelita must have nothing better to talk about. She’s choosing to argue about water with fruit in it. Sheesh! I just found your website, I’ve got banana chips in the oven and just made some Aquas Fresca myself! :)
enjoy Kelly! :)
Love this idea MOMables! All those lemon/limes will cleanse sugar from the body too! My 4 kiddies love citrus water. But you need a reusable Cool Straw! I’d be happy to send you one if you’d like to try them out with our Cool Caps. I think I’ll try this in their stainless water bottles… :-)
What a GREAT idea – I’ve been doing this in pitchers of water for myself this summer – why not the kids too?!
I know! sometimes we do things for ourselves but forget that our kids might like it too! :)
Great idea! Will try and send water more often this upcoming school year
This is a great idea but it’s very different from aguas frescas. Aguas frescas are typically blended and have more sugar. Your version is a better option for kids.
There’s also a great 100% natural product on the market called Yoli that I use for my kids and it’s got an alkalizer in the drink also which is great as pretty much everything we consume is acidic.
Great idea. Sound good to me too but I think I’ll add a little no-cal sweetner. Does that defeat the whole idea?