Good Morning Luv-lies,
I’ve noticed that there are tons of people doing the juicing thing. Occasionally, I like to drink a meal or two but what I really have taken a liking to is the incredible world of Infused Water.
And no one does it better than Amy Clark over at The Motherload.
“Back-to-school means back to the grind of packing lunches. Today I wanted to share a healthy alternative to juice boxes and recipes for creating a fun fruit-infused water for those lunches this year. Fruit infused waters are frugal, fun, and a healthy alternative to the traditional juice box.
Walmart challenged me to come up with an easy back-to-school project and packing a healthy lunch is always a top priority in our house. You may recall my fun lunch box station that I created in our house just for this reason? I am happy to say that this lunchbox system is still performing so well in our house and I am looking forward to packing lunches with it again.
What is Fruit-Infused Water?
Have you ever infused water before? It truly could not be easier and you can mix up any flavors that you love and personalize these to your own personal taste. Pictured above are some mix-in ideas we tried in our house. We purchased mint, basil, berries, limes, oranges, and lemons to create different flavor combinations for fun fruit waters. We like to keep things simple with just plain water, but you can also make it a little sweet with a little liquid stevia.
Seltzer can also be a fun switch-up, but carbonated drinks are always a gamble in our lunchbox, since they tend to get a lot of shaking and movement on the way to school!
I am displaying these in mason jars to show the colors, but when placed in your child’s lunchbox, I would recommend a leak-proof stainless steel water bottle or thermos to keep these nice & cold. Here are a couple of fun options that Walmart stocks! (Stainless Steel Water Bottle, Flip-Top Water Bottle, & Silver One Red Stainless Steel)
How Long Does Fruit-Infused Water Last?
Fruit-infused water is best enjoyed after two-four hours or after it has had a chance to infuse overnight. The length of time it lasts depends entirely on the type of fruit and herbs you use. Basil, for example, only lasts for three days while heartier varieties like rosemary or thyme can last up to seven days.
You can reuse the same fruit and add another batch of fresh water over it once you have gone through your first batch. The fruit can be used (typically) up to three times, but it will also depend on the freshness of the fruits you are using. If the fruit starts to look bad, it’s best to toss it and start with a fresh batch.
Citrus fruits are best cut fresh for your batches because the rind can add bitterness to your fruit-infusions. I like to keep my lemons, limes, and oranges fresh for that reason while reusing my berries for several batches.
It is really a matter of preference though and once you get the hang of making your own batches of fruit-infused water you will have a better idea of timelines.
Fruit Infused Water Combinations
The beauty of making your own infused waters is that you can create any combination that your heart desires and add as little or as much fruits and herbs into your drink as you like! Get inspired by the fruits and herbs that are on sale that week in the supermarket flier to help inspire new combinations and keep your fruit-infused waters frugal!
If the recipe calls for muddling, it just means bruising your fruit or herbs to release the flavors. I just use a wooden spoon for this.
Here are a few of our favorite combinations we tried:
Blueberry & Mint
2 cups blueberries
2 sprigs of mint, muddled
2 quarts of water
Strawberry & Basil
10 strawberries, thinly sliced
3 basil leaves, torn into quarters and muddled
2 quarts of water
Citrus Blend
1 orange, thinly sliced
1 lime, thinly sliced
1/2 a lemon, thinly sliced
2 quarts water
Just The Berries
10 strawberries, thinly sliced
2 cups blueberries, slightly muddled
2 quarts water
Fruit-Infused Water Recipes
Recipe type: Drinks
Prep time: 5 mins
Total time: 5 mins
Serves: 6
Ditch the juice box and create a healthy fruit-infused water for your child’s lunchbox. Check out our fun flavor combinations in my blog post!
Ingredients
- Fruit & Herbs (check the blog post for combination ideas)
- 2 quarts of water
- Ice
- Wooden Spoon
- Pitcher
Instructions
- Place the fruit and herbs, in the bottom of your pitcher and muddle with a wooden spoon, if directed.
- Fill the pitcher with water, cover, and refrigerate two hours or overnight, for maximum flavor.
- Fill a glass or thermos with ice. Pour your fruit infused water over the ice and enjoy!”
So Luv-lies, “Have you infused water before”?
“What is your favorite infused water combination”?
Do Tell….
Give This Post A 'PHAT' Shout Out::
Yessss. I have tried – and failed miserably – to handle what seems the most basic of utensils, like the chefs that I watch on the food channels. Now, I’m not trying to look exactly like them – blurred visions of blades flying through the air while performing the simple task of chopping an onion. All while managing not to chop off their fingers! Noooo. For me that image is merely a dream. I just want don’t want to look dangerous *blank stare*. In an effort to find out what I was doing – or not doing with the knife – that makes me look like I have to left thumbs, I found this very (did I say ‘very’?) useful infographic. (my grammar school teacher would not be pleased with that last sentence :/)
hello.iamphat 