Why I Like To Drink Mocktails
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I have been increasingly posting some mocktail recipes to my Instagram feed, for a few reasons. It kind of started as a fun way to practice making reels, and I also love the idea of whipping up a “drink” after a long and busy day. Most days I do not have the time or energy to even make a mocktail, but the practice of making one has become a sort of “treat-yo-self” ritual on the rare days that I have both the time to spare as well as the initiative to make one. Let’s just say I have been having WAY more fun than I originally thought.
I keep brainstorming fun seasonal recipes, and how to make my drinks as healthy as possible. All summer I have been trying to use in-season fruits, tend to my herb (aka garnish) garden, and up my glassware game. Because I was posting more of them, I had a few friends reach out and ask if I had stopped drinking alcohol. The answer is no, but I honestly think I prefer mocktails over alcoholic beverages.
The number one reason I have cut back on my alcohol consumption is because of how I feel when I consume alcohol. I significantly feel worse, mentally and physically, whenever a boozy drink is involved. I have never been much of a drinker, and I have never understood or liked the drinking culture of college, stressed out moms, or wining and dining. I can think of a million reasons why I prefer mocktails, but almost all of them have to do with how I feel. Drinking alcoholic beverages - even if it’s just one - impacts my sleep for the worse. It makes me feel sluggish and off my game. Therefore I am less productive, more stressed, and less happy. It’s a no brainer for me. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll indulge in a drink at a party or special occasion. If you offered me a trip to Napa you wouldn’t have to pull my arm. But I stick to very minimal amounts and I always go to the same thing (like an Aperol spritz or a prosecco). I am not at all adventurous with cocktails but I feel super inclined to try new recipes with mocktails.
Mocktails give me everything I want that a cocktail can also provide: it makes me feel a little fancy, like I am about to indulge in a treat that has been crafted and concocted with just the right ingredients and proportions in mind. It’s like drinking water out of a champagne flute - something just feels like it’s a bit elevated. Maybe it’s all a psychological trick, but I prefer it 100%.
Most days I have mocktail ingredients already in my fridge, for other purposes. Lemons, limes and club soda or sparkling water are the most necessary ingredients and all are extraordinarily useful in non-mocktail needs. I don’t feel like I am spending a ton of extraneous money on fresh fruits or fresh herbs because I already have them (especially in the summertime). I certainly know it’s more expensive to buy liquors and liqueurs, cordials and spirits that I will use once every blue moon. My bar cart has been essentially rid of all wine and spirits bottles, and now has some pretty candles, books, and baskets on it 😅
Instead of stocking up on pricy bottles of mixers and liquors, I find myself getting creative and dreaming up fun garnishes, styling ideas, and more. I’ve seen so many wildly creative mocktails on Instagram and the options are endless!
