Summertime non-alcoholic sangria

next
An Easy Choice I Made for Emily

I gotta admit — I’m pretty much dying for a margarita. It’s my favorite drink, but since I’m breastfeeding I’m obviously not drinking. I’ve seen these little test strips for breastmilk to determine whether any alcohol made it into the milk but I’m not ready to potentially throw out a bunch of milk just for the sake of a drink! But talk to me in August and I may be singing a different tune.

In the meantime, I’ll be happily indulging in this sangria recipe I got from my mom (with a few tweaks from me). It’s non-alcoholic but you could certainly swap out the ginger ale for champagne or prosecco.

Summertime Non-Alcoholic Sangria, serves 6-8 people

  • 3/4 cup Country Time Lemonade Drink Mix
  • 1 liter Cranberry Ginger Ale
  • 1 cup Orange Juice
  • 1 tbsp fresh Lime Juice
  • 2 Oranges, sliced
  • 2 Limes, sliced
  • 5-8 Strawberries, sliced

Pour lemonade drink mix into the bottom of a pitcher. Add sliced fruit and then pour orange and lime juice over top. When ready to serve, pour cranberry ginger ale into the pitcher, stirring as you pour. Let the drink sit for about 30 minutes to let the lemonade mix dissolve and the flavors come together.

If you want to make yours alcoholic, I’d skip the cranberry ginger ale and instead add prosecco and cranberry juice!

While the drink is pretty by itself, it’s nice to serve it in fun cups too. And finally adding a few slices of the fruit to each cup before pouring the drink is the perfect touch! This pitcher and cups are from Target’s Opal House collection.

p.s. my dress can be found here (or here’s a similar one that’s striped) and my nail color is Essie’s “Matter of Fiction.”

comments

Leave a Reply to Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Blanca Perdomo says · 06.15.18

Well now I know what I’ll be indulging in at family BBQs this summer!

Reply
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog says · 06.15.18

Perfect recipe for me, since I don’t drink alcohol!
Love how photogenic the sangria is! 🙂

Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com

Reply
Allie says · 06.15.18

This sounds delicious! I love a good sparkling beverage in a hot day. It looks so pretty in those cute Target glasses, they’ve done such a great job on their collaborations lately! If you are looking for any other refreshing drinks, I’ve found mixing La Croix and orange juice is really refreshing!
Happy Friday, xAllie
http://www.theallthatglittersblog.com

Reply
Stephanie says · 06.15.18

Girl, pump and dump is outdated advice! Evidence based practice is a drink or two is fine. We know that so little of that alcohol actually makes it into your breastmilk that it’s nothing you have to really concern yourself with. In order to transfer enough alcohol to affect baby you would be too drunk to safely care for your baby in the first place. Of course everyone’s comfort with this is different and some people still choose to abstain completely or time their drink right after they feed baby so that your body has time to filter out the alcohol over the course of an hour or two. Those alcohol test strips are a waste of money. With that said these mocktails look delicious! But I’m definitely of the thought that sometimes mama needs a marg (or a beer or glass of wine 😀 ) *I’m a certified lactation counselor. Cheers!

Reply
Alisha says · 06.15.18

👆🏻 This!! Have a drink girl.

Reply
Kate says · 06.15.18

you know I’ve heard this a few times so perhaps I’ll indulge soon! 🙂

Reply
Michele says · 06.15.18

The Lactation consultants at my hospital said it’s ok to have a drink. They said it you are ok to drive you are ok to breast feed!

Reply
Josie says · 06.15.18

This is what I’ve been told, also! I was also told that the alcohol leaves your milk the same way it leaves your bloodstream. So if you feel a little tipsy, and then more sober an hour later it’s still okay to nurse. Okay to drive=okay to nurse!

Reply
Kady says · 06.15.18

Yes! Never dump that milk! You worked hard for that! Enjoy a margarita…you’re working hard for that too!!

Reply
Laurel says · 06.15.18

I nursed all three of my babies and have enjoyed a drink with all of them. Yes, a drink of two will not hurt all!

Reply
Brittany says · 06.15.18

Yes!! If you’re safe to drive you’re safe to nurse!

Reply
Nicole says · 06.15.18

This! I’m nursing my 2nd one and have indulged occasionally. Glass of wine in one hand and a baby feeding in the other! My lactation consultant at my hospital said the same thing…safe to drive safe to drink.! So go for it!

Reply
Ashley says · 06.15.18

Yes, pump and dump is old advice unless you’re drunk so treat yourself! I just had my third baby June 1st and with three 4 and under I was def ready for a glass of wine.

Reply
susan says · 06.15.18

i’m nursing a 5month old….drink and nurse now!!!

Reply
Erin says · 06.15.18

This feed has been so helpful!!! I didn’t drink at all while breastfeeding my first. I have a 4.5 month old and have been staying away! Mama needs a drink sometimes! I love the recipe posted but I might need to have a drink too. Thanks for this!

Reply
Elizabeth says · 06.15.18

I have recieved the same advice – no more worries about pumping and dumping! I’m still nursing my just-turned -one year old (who refuses to take a bottle), so you can bet I’ve had a drink (or two!). One consultant told me there’s no better time to have a nice little glass of wine than while feeding. No time for the alcohol to make it to the baby, and you have plenty of time until the next feeding. Enjoy, mama!

Reply
Bethney says · 06.15.18

Came here to say the same thing!! Have that drink girl!! ❤️❤️

Reply
Rachael says · 06.16.18

Hear hear!! I’ve got a 2 month old baby (#4) and happily partake in some responsible alcohol consumption. It is perfectly harmless in your milk, go get a drink mama – it’s been a long 10 months, no?!

Reply
Maria says · 06.17.18

This was outdated when I was nursing my son, who was born in 2000! According to my favorite book, The Nursing Mother’s Companion, alcohol is metabolized in your milk the same way it in your bloodstream. I’m sure the book has been updated since then, but it was one of the few that just provided advice without judgement of lifestyle and parenting choices (working, sleeping etc).

Still, it’s nice to have a recipe that you can modify for drinkers and nondrinkers. I bet kids would like the virgin version.

Reply
amy says · 06.18.18

all of this! been breastfeeding for 2+ years, haven’t turned down a cocktail yet 😀

Reply
Hannah says · 06.15.18

Yum! Can I ask where your table and chairs are from? We’re on the hunt for something similar for our deck!

Reply
Erica Blackmon says · 06.15.18

This looks delicious and the perfect fun drink for me this summer and after November, I’ll definitely try with champagne!
Thanks for sharing!

Reply
Emily says · 06.15.18

How long does the pitcher stay good for? Just curious if it saves in the fridge for a few days if I don’t drink it all at one time… 🙂

Reply
Kate says · 06.15.18

I’d say maybe 24 hours until the carbonation wears off from the ginger ale, then it would still taste good but just not be as bubbly!

Reply
Stacey says · 06.15.18

There is such a misconception about drinking and breastfeeding. It is completely safe to have a drink and breastfeed. If you’re safe to drive, you’re safe to feed. I wouldn’t drink while breastfeeding, but I would have a drink between feedings or after the bedtime feed. There is nothing wrong with that and science has shown that minimal alcohol is passed through the milk. I never used the strips nor did I ever pump and dump.

Reply
Madeline says · 06.15.18

Girl- Drink that Margarita! You deserve it. You grew a human! Its all up to what makes you feel comfortable but agree with those ahead of me, if you’re ok to drive you’re ok to feed. The strips are a total waste of money. (PS: gave birth to my baby girl May 5th and I’ve loved following along with your pregnancy and birth.)

Reply
Eva says · 06.15.18

Yummy! These look delicious. So few people add non-alcoholic drinks, but since I don’t drink this is such a nice option. Thanks for sharing!

Eva | http://www.shessobright.com

Reply
Jenni says · 06.15.18

I bought those strips before I learned what a crock they are!!!
My lactation consultant told me your breast milk is the same blood alcohol content as your blood. So if you’re feeling buzzed, you’re BAC is probably 0.08% or more.

Keyword is percent! 1% is 1 mL per 100 mL. So if your BAC is 0.10%, your breast milk is 0.10 mL per 100 mL alcohol. In other words, the same as 1 mL of alcohol in 1 LITER of breast milk!

Have the margarita mama! You earned it!! 💕

Reply
Missy says · 06.15.18

Your drink sounds so yummy!! Love the glasses too!! So I have heard mixed reviews but I thought that pumping and dumping is a myth?!? And you are just waiting milk… Doesn’t the alcohol stay in your milk as long as it’s says in your bloodstream??? I’m interested what everyone thinks!! Please be nice! Just asking!! PS Kate have a DRINK!! You deserve it momma!!

Reply
Grace Askew says · 06.15.18

I’m not going to say that my aunt snuck in one of my fav beers to My room at the hospital…but…yah she totally did. If there is one thing a working, nursing , mom of 3 needs…it’s a marg.

Reply
Allison says · 06.15.18

Loving these comments! The lactation consultants at my hospital (who are absolutely fantastic!) both told me the best time to have a drink is in the evening WHILE I was nursing my girls. They get it 😂😂

Reply
Lindsay says · 06.15.18

Girl…..have a drink!! The saying with breastfeeding and drinking alcohol is ‘if you can hold your baby, you can nurse your baby!’ Thanks for the recipe!! Currently breastfeeding a 6 month old and having a drink once in awhile is so great!!

Reply
Kelley says · 06.15.18

The newborn & breastfeeding class I took through my hospital said it’s okay to have a drink you just need to time it right. Have your drink as you are finishing nursing your second side (it takes 20-30 mins for alcohol to get into your system). Baby will not be hungry for 2-3 hours which is the same amount of time it takes your body to process out the alcohol. No worries! Cheers!

Reply
Traci says · 06.15.18

This looks SO good – I’ve been craving something fruity and fizzy and also pregnancy-friendly (currently 31 weeks, it’s going to be a HOT summer ;)) – can’t wait to give this a try!

Reply
Maya says · 06.19.18

So…you mean you didn’t have a glass of Prosecco after giving birth??? I feel so bad for you! 😁 A mini bottle was in my hospital bag along with all the other boring stuff! I know everyone’s already said it, but pump-and-dump is a myth, and it’s previous stuff, so keep it for your babe, Have that margherita I say 👍🏻

Reply
Maya says · 06.19.18

*precious (sorry 🙄) x

Reply
Haven says · 06.19.18

It’s a common myth that it isn’t safe to breastfeed and consume alcoholic beverages, but there is no scientific evidence to support this. A better suggestion to follow is “If you are safe to drive, you are safe to breastfeed.” This suggests that there is more risk in you dropping or injuring your child or inadvertently falling asleep and causing suffocation after consuming alcohol than than there is any risk in passing alcohol to your child via breastmilk. Please feel free to check out some information here: https://kellymom.com/bf/can-i-breastfeed/lifestyle/alcohol/

Reply
Tammi says · 06.23.18

Perfect! Just found out I’m pregnant with #2 and I’ll need a nice refreshing drink to bring to the pool!

Reply
April C Blake-Cottingham says · 07.21.19

OMG! We had a small dinner with family and I made a pitcher of this and it went AWAY QUICKLY! I didn’t even have a glass! So I made it for the house the following weekend, and goodness, now I understand why it was such a hit! The flavors blended nicely! So good!

Reply
Allie says · 07.28.19

I can’t find cranberry ginger ale anywhere. What could I use to replace

Reply
Kate says · 07.29.19

Use half Cranberry juice + half Ginger Ale!

Reply
Joanne says · 07.29.19

Thanks Kate it’s always fun to watch you!!

Reply