My family always has a bottle of water with each meal. It’s plain and simple regular filtered water from our kitchen. But, to give it that little extra something, I like to make infused water. It not only looks good, but it also tastes great — and beats any store bought water both for flavor and cost. And making your own infused water reduces waste so it’s also a great way to practice zero waste.
The fact is that we all should be drinking more water because it promotes good digestion as well as healthy, youthful skin, and balanced bodily fluids. I know that plain old water is not very sexy but infused water can make anyone want to grab a glass.
Infused waters are also great to serve during parties and dinner parties. I see how water infused with colorful fruits and herbs tend to attract children. This way, I skip serving alcohol and sodas.
To make infused water, begin with filtered water to make sure it’s not polluted. Second, choose herbs and fruits that are fresh (not wilted) and have no bruises. Add herbs, fruit or vegetables to the bottom of a clean glass bottle or large mason jar. Use thin slices and/or cubes because that will infuse faster. Fill up to the top with water, cover and leave in fridge to infuse the flavors for a couple of hours or overnight. I also like to infuse my water with essential oils for a quick infusion. When using essential oils for infusion, you don’t have to keep the water in the fridge as long, but add some fruits or herbs for the look anyway.
Some fun flavors include the following:
- Lemon slices
- Orange slices
- Mint
- Lemon Balm
- Cucumber slices or cubes
- Lemon & Mint
- Lemon & Cucumber
- Strawberries
- Strawberries & Mint
- Fresh Strawberries and a drop of Basil Essential Oil
- Mint Essential Oil (Be careful: this can become very strong, so less is more.)
- Blueberries & Mint
- Peaches cubes
- Apples slices and Parsley
- Kumquats slices
