Alcohol alternatives - tips please

[ilovechops]

I am approx 5-6wks pregnant, unsure exactly how far along as got my BFP after a miscarriage and before my first period. Obviously I am very pleased and hope this one sticks around.

With my last pregnancy the advice at the time was that light drinking occasionally was OK (1/2 units) to be honest I hardly drank but had the odd 1/2 a shandy on a sunny hot day in the 2nd / 3rd trimester.

This time around I am aware the advice has now changed to no alcohol in the 1st trimester. I will attempt to completely avoid alcohol but would like some tips on alternatives / low alcohol options should I fancy a 'fake tipple' of sorts.

Last time around all that I found was Becks non alcohol lager mixed with lemonade which was sort of OK.. or just plain old tonic water.is there anything better out there yet?? I just can't stand sweet, sugary drinks..

[ohthegoats]

Nope.. that's your lot! Genuinely I can't find anything I want to drink as 'fake' alcohol. I bought a load of Becks blue, but the boyf drank them all because I didn't see the point. I just drink a lot of soda water and lime cordial.. or now that I'm 3rd trimester, the odd spritzer.

I missed it a lot in the beginning, but now I don't really mind too much. What I really want is a really dry martini, and that aint happening any time soon, so no point in thinking about alternatives.

[madamweasel]

Cranberry juice

[WestmorlandSausage]

non alcoholic gingerbeer?

[ilovechops]

yes thought of the ginger beer that's a good one. Also discovered a non alcoholic cider which might be worth a go!

[sinningsaint]

Non alcoholic kopparburg is great

[BananaPie]

I've recently discovered Bavaria 0% wit beer, not too bad at all. Becks blue tastes a bit chemically to me.

[squizita]

Bavaria 0% Wheatbeer is nice.
Also Fosters do a 0% "Radler" (shandy basically) also tasty.

I like the booze free kopperberg but found Asda own brand grape 'spritzer' (non alcoholic, usually with the shloer) is cheaper and pretty similar.

Otherwise I swear by tonic or bitter lemon.

[squizita]

...oh Cidona (Irish soft drink) tastes like Magners. Great on a hot day. Tesco do it.

[MollyBdenum]

I am not pregnant but am avoiding calorific booze and Love fizzy water with a few drops of bitters - there isn't enough alcohol to count, but it tastes like a proper grown up drink for a hot day.

[PretzelPrincess]

I love mock tails

[Taura]

I had virgin margaritas at a Mexican restaurant last night. Lovely and fresh and very limey.

[LJBanana]

No where near alcoholic. But a Big Tom with loads of ice. Is yum diddly umptious!

Also non alcoholic ginger beer. M&S do non alcoholic mojitos which are nothing like the real thing but taste nice, in a there's no rum way!

[Alb1]

I havnt actually tried them yet, but sainsburys do some 'feel good' non alcoholic cocktails like strawberry daiquiri and mojito, bellinis n non alcholic crabbies. Like I say I can't say their any good yet but I have high hopes!

[Littlegiraffe]

Innocent apple juice with tonic water is lovely. I was convinced there was gin in it when my friend served me this (when I was pregnant).
I also bought my pregnant friend alcohol-free Mojito, which I found in tesco the other day. Not sure what it tasted like though.
Pineapple juice and lemonade was another drink I liked when pregnant.

Oh. And not alcohol-free but only 2% (& you could always dilute more with lemonade) is Radlers shandy (I think) which my DH bought in Aldi last week. It's delicious!
And congrats btw

[Norfolknway]

The best non alcoholic beer is Erdinger. It's lovely and beery x

[PresidentSpreadable]

Brewdog do an alcohol free beer called Nanny State, think it's seasonal, but it tastes pretty good.

[PresidentSpreadable]

Oh, I lied, it's 0.5% ABV.

[mrsnlw]

Becks Blue is yum - tastes like real beer. Koppaberg pear cider (non alcoholic) tastes like pear drops or lime and soda

[squizita]

Little Tesco do ACTUAL 0% Radler shandy. I dunno why they make a 2% and a 0% but they do! :)

Some alcohol free beers say (by law) "no more than 0.05%" on them but this is a legal thing if they've been de-alcoholised, they're basically 0% or they couldn't say 'alcohol free'.

On the topic of de-alcoholised - don't touch "Frei" dealcoholised wine with a bargepole. Vile! You're better off with sparkling grape.

[TestingTestingWonTooFree]

I like the feel good drinks and radler.

[Armi]

When I was pregnant I used to dilute green Innocent smoothie (I think it's kiwi with lime) with cold, sparkling water and loads of ice. Was yummy.

[morningsarepants]

Try "rock shandy". I discovered it in pregnancy and it's great as I don't like sweet drinks either. Basically mix equal parts soda water with lemonade (mixer size cans are ideal) and add a splash or so of angostura bitters. Lovely! I still drink it regularly now and haven't been pregnant for a long time ??

[offbeatgirl]

There are some good suggestions here . I'd add in to the mix Torres Natureo wine: this is the only non-alcoholic wine (technically- 0.5%) which I find palatable, and you can pick it up at Asda or Waitrose. I'm also partial to a homemade salt lassi: basically plain yogurt watered down, slightly salted, and served with some toasted cumin seeds, slightly bashed up in a pestle and mortar. It sounds odd, but I'm not a huge fan of sweet drinks, and it's really refreshing in warm weather.

[mrsbucketxx]

I live orange juice and tonic water, has an alcoholic taste with 0% in it perfect for this hot weather.

[ch1134]

Second what Bananapie said. Bavaria non alcoholic beer is good. Also ginger beer, and lime and soda... and cranberry juice. Oh and that lovely San Pellegrino lemon or orange stuff!