If you’ve already put some time into your recovery, non-alcoholic drinks could be a fun way for you to join in on the 4th of July celebrations. By bringing your own drinks with you to a party or barbecue, you can avoid awkward conversations about why you’re not drinking.
Keep in mind that even alcohol-free beers and wines can trigger relapse for some people in early recovery. For that reason, we only recommend these drinks for people with at least a year of sobriety who feel secure and stable in their recovery.
But if you’re one of those people, you might enjoy cracking open a non-alcoholic beer with friends this Independence Day. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of the best non-alcoholic drinks for you to try.
Table of Contents
1. Citrus Peach Cooler Mocktail
Ohio has had a hot summer, and you can cool off with an alcohol-free citrus peach cooler. This non-alcoholic alternative is full of fruit juice and easy to sip at your 4th of July party. By using fresh, seasonal fruits, you can get plenty of vitamins while refreshing yourself and spending time with the people you care about.
If your friends are especially supportive of your recovery, bring a few pitchers to share! Or if you’d rather lay low, you can drink this non-alcoholic cocktail without anyone asking about your recovery.
2. Clausthaler Non-Alcoholic Beer
Of course, not everyone wants something that sweet. If you prefer something more savory, the best non-alcoholic beers taste the same as an alcoholic beverage. That can trigger some bad habits in certain people, but if you are sure that it will not jeopardize your sobriety, drinking non-alcholic beer can be a fun part of your 4th of July festivities.
While many companies offer alcohol-free alternatives, Clausthaler’s brewery only creates non-alcoholic beer. Where other producers create alcoholic beer and then remove the alcohol, Clausthaler actually stops the beer from fermenting, so there is never any alcohol in it. Check out Clausthaler’s best non-alcoholic beers and bring your own six pack to the 4th of July barbecue.
3. Lemonade Iced Tea
Lemonade iced tea is a great alcohol-free version of an Arnold Palmer. If you’d rather not have a reminder of alcohol, this could be the best non-alcoholic drink for you.
By combining two refreshing drinks, lemonade iced tea offers a perfect way to cool off. As a bonus, having an alcohol-free drink in your hand can help you focus on your recovery and keep from reaching for an alcoholic beverage.
4. Water
Non-alcoholic beers and alcohol-free cocktails are great, and sometimes they can help people enjoy a certain flavor or atmosphere without endangering their sobriety. But not everyone will benefit from drinking them, especially if the taste or look of alcoholic beverages are triggers. If that sounds like you, the best non-alcoholic drink for you might be water.
Also, consider the environment you’re in. You probably have friends who drink, but that does not mean you need to attend parties where you won’t feel comfortable and supported in your sobriety. If you suspect that your friends will pressure you to drink, consider celebrating Independence Day somewhere else.
But if you are confident that drinking a non-alcoholic beer will not endanger your sobriety and you want to celebrate with your friends, go ahead. Part of living a sober lifestyle is deciding what’s right for you, so use your best judgement when drinking alcohol substitutes. If you’re enrolled in a 12-step program, consider consulting with your sponsor on the best course of action.
Keep Working on Your Recovery
If you do experience a relapse, remember that falling off the wagon is just part of the journey toward sobriety. At The Woods at Parkside, we offer a variety of addiction treatment options to help you regain control of your life and your recovery.
If you’d like to learn about how you can get help with your sobriety, call our admissions specialists at (614) 471-2552 or fill out a confidential contact form and we’ll be happy to answer your questions.
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Original Author: The Woods at Parkside
