Best Ways to Give Your Standard Iced Tea a Flavorful Makeover From Home
June is almost over, but we're not about to bid it adieu without honoring what happens to be National Iced Tea month.
Nothing says summer refreshment quite like an ice cold glass of tea and lemon, amirite? But even with the instant hydration and natural flavor it provides, a standard iced tea can get old. And most flavored teas out there are packed with processed sugar and other not-so-great ingredients that in fact make us even more thirsty!
Looking to give this classic beverage the right kind of upgrade? Keep reading for our easy tips and recipes to up your iced tea game from home!
Make It a Latte
Lattes may seem fancy and time-consuming, but guess what? You can make them in minutes, fresh from your kitchen, with minimal tools or ingredients. Seriously, all you need is a blender. Plop in your tea (and whatever sweetener and milk choice you want to include) and voila—add in a handful of ice, and there you have it!
We're especially huge fans of THIS iced matcha latte recipe and THIS iced vanilla chai tea latte. And if you're a sucker for a traditional black tea, THIS iced latte is the way to go (it's technically made hot, but just add ice and you'll be fine).
The best part about going off of DIY recipes is you can add and subtract flavors and ingredients as you please. You'll never have to complain about your beverage being too sweet (or not sweet enough).
Buy Pre-Packaged Promise Cold Brew Tea
As we mentioned above, most pre-packaged iced teas are loaded with sugar and other ingredients that do anything but quench our thirst. This has made us turn to clean, naturally sweetened (and unsweetened) Promise Cold Brew Teas. Not only are the new brand's beverages made with high-quality, organic ingredients, packaged in unique, environmentally friendly paperboard gallon boxes, but they're available in two delicious flavors—Unsweet African Hibiscus and Slightly Sweet Island Mango. They're both delicious and give our traditional iced teas just the added kick of flavor we need. Added bonus? They have a partnership with The Water Project, so you're supporting a good cause!
Make It a Spritzer
Adding a little carbonation to your iced tea adds a vacation vibe to your beverage, and you've actually got a two-in-one option here. If you go with the Unsweet African Hibiscus mentioned above, there's a really easy and light hibiscus iced tea sparkler recipe HERE that you'll especially love during the summer months ahead. If hibiscus isn't your thing, you may like THIS green tea strawberry spritzer, which incorporates strawberry lemonade (yum!).
Speaking of tea, prepare to drool with THESE best matcha lattes in America!