Summer Cocktails Round Up
Picture this; the sun is shining, it’s the weekend and you’re out in the garden relaxing. Does it get any better?
The answer is yes! And all it takes is the perfect summer cocktail in your hand.
Like most things, a little tipple tastes even better during the summer, especially if the sun decides to make an appearance.
Alcohol is not often thought of as slimming friendly, and with good reason.
Many alcoholic drinks are surprisingly high in calories, with beer, wine and sugary alcopops amongst the worst offenders.
You can learn more about the calories in alcohol and how this can affect your weight loss journey on the NHS website, or check out our handy guide here.
We’re big believers of everything in moderation, so there’s no need to cut out alcohol completely if you still want to enjoy it as part of your healthy diet.
Knowledge is power, and knowing the best alcoholic drinks to choose when you’re watching your calories will mean you can stay on track and still indulge in the occasional tipple.
Clear spirits like gin and vodka tend to have less calories than other options.
Mixed with the right ingredients, this means you can create some refreshing summer cocktails that are both slimming friendly and delicious!
Here’s a roundup of our favourite summer cocktails and some recipe inspiration to serve them with!
Elderflower Gin Fizz
This drink will definitely get the party started!
Prosecco adds the fizz into this Elderflower Gin Fizz cocktail – it’s much lower in calories than other wines.
Because our recipe also uses a low calorie elderflower syrup and soda water instead of any sugary mixers, this cocktail is just 84 calories per glass.
Served over ice and with a colourful umbrella, it’ll make you feel like you’re on holiday – even if you haven’t left the house!
Add to the party atmosphere by serving alongside some bitesize snacks like these Chicken Satay Skewers.
These Pizza Twists with Pizza Dip are also perfect for sharing at a garden party.
Take them outside and enjoy as you sip your cocktail in the sunshine.
Woo Woo Cocktail
Sometimes you just need a pitcher of Woo Woo to share with your friends!
The fruity flavours of peach and cranberry are perfect for the summer.
Each glass of this Woo Woo Cocktail comes to just 104 calories, making it a more slimming friendly choice than other options.
With its vibrant pink colour it’s no wonder this is a summer favourite.
Why not serve it alongside a sweet treat or dessert to complement the fruity flavours?
Our Trifle recipe comes in at just 64 calories per portion and you can switch up the ingredients to suit your taste.
How about adding in some peach slices to bring out the flavour of your Woo Woo?
June Bug Cocktail
This drink is like sunshine in a glass!
It uses white rum which is another of our favourite slimming friendly spirits.
A June Bug is a tropical cocktail traditionally made with banana liqueur and sugary pineapple juice, which add lots of calories.
Our version tastes just as fruity but it’s a lot lighter, thanks to swapping these mixers for some fresh lemon and lime and a can of diet Lilt.
Celebrate the tropical flavours by serving this alongside our zingy Pineapple Salsa.
Or for a main meal, these Chicken Gyros Kebabs will make you feel like you’re soaking up the Greek sunshine.
Raspberry Vodka Fizz
This one is super simple but so good!
All you need is raspberries, some pink lemonade, a little prosecco and some vodka.
The idea for this refreshing cocktail came from a member of our Facebook Group and we loved it so much we just had to share it!
Poured over frozen raspberries and ice, there’s nothing better than this on a warm day.
And at just 64 calories, you won’t feel like you’re going off track by indulging in a glass…or two!
While you’re enjoying the sunshine and dreaming of a holiday, why not tuck into a plate of these incredible Spanish Meatballs?
They’re perfect for a homemade tapas night. Serve alongside other small plate dishes like our Tomato and Basil Tarts.
Strawberry Daiquiri
Don’t tell anyone, but this might just be our favourite summer cocktail.
It tastes like a fruity, alcoholic slushie and when the sun is blazing and you’ve got one of these in your hands – there’s nowhere else you’ll want to be!
We make our Strawberry Daiquiri using a puree made from fresh strawberries, mixed with strawberry flavoured water.
This gives it an intense strawberry flavour and makes it naturally sweet.
This is the ultimate barbeque cocktail so we can’t think of anything better to serve it with than a selection of BBQ favourites.
Pile your plate with these BBQ Chicken Steaks and some Buffalo Coleslaw then sit back and slurp your icy cocktail.
Long Island Iced Tea
A traditional Long Island Iced Tea can contain around 600 calories.
You’ll be pleased to hear that our version tastes just as good – but only has 121 calories!
This is one of the most boozy cocktails going, using plenty of gin, tequila and rum.
But since it’s mixed with lime juice, cola and a little orange cordial, it tastes really refreshing, especially on a sunny day.
You might want to make sure you have a nice big dinner before you get started on these!
How about these delicious Salmon Burgers? They’re great at a barbeque for anyone who prefers fish over meat.
Pina Colada Cocktail
Typically made using coconut cream, a Pina Colada is usually a really indulgent cocktail and not very slimming friendly!
With a few clever swaps, we’ve managed to replicate the same irresistible tropical flavours and turn our version into an icy slush that’s just made for summer.
Using the Alpro coconut drink instead of the traditional cream helps keep this cocktail under 135 calories.
Serve it with this Baked Coconut Shrimp to really celebrate the tropical flavours.
Or how about these vegetarian Sweet Potato and Coconut Tacos? They’re so fresh and fragrant.
Cocktails made for the sunshine
We love to make the most of it when the sun comes out and these slimming friendly cocktails will be sure to help you celebrate.
What’s your favourite summer cocktail? Be sure to let us know over in our Facebook Group!
We have nearly 1m members ready to inspire, support and motivate you on your slimming journey, so head on over and join today if you’re not already a member!