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Original poster

Giving up alcohol - what to drink instead on social occasions and as a treat?

42 replies

MizzMimi · 07/12/2018 09:01

I'm thinking about giving up alcohol. I'm happy with this decision in principle, but I'm a "it's Friday, let's open a bottle of wine" person, so I need something to replace that "end of the week treat". I think I'd be happy with some posh teas and a nice teapot for that.

My main problem is socialising. I don't like sweet drinks like coke or fruit juice. When I drink alcohol I tend to drink very dry white wines. I'd like whatever I drink when out to feel a bit of a treat though.

Any ideas?? Help!

OP posts:
Lottapianos · 07/12/2018 09:06

Well done on deciding to give up if you feel it's not working for you any more. I do still drink but not very often. I agree with you it's very hard to find a nice, grown up soft drink that's not full of sugar and crap. I usually just drink fizzy water with ice and a slice of lime when I'm out. I genuinely enjoy it!

I do lots of herbal teas at home. Sainsburys have a new range which include flavours like Caramel Rooibos , Mango and Chilli and Coconut - lovely for after dinner.

Sometimes when you're not drinking, the evenings may feel like they're not as much fun as they used to be, but you will sleep better and the mornings are bloody glorious! So remember that

DrMadelineMaxwell · 07/12/2018 09:06

Bitter lemon on my you like dry drinks? Or something gingery?
I'm happy with a lemonade as I don't drink anything fizzy normally.

ANiceLentilHotpot · 07/12/2018 09:15

I was drinking lemon flavoured tonic water the other evening, that was very nice. They had quite a few flavours, pink grapefruit, cucumber, etc. I'm doing similar to you, trying to cut down/stop drinking alcohol as I'm finding it makes me feel increasingly rubbish, and I need to get out of the habit of 'I've had a shit day I'll have a drink', or 'yay it's the weekend I'll have a drink', etc

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General food
Babdoc · 07/12/2018 09:22

Elderflower “champagne”? Mocktails? Non alcoholic beers?
In Romania I was served an old fashioned lemonade full of fresh mint leaves and slices of ginger, which was delicious.
Now that the drink driving limit has been tightened here in Scotland, lots of bars and restaurants are offering wider and better choices of non alcoholic drinks - why not sample a few offerings and see what takes your fancy, OP?

EllaSavag · 07/12/2018 09:23

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Lucylugs · 07/12/2018 09:30

Soda water and lime with a slice of lemon. Also I used to be able to get a Carpe diem kombucha tea called kefir that looked like red wine. I loved that and it was so good for the good bacteria. Never see it in the shops anymore though.

ErrolTheDragon · 07/12/2018 09:32

Diet Tonic with ice and a slice is my default not-too sweet non alcoholic drink when I'm out - not exactly a 'treat' except we rarely have it at home.

Some of the newer non- or low alcoholic beers aren't bad - Brewdog 'nanny state', Adnams 0% Ghost Ship, there's a good weissbeir (I may have spelled that wrong) ... these aren't low calorie though, if that matters to you.

TigerDroveAgain · 07/12/2018 09:34

Pricey but I’ve just bought a bottle of Seedlip to use as a gin alternative: only had one with tonic but it tasted good and frown up plus the bottle looks like a spirits bottle so gets away from the pop look

fussychica · 07/12/2018 09:35

Tonic with Angostura Bitters. Soda water and lime.
One of the many new flavoured tonics with a slice of cucumber/lemon/lime etc
Bottle Green spritzers with lots of different flavours.

Nairobiblue · 07/12/2018 09:37

Well done you for taking this step. I did over a year ago and feel so much better for it. I still have the odd glass of bubbly if at a wedding but my go to drinks are now the flavoured tonics. I absolutely love the Fevertree ones, and their new limited edition Clementine one is delicious. The quinine in them helps with leg cramps and restless leg syndrome so I've been getting better night's sleep too!

Loopytiles · 07/12/2018 09:39

Posh tonics. Water infusions. Herbal teas.

Coffee! I often drink coffee on evenings out when driving.

Original poster
MizzMimi · 07/12/2018 09:39

Thanks everyone for those ideas.

Yes, it's making me feel increasingly rubbish the older I get. What's triggered this is that I really fancied doing those 9am Saturday morning park runs, and they have been in my calendar as a recurring appointment since January. I've not been once yet because every Saturday morning I wake up feeling groggy and thirsty and energyless. Even if I only drink 2 glasses of wine I feel like this because it's usually accompanied by a takeaway and maybe some chocolate or biscuits. And I do the same on Saturday nights, so I feel the same on Sunday. Then on Mondays I just generally feel blurgh and lethargic, then I'm tired from work the rest of the week.

I'm in this unhealthy tiring cycle that I really want out of. I'm 46, I'm 2 stone overweight, alcohol makes me feel dreadful but I still persist with it, my diet is crap, my blood pressure is knocking on the door of being high, I'm worried about type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer, coming up to the menopause and the related osteoporosis risk. Anyway, I thought by starting with Friday-night alcohol, that would then enable me to get up and do the park run on Saturdays, and that might then trigger a bit more of an overall healthier lifestyle.

OP posts:
Original poster
MizzMimi · 07/12/2018 09:41

Hearing from those of you who have already done it is so motivating. Thanks for posting.

How do you deal with your partners drinking at home? That's something I know I'm going to struggle with - watching him opening a bottle of wine while I'm drinking tea Envy

OP posts:
Eminybob · 07/12/2018 09:43

Alcohol free beers give me a hangover, so I’d avoid those if you are trying to avoid feeling like crap the next day (yes I know they can’t technically but something in them gives me a headache)

I like a tomato juice when I’m out and about and not drinking. Have it as a Virgin Mary if you want to feel like you are having a bit of a treat (if you like tomato juice obvs, it’s not to everyone’s taste)

dogzdinner · 07/12/2018 09:43

Good move Mimi!

I tend to have soda water or sparkling water with a slice of lemon. I do find that if you have soda and lime, you need to ask for a splash of lime if you don't want it to end up sickly sweet.

Do you like beer or cider? You could have non alcoholic version.

CaledonianSleeper · 07/12/2018 09:47

Becks blue, or Fevertree aromatic tonic.

GemmeFatale · 07/12/2018 09:51

I’m not drinking because of pregnancy but lots of the options listed are great. I’ve been told the aldi alcohol free fizz is good too but haven’t tried it yet.

An interesting side effect is my husband has cut down too. He still drinks (and let’s me obsessively smell his wine) but we’ve found a couple of reasonable alcohol free beers so have basically both swapped to those for the most part. I also switched to buying box wine for him so if he fancies a glass he can have it without the whole I’ve opened a bottle so I have to finish it tonight or tomorrow mentality.

ANiceLentilHotpot · 07/12/2018 09:51

My partner actually stopped before I did as he'd started to feel quite down after drinking. So I can't really help with how to deal with watching someone else have a drink when you're not. But I've not had a drink for a couple of weeks and already I seem to have got out of the habit of immediately wanting a drink when I'm cooking dinner on a Friday night.

Definitely try park run, I've been doing it for a couple of years (after a couple more years of saying it was far too early to get up on a Saturday!) and I really enjoy it. I generally hate the first half a mile but then really get into it and everyone is always really lovely.

rosablue · 07/12/2018 09:53

Have you tried Angostura bitters with lemonade or tonic water etc?

I know it’s technically alcoholic but you use just a few drops so it doesn’t really count if you’re using it in a soft drink to make it nicer. Obviously no good if you’re avoiding alcohol and can’t touch a drop, but if it’s just to reduce the amount you drink it’s negligible.

I bought a bottle of aromatic bitters from Sainsbury’s August/September time it’s 100ml, 45% proof and has its own little glass dropper built into the lid. I’ve used it regularly - at least 3-4 times a week in drinks when I feel like something tasty but don’t want wine or beer - and I’m just over half way down the bottle. Probably less than a liqueur chocolate a week in terms of alcohol drunk.

The one in Sainsbury’s is worth a try - even if just for the bottle which is lots of fun and only about £6. Plus if you put it in the glass first and swirl around it’s pink and pretty Grin

It’s nice in cooking too - couple of drops with salmon cooking work really well!

Sinead100 · 07/12/2018 09:57

Just wanted to send some encouragement your way OP. Nothing wrong with cutting down / eliminating completely, and I hope you get to a Park Run soon Grin

ErrolTheDragon · 07/12/2018 09:57

How do you deal with your partners drinking at home? That's something I know I'm going to struggle with - watching him opening a bottle of wine while I'm drinking tea

Neither of us drink much at home... DH is on quite a lot of meds for various things which means it's not a good idea. So I don't either because I want to help him to be healthy and I'm not self-centred enough to put a drink before that.

Maybe your partner wouldn't want to do this long term, but if you tell him you want to quit/cut down drinking and get healthier but you need a bit of support to get into a new routine, would he be up for that?

Original poster
MizzMimi · 07/12/2018 09:58

Ooooo I didn't know Aldi did alcohol free fizz! I'll give that a go.

Also love the ideas with flavoured tonics and ideas with soda water. They'll be my sorry of thing as they won't be too sweet.

OP posts:
musicmaiden · 07/12/2018 10:00

Lime and soda is a good no-alcohol drink if you're in the pub, I drank it through both pregnancies. The new tonics sound like a lovely idea too.

There is also a non-alcoholic spirit called Seedlip, which is expensive but you drink it like gin or vodka, so it will last a while.

Good for you, it sounds like a sound decision. I hear you on the Parkrun thing, definitely!

dustarr73 · 07/12/2018 10:04

My go to non alcoholic drink is Soda water,dash of lime.loads of ice and a slice of lemon.
Get it in a gin glass.Makes it look better.

AdelesBeard · 07/12/2018 10:16

Great decision OP. You are going to LOVE your Saturday mornings. For nights at home there are loads of mocktail recipes around online at the moment - not drinking alcohol is having a bit of a moment! For fake fizz I like Bees Knees rose - I don't find it as sweet as some of the whites. All in I think the fake roses are nicer than whites/reds but they need to be served freezing cold (I drink mine with icecubes in). Socialising is a bit harder - like you I don't like sweet drinks (unless they're cocktails) so I've been drinking AF beers even though I wasn't a lager/beer drinker before. Becks Blue is okay in an emergency, Heiniken (sp?) 00 is better IMO (even hubbie who is a lager drinker is happy to drink it with a slice of lemon in).