How to pick a healthy summer drink for your kids

With beautifully warm weather coaxing us outside and plenty of time at home with the kids, we are all thinking about how to keep everyone hydrated. While we always recommend drinking as much water as possible, we know from experience that kids (and us grown ups too) are always reaching for something a little more tasty. Rather than reaching for sugary sodas or those overly sweet squashes, have you ever thought about a really refreshing iced tea?

It’s the perfect swap for a lot of the soft drinks on the market, and a great way to give your kids a healthy alternative throughout the day. It’s thirst quenching, bursting with flavour, and can be enjoyed from dawn until dusk. Now, for a bit of history… iced tea has actually been enjoyed for centuries all over the world. People have used tea leaves or tea bags to brew tea and then let it cool naturally for well over a hundred years.

Some sources say that the first iced tea was sold when an American merchant couldn’t attract anyone to his stall on a boiling hot day. Thinking on his feet, he added ice, and bingo – people came flocking! (And if you’re a real history buff and you want to know about ice itself – the first ice started to be sold in the 1880s, with ice-making machines following in the 1850s. Actually the Egyptians, Romans and Greeks all stored ice before then, we’re just talking about the manmade kind!)

For years everyone from the Americas to Europe has enjoyed all sorts of tea. Imagine walking through the forgotten cities in Asia, exploring the humid jungles of the Amazon, or just a day in the local park with your kids, what better than an iced tea to cool you down?

Iced tea for kids?

It’s a no brainer on a hot day for adults, but why should they be the only ones in on the secret?

We want to make sure kids can get in on the fun too. At Tom’s Teas we are all about taking “time out for me” and helping everyone to have that moment of calm in their day. We know that we can all need that, however old or young we might be! Our high quality fruity tea blends are the perfect antidote to any stiflingly hot day, with no caffeine, no added sugar or sweeteners, and no nasties.

They were created with children in mind and a drive to provide healthy options that don’t damage teeth, and help grown-ups worrying about sugar highs all day long!

So, how do I make iced tea?

It is so quick and simple to make. Once you start making it you’ll wonder why you never tried it before! Iced tea can be made by chilling any freshly brewed tea, by putting in the fridge, adding some ice cubes to bob about in it, or leaving to cool overnight. For us, we think it’s important for kids to have healthy summer drinks options. So here’s a few ways we recommend making yours:

The family filler: take one or two of our flavour-filled tea bags, pop the tea bags in a jug, fill with hot water and leave in the fridge overnight. Tomorrow your kids will have a tasty treat when they open the fridge.
The on-the-go adventurer: take your kid’s favourite water bottle and fill it with freshly brewed Tom’s tea, add ice, then hand to your little one. Watch as they reach for their deliciously fruity drink right through the day. (Handy hint: have a spare iced tea ready in the kitchen for when the expedition returns home!)
Tom’s top choice: take your favourite flavour tea and make ice lollies from it. Try a lolly mould, ice cube trays or even empty yoghurt pots until you’ve found your favourite. Whether it’s taking a moment for “time out for me”, or more of a cooling down moment that’s needed, iced tea is a great option.

So why not make a tasty tea today?

Sit back, relax and enjoy the refreshing calm of this healthy alternative.