The Best Non Alcoholic Drinks (as tested by a pregnant lady!)

OK I’ll say it for the people in the back - not being able to drink during pregnancy is pretty rubbish. And I know it’s not the be all and end all and that, but when you’re a city girl who enjoys the occasional glass (or two) of wine a week and a few Aperol’s or fancy cocktails on the weekend with your girls, the thought of another Diet Coke or orange squash a as a replacement gets a little tiring (and y’know, caffeine limits!).

Whilst the first trimester was spent unable to keep anything down and missing alcohol was the last thing on my mind, the second trimester felt a little harder. And even in lockdown you’d want to think that the FOMO blues weren’t real, but infact majority of the country was reaching for a wine glass every evening - so you can bet I was feeling left out!

And so I took it upon myself over these last 18 weeks or so to try as many non alcoholic drinks I could get my hands on (which was fairly limited when you’re not pottering around the shops either), because if you’re like me, and a glass of water or fizzy drink isn’t cutting it anymore at dinner time/those summer evenings/still wanting to feel like you’re celebrating - then let me introduce you to my favourite non alcoholic bottles!

SCAVI & RAY SPARKLING PROSECCO

Now this may be on the pricier end of a non alcoholic drink, but let me tell you that the Scavi & Ray Alcohol Free Sparkling Prosecco is infact the only bottle I would deem to be JUST like the real deal, so is worth every single penny. I’ve been saving the Scavi & Ray ones for more occasion-style drinking, so it feels fancier. And doesn’t become an expensive habit…!

BELLE AND CO SPARKLING ROSE

Missing a glass of LPR? Yep same. But I found that the Belle and Co Sparkling Rose was a great alternative - it’s refreshing, light and full of bubbles making perfect for whenever you fancy a little bit of fizz without the celebrations. The Sparkling White is also a nice one, but if I had to choose between the two, the Rose would win for me.

SHLOER SPRITZED BITTER ORANGE

If there’s one thing in the summer that I just love to drink, it’s a nice big glass of Aperol Spritz, so when I was pointed in the direction of Shloer Spritzed Bitter Orange, I stocked up (like really stocked up). Of course, it’s no Aperol and prosecco and soda - but still mixed with a little bit of soda water (partly to make the Shloer bottle last longer..), and a slice of orange added to your glass, you’ll almost believe that you’re drinking the real deal. It’s dry, refreshing and has that zesty taste of a true Aperol - and without the hangover!

SEEDLIP GARDEN 108

Most bars are big fans of Seedlip already, so chances are if you’ve had yourself a gin mocktail, then you may have tried a Seedlip. Based on a mocktail that I used to love in a local bar, I bought myself a bottle of Seedlip Garden 108. You can instantly taste the sharpness of Rosemary and Thyme with added notes of Peas & Hay, and for me personally, I added in a splash of Elderflower Cordial with some soda water (not a tonic girl me!) for that perfect fake gin tipple.

LEITZ EINS ZWEI WHITE WINE

I’ve tried quite a few white wines and none have really quite cut it, but if there’s any that do then it’s the Leitz Eins Zwei White Wine. I think with it being the Riesling grape (and being a fan of Riesling anyway), it still has the dry and clean taste that you’d expect with notes of lime and citrus.

NATUREO LOW ALCOHOL ROSE WINE

Basically, I haven’t found a single rose wine I’ve not enjoyed, and that’s coming from a normal white wine drinker. I’ve actually found myself gravitating more towards the non alcoholic rose wines as opposed to white, purely because they’re much more refreshing and aren’t trying to be like the wine without being the wine (if that makes sense). The one I always seem to have in the fridge is the Natureo Low Alcohol Rose Wine and it’s fresh, fruity and delicious with dinner!

ECHO FALLS SPARKLING INFUSION

I originally added the Echo Falls Tisane Alcohol Free Sparkling Infusion to my basket when I was placing my rare Ocado order, as it was the only one I could get my hands on at the time. On first sip I wasn’t actually convinced, but the more I drank it, the more I liked it. You can really taste the green tea infusion, which is slightly different to a typical sparkling wine, but it still really works. And for a cheaper price, it’s worth having in the fridge because you never know when you might just need a glass!

So there we have it - the best non alcoholic drinks that have been keeping my fridge company so far in 2020! Most I’ve linked have been Ocado as that’s the only place we’ve been able to do our food shopping from, however there’s a great selection on Dry Drinker, which I’ve used a few times - and have a great range including ciders and beers too.

And yes, we’ve got ourselves a proper bottle of Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé which we’ll absolutely be cracking open once the baby arrives! Chin chin.