How to Make Your Own Fruit-Infused Water

Sally Kuzemchak of our Kitchen Council is sharing her favorite way to stay hydrated during the warm summer months: fruit-infused water!

Summer would be nothing without cold drinks, preferably sipped while sitting on a porch swing or under a beach umbrella. But as much as I love summertime staples like lemonade and sweet tea, those drinks can be loaded with sugar—so guzzling bottomless glasses all season long aren’t the best idea for your health.

Thankfully summer is also a time when fresh fruit is in season to naturally sweeten (and beautify) a humble glass of water. Fruit-infused water is a trend that I hope is here to stay. It’s thirst quenching and hydrating, with a light, subtle flavor that makes it tasty without piling on extra sugar or calories. It’s the perfect solution if (like me) you don’t love the taste of plain water but really need to drink more of it every day.

Though you can buy special fruit-infuser pitchers and water bottles, a simpler solution is to make fruit-infused waters with a glass pitcher or jar. You can use Stemilt fruits like cherries, apples, and even stone fruits like peaches and apricots to flavor your water, in whatever combinations you like. Here are some ideas:

• Granny Smith apples + lemon
• Cherries + basil
• Peaches + blackberries
• Apricot + mint

And here are even more combos to consider:

• Watermelon + rosemary
• Raspberries + lime
• Lemon + cucumber
• Orange + ginger

Ready to make your own refreshing, fruit-infused waters? Here are some do’s and don’ts to keep in mind:

Do:

• Slice all fruit (and tear herbs) to extract more of the flavor.
• Refill your infused drink with additional water as you drink it to maintain good flavor.
• Strain out the fruit after 24 hours and keep the infused water refrigerated for up to two days.

Don’t:

• Forget to wash all fruit before putting it into your water, even if you’re going to peel it.
• Keep fruit-infused water unrefrigerated for more than four hours (the fruit spoils quicker when left unrefrigerated).
• Leave citrus peels on if infusing more than an hour. Though the peel looks pretty, it will actually give the water a bitter flavor.

Another fun option: Slice fruit in small pieces and combine with water in ice cube trays. Once frozen, pop a few of the fruit cubes into a glass of water to chill and flavor it. Add some festive straws and you have a gorgeous drink that’s worthy of a backyard party—or just sitting on the porch.