How to make fruit-infused water for summer or winter refreshment!
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We all know that it’s important to stay hydrated all year long, but especially during the summertime. The heat can really take a toll when it comes to outdoor activities like afternoon grilling or pool parties, especially here in the high altitudes of Colorado. I’ve been trying to drink more water myself, and help my family drink more water, but it can be kind of challenging when water on its own can seem kind of bland.
To make the flavor of water in our household a little bit more interesting and healthy, I’ve started Making Infused Water with fresh fruits! What’s that, you may ask? Well, making infused water is very easy, as all you have to do is fill a container with sliced fruits, vegetables, herbs, or spices, top it with plenty of ice, and then fill it with water.
Keep in mind, putting ice on top of the fruits is important as it prevents them from floating to the top, and gives the water a better chance of infusing all the flavors. I will also say that when it comes to ingredients, it’s important to point out that infusion ingredients should be capped at around three. If there are too many ingredients, the water will become muddled with too many flavors and won’t taste or look good.
And ingredients don’t have to be restricted to just fruits! You can also use vegetables such as cucumbers or carrots, which opens up a lot of different flavor combinations. Or, during the winter I like to use seasonal ingredients like sliced apples, cinnamon, and anise seeds.
I’ve found that the best way to help my family stay hydrated was by having my glass drink dispenser out in the open with the infused water. This way everyone can fill up their cups or water bottles as often as they need to. Since this recipe calls for plenty of ice, the water stays cold for the entire day! Ready to get hydrated? Here’s my simple breakdown on making infused water!
To make easy infused water, all you need is: a beverage dispenser, cutting board, kitchen knife, water, ice, and fresh fruits like strawberries, kiwi, and mint, or you can opt for fresh vegetables. First, slice the fruits, but not too thin, and place them in the bottom of the beverage dispenser. Put the ice on top of the fruit, then fill it with water. Stir, serve, and enjoy!
Easy Equipment
For this delightfully easy and refreshing summer drink recipe, you will only need 3 kitchen tools along with a few cute serving glasses. Here’s what I use to make hydrating fruit-infused water:
Equipment Tip:
You can use food-safe disposable gloves to protect your hands while doing food prep such as rinsing, cutting, and food handling.
Enticing Ingredients
Making satisfying and tasty infused water doesn’t require a lot of ingredients. Mostly just water with some of your favorite fresh fruits and preferably a hint of mint. Here are some of my favorite ingredients for fruit-infused water:
- 5 Cups Water
- 2 Cups Ice
- Fresh mint
- 8 Fresh strawberries
- 4 Fresh kiwi
Also try with:
Ingredient Note:
This is the amount of fruit that I add to my own glass drink dispenser, which holds around 2 gallons. You might need to use less or more fruit in your own dispenser depending on how big it is.
How to Make Refreshing Infused Water with Fresh Fruit
Now let’s get down to this fruit-infusing business! This easy summer drink process is very simple and quick to do so let’s get right to it. Here’s how to make deliciously refreshing fruit-infused water:
- First, cut the strawberries, mint, and kiwi on the cutting board, making sure to not cut them too thin. Add the fresh ingredients to the bottom of the beverage dispenser.
- If the fruit is sliced too thinly then they will become too mushy, fall apart in the water, and create pulp.
- Then, pour the ice on top of your ingredients.
- Finally, pour the water into the container, stir a little, and serve!
Storage Tip:
This infused water is good for only a little under 24 hours. If it’s left out for too long, the water can become over-infused and will taste too bitter or have an odd color. If you don’t want to waste your water before it becomes over-infused, just strain out the fruit and throw it away. Keep the infused water in the fridge to keep it cool.
More summer recipes
Perfectly-Paired Flavors
One of the great things about this simple drink recipe is that it can also be changed up with winter flavors so you can stay healthy and hydrated all year long! Try these other fruit-infused water combinations:
Summer Flavors:
- Lemon and Mint
- Strawberry and Lemon
- Strawberry and Blueberry
Winter Flavors:
Need a few more refreshingly simple summer recipes? I’ve got you covered here with some more of my summer favorites:
- Watermelon Margaritas
- Strawberry Banana Smoothie
- Summer Cucumber Salad
- Watermelon Bites Dipped in Chocolate
- Mascarpone Tart
- Shrimp on the Grill
- Grilled Chicken Breast
- Grilled Mexican Corn- Elote
- Classic Guacamole
- Salmon Steak
- Grilled Peaches with Butter Cinnamon Glaze
- Grilled S’mores
- Fruit S’mores
Making Infused Water
Ingredients
Strawberry and Kiwi
- 5 Cups Water
- 2 Cups Ice
- 1 cup Fresh mint about 2 mint stems
- 8 Fresh strawberries halved
- 4 Fresh kiwi
Lemon and Mint
- 5 cups water
- 2 cups ice
- 2 fresh lemon sliced
- 1 cup Fresh Mint
Strawberry and Lemon
- 5 cups water
- 2 cups Ice
- 8 Fresh strawberries halved
- 1 cup Fresh Mint
Strawberry and Blueberry
- 5 cups water
- 2 cups ice
- 8 Fresh strawberries halved
- 1 cup Fresh Blueberries
Apple, Cinnamon, and Anise
- 5 cups water
- 2 cups ice
- 1 Gala Apple sliced
- 1 Cinnamon stick
- 3 Whole anise
Pear and Apple
- 5 cups water
- 2 cups Ice
- 1 Gala Apple sliced
- 1 pear sliced
Instructions
- First, cut the strawberries, mint, and kiwi on the cutting board, making sure to not cut them too thin. Add the fresh ingredients to the bottom of the beverage dispenser.If the fruit is sliced too thinly then they will become too mushy, fall apart in the water, and create pulp.
- Then, pour the ice on top of your ingredients.
- Finally, pour the water into the container, stir a little, and serve!
Notes
Nutrition
Food Photography & Video Tips from My Studio
Here’s a peek at the tools, gear, and camera setups I use to film my recipe videos and photograph food at home. Over the years, I’ve tested dozens of different setups, and now I’m sharing what actually works for me—whether I’m filming overhead shots for YouTube or styling still photos for my blog. If you’re curious about how I create the content you see here, these posts are a great place to start.
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