Fruit Infused Water is a great way to stay hydrated especially when it’s hot outside. Add your favorite fruits (and even veggies!) to create yummy flavors in a cold and refreshing tall glass of ice cold water.
What is Fruit Infused Water?
Fruit infused water is also called fruit water, fruit flavored water and sometimes detox water. Basically it is a combination of fruit, herbs and even veggies that you add to cold water to create a refreshing drink.
Depending on what fruits you add, you can change the flavor of the water a lot or a little. Some fruits you will hardly be able to taste at all. The cool thing about fruit infused water is that the vitamins and minerals from the fruit are pulled into the water and so you are getting a boost of nutrition!
How to Infuse Water with Fruit
Making this refreshing and healthy drink is SOO easy!
- Pick your favorite combination of fruits. You can also add herbs or veggies to enhance the flavors and nutrition.
- Add everything to a glass jar, or glass cup if just making one portion. With the back of a spoon, slightly press the ingredients again the side of the container to muddle them and release some of the flavors.
- Let sit for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours in the fridge.
- Add ice and enjoy!
Ingredients to Make Infused Water
- Water. Ha – the main star of the show here.
- Fruit. The combinations are endless! Some of our favorite fruits to add are strawberries, watermelon, blueberries, apples, blackberries, mango, lemon/limes/oranges/grapefruit (cut off the peel so avoid any bitterness), cranberries and pineapple.
- Veggies. It might seem weird to put veggies in fruit infused water, but some of them are really great and can enhance the flavor of the fruit! We like cucumbers, celery, and carrots.
- Herbs. These can brighten and bring out lots of flavors. Some great options are mint, cinnamon sticks, thyme, cloves, or ginger.
How to Cut Watermelon Stars
It can be fun to cut shapes with your fruit to make your drink fun and festive. You can do this with watermelon, apples, and pineapple.
You’ll need a seedless watermelon and a small star cookie cutter for the watermelon stars. I like to slice the end off the melon so it will be stable on my cutting surface, and then slice the whole thing in thin slices. It’s just like cutting cookies, only it’s melon! Be sure to cut more than you think you’ll need because there will be lots of watermelon star snacking going on, trust me.
Tips and Questions about Fruit Infused Water
Yes! Frozen fruit will not only keep your water cold, but tends to add more flavor and sometimes color to your water as it melts.
Letting your fruit sit for 3 hours is optimal, but it should last for up to 12 hours. Some fruits will start to break down faster than others so you might want to remove the fruits and herbs after 12 hours so they don’t breakdown and leave a bitter flavor.
Definitely! Some fruit and veggies get more crisp after soaking in water and are delicious.
Juice contains a lot more sugar than fruit infused water, but it also has more nutrients from the fruit. So the biggest difference is that fruit infused water has basically no sugar or calories, but less nutrients than juice.
Watermelon, blueberries, strawberries, pineapple, mango, oranges, cranberries, lemons, limes, grapefruit, and apples.
It is best to use a glass container. If you are serving to a crowd, using a large glass container with a spigot makes it easy for your guests to get a glass of ice cold yummy water whenever they want. You can keep refilling it with more water, the fruit will give off flavor for hours. Plus it makes your serving table look really pretty. If you are making it at home, a glass pitcher that you can store in your fridge is great.
What Can I do with the Leftover Fruit?
You can definitely just eat it, but it may have less flavor and a less than ideal texture. Some ideas for using it up are:
- Smoothies
- Blend into a puree and use it oatmeal, as jam or for pie.
- Add it to baked goods
More Favorite Hydrating Drinks
- 1 small watermelon seedless
- 1/2 cup blueberries
- 1/2 cup strawberries sliced
- lime slices optional
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Cut the ends off the watermelon and stand on a cutting surface. Slice it into thin slices. Use a small star cookie cutter to cut out stars.
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Slice the strawberries in half.
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Fill a large water dispenser or glass pitcher with filtered water. Add the fruit and let sit for at least 30 minutes before serving.
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Serve over ice with more fresh fruit in each glass.
Calories: 6kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.003g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 0.2mg | Potassium: 28mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 2IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 0.1mg
Natalie Monson
I’m a registered dietitian, mom of 4, avid lover of food and strong promoter of healthy habits. Here you will find lots of delicious recipes full of fruits and veggies, tips for getting your kids to eat better and become intuitive eaters and lots of resources for feeding your family.