Don’t like dirty sodas? Drink these sodas instead

These days everywhere you turn you see dirty sodas and the truth is they aren’t for everyone so try these soda mocktails instead

Sodas On Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023, the Food and Drug Administration proposed revoking a regulation authorizing the use of an ingredient found in some sodas. (taka4332/Getty Images/iStockphoto, File)

By Alyssa DiTomasso

I’ll be the first to say it, I hate dirty sodas. I don’t see the appeal in them, they look gross, they taste gross and it just seems like a food experiment gone wrong. So here’s a list of Soda Mocktails sure to add some zest to your drink menu this Summer.

  • The Classic Shirley Temple
    • Fill a glass with ice and most of the way full with a lemon-lime soda, then at the very end add a splash of grenadine. Garnish with maraschino cherries and you have a refreshing, crisp soda perfect for a hot day.
  • The Roy Rogers
    • Another soda mocktail classic. Fill a glass with ice and Coca-Cola, then add a splash of grenadine and garnish with maraschino cherries. It’s the delicious opposite of the Shirley Temple, but still brings a delightful crisp zing to your day.
    • BONUS: The Cherry-Vanilla Fizz. Just follow all the same instructions of the Roy Rogers and then add a splash of vanilla simple syrup to the mix before adding your garnish. If you want to elevate this soda to the next level you can garnish with a cherry and a lime to add an elevated look to the drink
  • The Ginger Fizz
    • Fill the glass to the top with crushed ice, pour in 1 whole can of ginger ale or ginger beer, add a spoonful of fresh lime juice and a splash of club soda. Garnish with mint leaves and a lime wheel or wedge. This is a fun non-alcoholic play on a Moscow Mule and adds a refreshing twist to a hot afternoon day
  • The Sparkling Tropical Cooler
    • Fill a glass with ice. Now combine 2 ounces of pineapple juice and one ounce of orange juice. Top the juice combo off with either lemon-lime soda or sparkling water. Now drizzle a splash of grenadine over the top for a cool sunset effect. BONUS you can always use a flavored sparkling water to enhance this Summer Mocktail to the next level.
  • The Spezi Mix
    • Fill a glass with a lot of ice. pour either lemonade or a sparkling lemonade into a glass about half way. Now fill the rest of the glass with Coca-Cola to get a cool visual affect before mixing this mocktail together. This is a Summer staple for countries in Europe. Once mixed garnish with a lime wedge.
  • The Apple Ginger Snap
    • Fill a glass with ice and mix in equal parts apple juice and ginger ale. Top off with a splash of lemon juice and garnish with a blackberry.