When camping with your family, proper hydration is vital, especially considering that it is a huge contributor towards a healthy body and mind. Sadly, most Australians fail to drink the recommended daily amount according to the CBHS Health Fund. Dehydration can result in a number of health conditions including severe headaches, extremely low blood pressure and even short-term memory loss. Luckily it isn’t difficult to stay well-hydrated during your trip, especially not if you have a number of delicious drinks such as the following to sip on while enjoying the great outdoors.
COFFEE IS A NO-BRAINER
Depending on the weather, you can either pack a flask of freshly-brewed coffee or whip up a delectably-creamy iced coffee drink that is bound to entice even the non-coffee drinkers in the family to have a sip or two. Before you leave home, mix together 2 cups of very strong coffee (filter coffee works best but instant will also do) with half a cup of sweetened condensed milk and half a cup of half-and-half cream. Pour into a bottle and seal – trying not to drink it all before you even reach the park. Fill some glasses with ice and pour your delicious coffee mixture over it. Top with some whipped cream from a can and enjoy. If you are watching your sugar intake you can easily swap out the condensed milk for a can of coconut cream, adding your favorite sweetener to taste.
DON’T FORGET ABOUT THE KIDS
When deciding what drink to take along for the children keep in mind that you would not want to deal with rowdy children on a sugar rush. Freshly squeezed orange juice or a fruity slushie is great for children and can easily be transported if you have a cooler box. Simply blend together some fruit such as mango and banana in a blender, pour into a large lunch box or old ice cream container and place in your cooler. Once ready to drink, place scoopfuls into the bottom of cups and top up with homemade lemonade.
IF ALL ELSE FAILS, SPRUCE UP YOUR WATER
If, for some reason, you cannot decide on a drink to take to the park, spruce up some water. Water, even in its most natural form, is the best drink when partaking in any outdoor activity as it remains palatable, even at room temperature. On a very hot day, you can add some ice cubes to your water bottle to keep it cooler for longer, or pop your water bottle in the cooler for an hour or two. You can add a variety of fruit such as blueberries, pineapple pieces, lemon and orange slices or kiwi fruit to your water for a delicious infused drink. Mint leaves and cucumber work equally as well, and you can even combine them for a heavenly infusion.
It may be easier to pick up a bottle or two of soda from the nearest convenience store on your way to the park, but it definitely won’t be as satisfying as a homemade drink. If you plan your trip well enough in advance you will have plenty of time to test a variety of homemade drinks, settling on those you and the family enjoy most. While the internet is inundated with countless recipes, nothing prevents you from being bold and creating your own. Who knows, you might end up discovering the next best thing since Coca-Cola.
Lucy Lees is a professional freelance writer with many years experience across a variety of sectors. She made the move to freelancing from a stressful corporate job and loves the work-life balance it offers her.
