Thanksgiving drinks for the whole family

What to drink on Thanksgiving: non alcoholic drink ideas for Thanksgiving that your kids and your stomach will thank

Thanksgiving, a day of family and food.
Many cultures hold such events to celebrate with their loved ones.
However, with these long dinners, it’s all too easy to overindulge in the meal and alcohol, resulting in sluggish digestion and guilt the morning after.
To avoid it this year, this article offers you fun but healthy non-alcoholic Thanksgiving drinks, perfect to keep everyone happy and refreshed this season.

Table of Contents

Thanksgiving mocktails

It appears that wine is the most popular alcoholic beverage during Thanksgiving. Furthermore, most people drink more alcohol throughout the holiday period.

But there are many delicious Thanksgiving alcohol-free drinks that avoid the empty calories from the alcohol and the hangover on the next day.
And they can be even tastier as their alcoholic cousins!

These Thanksgiving mocktails drinks look like “real” cocktails while they can be enjoyed by both children and adults.
They will become the highlight of your Thanksgiving brunch or dinner for sure!:

The Orchad Mocktail (by Bow Hill Blueberries for Food 52):
Blueberry juice and orange will make for a beautiful fuchsia pink.
And for some natural sweetness, apple cider rounds up this festive alcohol-free cocktail.
Of course, if you prefer an alcoholic version of this mocktail, you can adapt it easily.
Pomegranate mocktail (by Nom nom paleo):
This is a sparkling, non alcoholic mocktail that uses the autumnal ingredients pomegranate and orange, spiced up with warming ginger.
Whole 30 cranberry mocktail (by Healthy little peach):
A great recipe if you’re looking for a refreshing drink without added sugar.
Blended persimmon mocktail (from She knows):
This original recipe uses this naturally sweet fruit for an autumn-themed mocktail.

Alcohol-free Thanksgiving drinks with apple

What screams “Fall” more than apples?
They’re not only delicious, but they also have a natural sweetness to them, making them ideal for baking desserts and drinks.
Here are some easy non-alcoholic Thanksgiving drink to make with apple juice or cider:

Hot apple cider – (from A sweet pea chef):
This is an amazing, refined-sugar free recipe for a hot drink that tastes like wonderfully spiced apple juice.
Pumpkin Apple Cider Healthy Butterbeer (from Thessa the domestic diva):
As the name says, this is a delicious light fall drink inspired by Harry Potter’s Butterbeer.
Cinnamon Spice Apple Tea (from Gourmande in the kitchen):
You probably already have all the ingredients to make this warming cinnamon spiced apple tea recipe.

Non alcoholic Thanksgiving drinks for a crowd

Are you hosting a meal for a bigger group?
Even if you aren’t inviting a large number of guests, holidays usually demand preparing more than usual.
But don’t worry, here are some great Thanksgiving drink recipes that require little effort even if you prepare them in larger quantities:

3 ingredients – 5 minutes Thanksgiving Punch (by Fantabulosity for I heart Naptime):
This might be one of the easiest punch recipes around, so it’s perfect for a last minute Thanksgiving drink.
I personally love that this alcohol-free punch recipe doesn’t have sparkles.
Delicately Fragrant Mulled Cider (in the Crock-Pot) (from Food 52) :
For slow-cooker owners: here is a recipe for a subtle-spiced hot cider with pear and ginger.
Slow Cooker Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate (from The magical slow cooker):
This Fall treat is very convenient for holiday parties since it’s very easy to make and serve warm for a large crowd.

Best teas for Thanksgiving

Isn’t it the best to have a warm cup of tea in your hands in this season?
If you are looking for teas that taste like Fall, you may want to look for tea blends (or make your own tea blends) with some of these ingredients in them:

chai spices
pumpkin pie spices
cranberry
apple
cinnamon
vanilla
ginger

Furthermore to these combinations, there are certain teas that can complement your dinner or aid in digestion (you can read more about them bellow).

Best teas to drink during Thanksgiving dinner

Dinner gathering with people drinking tea with the meal

Have you ever wonder which teas go well with specific types of food?
According to the English Tea Store, these black tea types pair well with most traditional Thanksgiving dishes and desserts:

Assam
Darjeeling
Ceylon

Teas for after Thanksgiving dinner

Have you had too much to eat for the evening gathering?
Don’t worry, here are some excellent herbal teas for digestive issues.
They are also caffeine-free, so you may get a good night’s sleep as a bonus.
Drinking any type warm tea will help you with digestion, but these herbal teas are specially known for being gentle to the belly:

Peppermint tea
Chamomile tea
Ginger tea
Fennel seeds tea
Dandelion tea

To learn more about the properties of each one and how to prepare them correctly, you can read our list of Best herbal teas for digestion after dinner.

However, if you one of those persons who can drink caffeine just before going to bed without any problems, some other teas that may make you feel better after a copious meal are:

pu-ehr
oolong
green
black tea

These have some caffeine though, so they may be best to drink during the daytime.

Thanksgiving smoothies

Pumpkin, almonds and other nuts and veggies to make Thanksgiving-themed smoothies

Smoothies are a great option for any time of the day, but they’re especially perfect as a quick snack when you’re too busy cooking dinner or as breakfast after a long night.
Here are some Thanksgiving-inspired smoothie recipes to keep you in the holiday spirit:

Spinach and sweet potatoes smoothie:
This vegan green smoothie includes sweet potato, spinach, mango and cinnamon to get the taste of Thanksgiving in a glass.
Green Smoothie with Spinach, Pear, and Ginger:
A refreshing and invigorating smoothie that is perfect for the colder months of the year.
Pumpkin Pie Smoothie:
Gather some frozen banana, dates and almond butter for a pumpkin pie-inspired smoothie. It’s a delicious way to satisfy your sweet tooth without feeling guilty!
Thanksgiving smoothie:
This tasty smoothie is made with many ingredients you expect from Thanksgiving: baked butternut squash, dried cranberries and pecans.

Thanksgiving drinks at Starbucks

Starbucks sells a Thanksgiving coffee blend.
Apart from that, many of Starbucks’ holiday beverages go well with the Thanksgiving mood, even if they are not specifically Thanksgiving-themed drinks:

Their apple based drinks, such as the warm Steamed Apple Juice and Caramel Apple Spice or the cold Apple Crisp Crème Frapuccino go very well in this season.
Chocolate drinks are also perfect to feel you cozy.
In Fall 2023, you can order in Starbucks Hot Chocolate, White Hot Chocolate and Toasted White Hot Chocolate (take into consideration that this list may differ depending on where you live).
If you are looking for coffee creations that taste like autumn, you may want to try the seasonal Caramel Brulée Latte or Chestnut Praline Latte.
Remember to order these beverages as “Crème” if you want the coffee free version!
Steamers, warm milk drinks, are also specially appealing when it begins to get colder outside.
Since they are caffeine-free, they are a good option for sipping even at late hours or for family with kids.
This year you can find in Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Crème, Steamed Milk, Vanilla Crème, Chestnut Praline Crème and Caramel Brûlée Crème.