Happy, healthy & super refreshing summer with Freshpak DIY iced tea!

If you've known me for more than five minutes, then you know that we make our own iced tea at the bunny house. It's something I learned from my best friend's mom - Auntie Annette. She would fill a glass container with 2l of cold tap water, add two five roses tea bags then leave that in the sun to brew for two hours or so until the water was dark and the tea was ripe. She'd bring it inside, add 1/3 cup of white sugar and loads of ice. Bethany and I used to gulp that down in the summer heat while playing barbies or lego or building puzzles. I spent maybe most of my childhood at Bethany's place (3 houses down from mine for about ten or fifteen years...) and I have the living best memories of iced tea.  

I've always stuck to the same recipe, but it's not great for the boys - so much caffeine. When Noah was a baby I tried different variations of rooibos mixed with apple juice, but I couldn't get it as delicious as I knew it could be. A few weeks ago I got the sweetest media pack from Freshpak. They sent a big wooden crate filled with Freshpak tea, then loads of fresh fruit, herbs, spices, honey... mint and strawberries and pineapples and peaches and lemons and oranges and cinnamon and vanilla and everything that you need to create a delicious, healthy and refreshing iced tea.

Take a 1 liter jug and fill it with tap water and 4 - 6 bags of Freshpak. Leave it in the sun to brew OR boil the water and add 4 - 6 bags and let it stand and cool. I like leaving it to cook outside because I like to think that my iced tea is filled with sunshine. Then bring it in and add fruit, mint, lemon, cinnamon - whatever your vibe is. This is a seriously cost-effective way of keeping a healthy, fresh juice in the fridge that lasts up to three days. For babas, you can also add some apple juice! You can add honey or some brown sugar too. Add LOADS of ice, fun straws and your family & friends. I'm going to share more recipes as we go along because if you have kids you know that they are always thirsty! Happy, healthy summer everyone.

 

PS Those wooden "tea" and "yay" words were purchased at the Hout Bay market. I put them up above our little tea making station years ago. The colorful paper straws are from In Good Company. They are based in Cape Town and Joburg, but you can order online too. I bought my glass jugs, carafes and bistro sets from some catering / kitchen company but I can't remember the name now - also online & super cheap. I got the vintage lace tablecloth from the Milnerton market where you can pick up the most interesting little things for your home. I have a whole drawer full of food styling 'stuff' that I'm collecting. The boys call it their 'party drawer' and we throw a lot of tea parties with mommy's special omg-be-careful things. Get brewing! x