10 Skinny Summer Cocktails

Happy hour in the summer time is the best. Soaking up the sunshine while grabbing a cocktail with friends on the patio is a great way to unwind. However, a lot of cocktails are loaded with sugar and calories, which could lead to weight gain if you go out a couple times a week. Avoid wreaking havoc on your waistline at happy hour with these 5 great tips for lightening up your summer cocktails!

1. Cut the fruit juice in half and replace it with club soda. You’d be surprised how a little juice can go a long way! The same goes for simple syrup.
2. Replace the fruit juice entirely with fresh fruit. Think muddled berries for mojitos or frozen mango for margaritas. 
3. Skip the bottled margarita mix you buy from the store and make your own at home. Even better, replace the mix completely with pureed fruit.
4. Use fresh ingredients with a lot of flavor and not a lot of calories like: mint, cilantro, basil, ginger root, citrus fruit, etc. 
5. Use diet soda instead of regular. If you are looking to be adventurous, give kombucha a try! 

For inspiration, try out any one of these 10 delicious, skinny summer cocktails:

• Frozen Ginger Mango Margarita via Dietitian Debbie Dishes
• Sotol Swizzle via Honestly Yum
• Blueberry Mint Fizz via Waiting on Martha
• Mango Cilantro Mojitos via A House in the Hills
• Guava Sangria via Style Me Pretty
• Raspberry Sparkler via The Gardenista
• Kombucha Moscow Mules via Cookie + Kate
• Cucumber, Mint, Gin Coolers via Heather Cristo
• Riesling, Strawberry Slushy via With Style and Grace Blog
• Peach Wine Slushies via Dessert for Two