No one tells you how hard it is to change your habits as you age. In 2024, I changed my drinking habits with a realistic approach. I committed to a dry-ish January and have since committed to continuing the practice throughout the year. This has meant not drinking during the week and being more mindful about weekend drinking. So far, so good.
Using a drinking-tracking app like Sunnyside has been a great way to be conscious of daily choices. In the past, I’ve shied away from events altogether where I know that heavy drinking is implied (insert favorite tequila tasting or winery opening here). This approach is practical but brutal if you network for a living. That’s why I’m taking a different approach to curbing drinking in 2024. This year, I’m referencing the last time I drank mocktails and enjoyed them, i,e., pregnancy.
I want to introduce you to Preggatinis, Mixology for the Moms-to-Be, by Natalie Bovis, The Liquid Muse. This collection of mocktail receipts did not exist when I was pregnant 6 and 8 years ago, but I wish it had. The book was sent to me as the Managing Editor of San Francisco Bay Area Moms during my series on curbing alcohol consumption, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. Three months into *white wine only and dry during the week*, a fancy mocktail on a Wednesday with a mom-friend was just what I needed.
Playdates and Mocktails
I love hosting! I love having you over for a glass of wine or cocktail. That said, just because I’m curbing alcohol doesn’t mean that you have to. Just like dieting, I don’t expect you to eat cauliflower at my house because it’s become a staple for me. If I’m making you a Yogi-Teani, there is no reason why I can’t omit the tequila in my drink and add twice as much in yours. More to my point, these mocktails are fun! The book includes holiday mocktails like Spice of the Season Mulled Wine and Sparkling Pomegranate Snowflake. This book contains a recipe for Sparkling Citrus at Easter and The Perfect Pear for Mother’s Day.
If you’ve extended dry January like me, you need these recipes. They’re delicious and fun and will remind you of a time when it was easy not to drink—a time when making a baby in your belly was more than enough to worry about.
