So you’ve decided to eat and drink healthier — you’ve given up soda pop and fruit drinks. You’ve given up beer and wine. You’ve given up coffee, and you’ve even given up milk. But does that mean that you don’t keep any of it at your house? Definitely not.
We’ve all been to someone else’s house and found nothing to drink but water. Even the water sometimes just doesn’t taste good either. When that happens, let’s admit it, we don’t want to stay too long because we’re just not comfortable.
If you want to make your home more inviting to others and open to all types of people who drink something different than yourself, then take some time to think twice about getting rid of all those drinks you’ve given up. If you have the willpower to not consume those beverages, keeping them on hand is hands-down the easiest way to make others feel welcome in your home.
So what are those key drinks that will keep people coming back? Every house is going to be different because guests are all unique. Even the time of year can impact what we choose to have on hand. That said, there are some staples that everyone would probably do well by having in the refrigerator. Beer and wine are a must at our house, no matter the season of the year. The only difference is what types of beer we stock — we love to have the seasonal beers available throughout the year.
That takes care of the adults, but what about the kids? When it comes to kids, we hold firm to the no soda or sugar-filled drinks. For special occasions or hot summer days when lots of kids show up to play, we keep Honest Kids Apple Juice in the fridge. When those are served, no one feels like they’re missing out on having something special, and I feel better offering something a bit healthier to all the kids, including my own.
All of these ideas may have your mind spinning, but don’t worry. You can start small. I never cease to be amazed at how far it goes to have simple bottles of water chilled and available for people to choose. When you go to the store to buy your water, make sure you get the water that is just water, not filled with additives for taste.
Taking the time to fill your fridge or pantry with some drinks for others will help your home be a house people come back to, simply because you had something to offer. If we take the time to admit it, not having anything to offer is one of the key reasons we don’t invite people into our home. We’ll talk another time about all the other reasons. 😉
So stock your refrigerator and/or pantry shelf with something for someone besides you — you’ll be amazed at how great it feels to say to a neighbor, “Would you like to come in for a drink?”
Here’s what’s in our fridge and on our pantry shelf this summer:
- Beer (light, IPA, and seasonal)
- Wine (red and white)
- Spiked Seltzer Water
- Flavored Seltzer Water
- Soda (for adults)
- Apple Juice
- Bottles of water (small and full-sized)
- Almond milk
- Coconut milk
- Half and Half
- Iced Tea
- Coffee
- Tea