The scorching heat that comes with summer is hard to deal with, especially for me since my AC is broken. One successful way to cool down that I have found is crafting or purchasing a cold beverage; a fun and tasty activity. Some drinks I have made, or attempted to make, are lemonade, iced tea, and smoothies or milkshakes.
Lemonade is my favorite beverage, so I frequently look for a way to get my hands on it. I make lemonade using the lemons from the lemon tree in my backyard, and use either honey or sugar to sweeten it. I also often dilute it with water and add ice cubes, so that it is not too strong and it is nice and cold. If I want to add some pizzazz to my lemonade, I add some sparkling water, and additionally some sugar and a lemon slice around the rim, which makes it feel extra fancy. Lemonade is filled with vitamin C, and is a very healthy drink, so I would highly recommend trying it.
Often I find myself in the mood for iced tea, since it is my go-to drink, so naturally, I have experimented with quite a few variations to make it. My go-to is iced Thai milk tea, which I make using Thai tea, milk, ice cubes, and honey or sugar. I prefer using honey over sugar, as I believe honey contains bigger flavors and is healthier than plain sugar. Thai tea is also my favorite type of tea; I love the burnt and sweet taste of it. Another way I make iced tea is by using Earl Grey tea, milk, ice cubes, and honey. Although it is not my favorite tea, Earl Grey is a close second, so I tend to make this kind of tea if I am not in the mood for or if I do not have Thai tea. Since I am lactose intolerant, if I do not feel like suffering, I make an iced tea minus the lactose. The one I make the most is a pomegranate iced tea, which I make using pomegranate tea, honey, and ice cubes. Iced tea is an easy to make, healthy drink, which can also give you energy when it is caffeinated, so I would recommend trying it.
Whenever I happen to crave a sweet drink, I make a smoothie or a milkshake. I typically make smoothies when I am trying to be healthy, though I often fail at that. I use frozen fruits (fresh ones work too), water or milk, and honey. The smoothies I make the most are strawberry and mango smoothies, and if I want to add some extra flavor, I add ice cream to the smoothie to create a milkshake and smoothie mix. I make milkshakes when I am not trying to be healthy or just craving ice cream. I use milk and ice cream, and tend to use vanilla, chocolate, or mint chip ice cream in my milkshakes, due to the fact that I typically only have vanilla and chocolate ice cream at home, and mint chip is my favorite ice cream flavor. Smoothies and milkshakes are tasty and easy to make, so I would encourage trying them.