This healthy pink drink strawberry refresher is an unsweetened, Whole30 mocktail made with only three ingredients. With its subtle strawberry flavor and creaminess, it’s super refreshing and hydrating, since it’s caffeine free! This healthy pink drink strawberry refresher is vegan and paleo, too, as well as a great Whole30 mocktail type drink, and totally guilt-free since it’s unsweetened! Perfect with freeze-dried strawberries and coconut milk (<<< click to buy both!).
Sometimes magic just happens.
Like the moment I met my husband, and I just knew. I knew instantly! Right away, sitting across from him at South of Beale in downtown Memphis, I just knew we’d get married and have babies and want to kill each other daily for the rest of our lives. Instant magic.
And that first moment I saw my son, and my heart was positively captured. He was so ugly! Wrinkly and stark white and somehow red all at once, with a shock of black hair on top of his head, and a general he-doesn’t-look-like-what-I-thought-he’d-look-like to it, it was this moment of unbearable expansion of that feeling in my chest. Like the feeling you get behind your eyelids when you close your eyes and look up to the sun. Instant magic.
And then there was that time when I haphazardly poured together three simple ingredients, on a pregnant, mini Whole30, inspired by the super strawberry-ness of the sparkling water we’d been drinking and simultaneously by the refreshing fruitiness of the infamous Starbucks “pink drink,” on which I’d gorged myself (OK… I had two in a fortnight) before starting our tiny round.
Instant magic.
A subtle strawberry flavor from the Perrier strawberry sparkling water is infused with a classical fruitiness from the freeze-dried strawberries, all capped with a bit of creamy coconut milk, creating a milky, pale pink refresher that’s hydrating, caffeine-free, Whole30, vegan, and totally unsweetened.
While I was inspired by the Starbucks pink drink and its freeze-dried strawberries spiking the rest of the drink with a bit of extra fruitiness, this healthy pink drink is a beverage of its own! With only three ingredients–sparkling water, coconut milk, and freeze-dried strawberries–I feel great about drinking this regularly.
And while you can think of this healthy pink drink as a Whole30 mocktail, it’s really more of an afternoon refresher in my opinion. Thirst quenching and so fresh, it’s my favorite for warmer weather and since it’s unsweetened (and caffeine-free!), there’s no confusion (or “recreation” factor) with the Starbucks pink drink.
I can’t drink coconut milk! Can I have _____ milk instead in this Whole30 mocktail?
Sure! If you can’t drink coconut milk, then an alt milk is OK. However, if you can drink coconut milk, I highly, highly recommend you use that in this recipe. It’s a bit richer than other alt milks and the subtle coconut flavor works so beautifully with the strawberry.
Can I use coconut milk from a can for this healthy pink drink?
You can, but I prefer it from a carton. I blend with the sparkling water better and has a generally better flavor for this specific beverage. I almost always use coconut milk from a can for my recipes, but this one just works better with coconut milk from a carton!
Can I use a different kind of sparkling water?
You can try… but I don’t think you’ll like it as much. I was especially struck by these Perrier strawberry sparkling waters that we got by accident during a grocery order. They’re so powerful with the flavor and they work beautifully here. You might be able to find another type of strawberry sparkling, in which case, you can try it! But I always recommend Perrier.
To make this healthy pink drink strawberry refresher (unsweetened, Whole30, vegan, caffeine-free), I used…
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Healthy Pink Drink Strawberry Refresher (Whole30, Unsweetened, Caffeine-Free, Vegan)
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened strawberry sparkling water like Perrier or bubly
- 1/4 cup freeze-dried strawberries
- 1/2 cup coconut milk from carton unsweetened if on Whole30; vanilla is great otherwise
Instructions
- Pour freeze-dried strawberries in a serving cup then pour Perrier strawberry sparkling water over. Stir well and let sit for a couple of minutes to steep. Add ice to glass then pour coconut milk over. Stir and serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Cheryl Malik is the recipe developer, writer, and photographer behind the healthy, flavorful, family friendly recipes at 40 Aprons. She’s been a blogger for 10 years and is known for her delicious recipes and detailed recipe instructions. Cheryl is a mom of two who lives in Memphis, TN.
April says
So, I came here to find out how to make a healthier version of this “pink drink” that my kids keep asking for….thank you….but I also fell in LOVE with that part you wrote about your son. Beautiful 🙂
Julie D says
Could I substitute plain water instead of sparkling water?? I’m post bariatric surgery about 18 months; don’t do much carbonation drinks. Thanks
Cheryl Malik says
Hi Julie! The most important thing with the water is that it is just the right amount of strawberry flavor — not too subtle but also not overwhelming. I have always used the sparkling waters, but if you know of a good strawberry flavored still water, it should work about the same (minus the bubbles)! Let me know if you try it!!
Stacey says
I figured the calories at a lot less…am I missing an ingredient? How did you get the 300 plus count?
Cheryl Malik says
A lot of that comes from the freeze-dried strawberries (according the program that creates the nutrition info!). I would check the bag you buy to see if the info matches up.
Marianne says
My coconut milk didn’t mix well. What happened? I used freeze dried strawberries Perrier strawberry and kiwi(that’s all I could find out in the middle of nowhere) and carton unsweetened coconut milk. Help.
Cheryl Malik says
I’m not sure because thats all I use as well! Did you try shaking it to mix?
Cheryl says
Can I use frozen strawberries?
Cheryl Malik says
Yes, you can use frozen strawberries!
Elle says
Does almond milk work with this too?
Cheryl Malik says
Totally!
Tammy says
Where do you find freeze dried strawberries at?
Cheryl Malik says
Tammy, you can find freeze dried strawberries at any supermarket!
Rosa says
Is 40 grams of sugar correct if everything is unsweetened?? That’s more sugar than the original starbucks drink!
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
It has 22 grams of sugar. 🙂