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…
Healthy Pink Drink Strawberry Refresher (Whole30, Unsweetened, Caffeine-Free, Vegan)
A refreshing, creamy strawberry drink made with only three ingredients. Caffeine free and vegan, paleo, healthy, and Whole30.
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.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
You can use about 1 cup of any other strawberry flavored sparkling water, including Spindrift!
You can use fresh strawberries in place of freeze-dried, but the pink drink won't have as much of a strawberry flavor.
Can I use frozen strawberries?
Yes, you can use frozen strawberries!
Does almond milk work with this too?
Totally!
Where do you find freeze dried strawberries at?
Tammy, you can find freeze dried strawberries at any supermarket!
I don’t see how this tastes close to the real thing at all. There’s too much carbonation 😖 I was expecting maybe a hint of sweetness. But between unsweetened coconut milk, unsweetened freeze dried strawberries and sparkling strawberry water it’s definitely lacking a sweet element. Any suggestions?
Just use some sweetened milk!
Any suggestions for a stronger strawberry taste? It was a bit bland.
Will any coconut milk work?
Yes, Karla! If you would like a sweeter flavor, then use a sweetened coconut milk!
Can I use almond milk instead of coconut milk?
Totally!
Does this have a lot of carbonation? I’m not a fan of carbonated drinks but think the flavors sound delicious? If there is a lot of carbonation do you have any suggestions on alternative noncarbonated beverages to use?
It’s not too carbonated at all! 🙂 The other ingredients offset that enough.
This is sensational. I can’t wait to try other flavors, but the strawberry is excellent as well. I’ve also made it with leftover coconut cream which truly tasted like a French soda.
Can this be made with other milks, like Flax? I am not a fan of coconut.
Absolutely!
Sweetened or unsweetened coconut milk?
You could try both, but the Whole30 version would be unsweetened.
Great recipe! Thanks. I feel better without the carbonation, so I also tried it with the Hint strawberry kiwi flavored water and it turned out great too.
Hello,
Thanks for this great recipe! Question, would this recipe work with fresh and or frozen not dried strawberries?
Thank you!!
This sounds amazing. I can’t wsit to make it.
I’m not aware of any coconut milk in a carton that is W30 compliant……which specific one do you use?
Just at a glance, I believe this one works! I usually use the So Delicious, from what I remember 🙂
https://silk.com/products/unsweetened-coconutmilk
Living in a college dorm, I love how I only have to worry about 3 ingredients! I make this almost every morning and take it to class.
Also, when I can’t find strawberry Perrier in the grocery, I use strawberry Fanta (diluted). Definitely a different taste and not healthy, but I had to get creative(:
Love this recipe and how easy & fast it is to make!
Mine doesnt turn pink! How do i get it to turn pink?
Make sure you let your freeze dried strawberries soak in the sparkling water for a bit! And you can stir them around with a straw before adding the ice and coconut milk for more color 🙂
This recipie is AMAZING!!! so yummy and refreshing and tastes pretty darn close to the real thing. I have made one almost every day since finding this recipie. best copycat i’ve seen thus far! truly SO good and guilt free!!!
Hi! Could I make these in a blender? Then top with The sparkling Perrier?
Don’t order from Amazon- any stores carry this product!? Thank you
Hmmmm… that might work! It would be interesting for sure, almost like an ice cream soda? I wouldn’t necessarily think of it as Whole30 that way though. And I can find the product at target, some Kroger’s, and Office Depot!
Yum! Can I make a larger batch to keep in the fridge or is better made one at a time?
I would definitely make them one at a time, due to the carbonation!
Love this idea! I’ve been completely obsessed with the Strawberry Perrier for the past couple months and really can’t get enough. Thanks!
Isn’t it the best?! I’m obsessed with it!
Holy cow, you are in my head. I have been thinking about this drink for the last week and how to make it at home. Perfect timing! Looking forward to trying it out 🙂
Too funny! You will love this!! (I hope ;D )