Iced Tea for free (kind of)

[Bastiansmom]

We are going to DW for the first time in July, so I have no experience with any of this, but I think it would work. I have read many posts about the bad taste of the water. Many people suggest the Crystal Light (or similar) drink flavorings to cover up the taste, but I can only drink so much artificial sweetner. So, my idea was to put a tea bag in a bottle of warm water in the morning and carry it with me throughout the day. It will "brew" as I walk around. When I get thirsty, I will get a free cup of ice, pour my tea concentrate over the ice, and have tea! Does anyone know why this would not work?

[Kimmumum]

Sounds like a great idea. It should work.:thumbsup2

As for the bad taste of the water.....only the water fountains taste gross. If you go to a counter and ask for a glass of water it is fine. It is a different filtering system.

[Lori1960]

It would not be a good idea to leave a tea bag in bottle all day

[chrismass]

The water only tastes gross for the first day, after that you get used to it - plus when it's that hot you'll pretty much drink whatever's handy!

[cloverc81]

Lipton sells a cold brew tea bag now. It only takes about 3-5 minutes to brew and you can use them in regular cold water or ice water, that might be a little safer to use.

[natnelliesmom]

Crystal Light isn't the only drink mix that they sell in water bottle size packages. Check out Kool-Aid and Lipton iced tea mixes. Each comes in single serving sizes. No artificial sweeteners.
-Sarah

[Tigger1966]

We just got back and didn't notice the taste in the water like in previous trips. Mabe it was just us.

[PrincessSuzanne]

It would not be a good idea to leave a tea bag in bottle all day


Why is that? When I make tea at home, I almost always leave it to steep all day and sometimes I start it and go to bed and not make my tea until morning.

BTW, Hawaiian Punch is making the little packets now and 8 are $1 at Walmart. they have different flavors, not just the original flavor. This was the only way to get DH to drink water.

Suzanne

[noahdove]

I know you shouldn't leave a plastic bottle in a car in the sun, but why not carry it in your bag with a tea bag?

[NotUrsula]

Just make sure that it's a plastic bottle -- they won't let you into the parks with glass.

[goofydebi]

I just wish a company would make the individual mixes for regular tea, no peach or lemon flavoring.

[Macdonx]

Make sure you read the labels - it's true that Koolaid doesn't have Aspertame, but it does have sucralose, so if you need to avoid artificial sweetener, you're still SOL.

Good luck!

[KKB]

but your idea sounds like a good one!
I drink green tea daily...might need to try your idea!

[bdono]

The idea sounds great but does anyone know if they let you bring in a cooler?

[PrincessSuzanne]

The idea sounds great but does anyone know if they let you bring in a cooler?

I am at Disney now and they let us take ours in this morning. It is a small one like you would take to work with you. There are some restrictions, but the only one I can think of right now is that it can't have wheels and I think it has to be a soft sided one, but that is questionable.

Suzanne

[CyndiLooWho]

Crystal Light isn't the only drink mix that they sell in water bottle size packages. Check out Kool-Aid and Lipton iced tea mixes. Each comes in single serving sizes. No artificial sweeteners.
-Sarah

Still haven't found Kool-Aid with no aritificial sweeteners. It's half and half (and twice the size of Crystal Light). I think the Country Time lemonade is all sugar, though.

Has Gatorade discontinued their singles? WM used to have them, but now that I'm looking for them, I can't find them.

[lauralana9]

Instead of using the tea bag how about instant tea? Lipton makes it, I don't mean the sugary powder instant mix. Its just regular unflavored tea. Think folgers crystals, but tea.

http://www.liptont.com/our_products/tea_mix/mix_unsweet.aspx

I *think* thats it. My FMIL makes it. I went to look at the container to see if that was the one but she has a store brand this time. Might be a bit easier than the teabag method.

[bsbrady]

You don't want to put warm water in a water bottle. If you keep re-using plastic bottles it can be harmful to your health. The chemicals in the plastic start to breakdown after many uses and actually get into whatever you are drinking.

[aja319se]

I was at the dollar tree and they have the hawaiin punch single serves. They actually tasted pretty good and the kids are hooked too. They like the berry lemonade. 8 for $1 not bad :)

[HGD24]

The chemicals in the plastic start to breakdown after many uses and actually get into whatever you are drinking.

Not if you use a BPA-free waterbottle like a Nalgene.

[lauralana9]

Not if you use a BPA-free waterbottle like a Nalgene.

From Everyday Health.com (http://www.everydayhealth.com/blog/zimney-health-and-medical-news-you-can-use/plastic-water-bottles-hot-cars-and-breast-cancer-what-you-need-to-know-about-pet-and-bpa/)

Some Web sites, like Snopes.com, have debunked these e-mails as nothing more than either a hoax or an urban legend. The origin, they say, is from overblown media reports of a master’s thesis written by a University of Idaho student whose research has never been confirmed and whose findings and conclusions have been challenged. The student apparently found a chemical called DHEA (that was once thought to be a carcinogen) in samples from reused water bottles. The problem is that the water bottles are made from a different chemical called polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which has no relationship whatsoever (not as a raw material, byproduct or decomposition product) with DHEA. Moreover, DEHA is a common plasticizer that is used in innumerable plastic items, many of which are found in the laboratory. For this reason, the student’s detection of DEHA is likely to have been the result of inadvertent lab contamination.

[HGD24]

From Everyday Health.com (http://www.everydayhealth.com/blog/zimney-health-and-medical-news-you-can-use/plastic-water-bottles-hot-cars-and-breast-cancer-what-you-need-to-know-about-pet-and-bpa/)

Some Web sites, like Snopes.com, have debunked these e-mails as nothing more than either a hoax or an urban legend. The origin, they say, is from overblown media reports of a master’s thesis written by a University of Idaho student whose research has never been confirmed and whose findings and conclusions have been challenged. The student apparently found a chemical called DHEA (that was once thought to be a carcinogen) in samples from reused water bottles. The problem is that the water bottles are made from a different chemical called polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which has no relationship whatsoever (not as a raw material, byproduct or decomposition product) with DHEA. Moreover, DEHA is a common plasticizer that is used in innumerable plastic items, many of which are found in the laboratory. For this reason, the student’s detection of DEHA is likely to have been the result of inadvertent lab contamination.

I'm confused by you're post and what part of my comment you were referring to. The article agrees that if you want to avoid the potential for chemical ingestion, not to use products that contain BPA. As of last year sometime, after the article you posted was written, Nalgene has offered BPA-free bottles.

[tink2dw]

Lipton makes Green Tea TO GO water bottle sticks with no sweetner added.

Trying to put a tea bag in a Aquafina type water bottle doesn't work, the rim tears the bag to shreds, and you wind up with loose tea leaves floating in the water. yuk!!

I would look for the tea sticks.

[lauralana9]

I'm confused by you're post and what part of my comment you were referring to. The article agrees that if you want to avoid the potential for chemical ingestion, not to use products that contain BPA. As of last year sometime, after the article you posted was written, Nalgene has offered BPA-free bottles.

Sorry wasn't referring to your post. :goodvibes: Was in reference to the poster that said reusing plastic water bottles are harmful.

[simba20]

Make sure you read the labels - it's true that Koolaid doesn't have Aspertame, but it does have sucralose, so if you need to avoid artificial sweetener, you're still SOL.

Good luck!

I learned this the hard way.

I was so excited to see the Kool-Aid ones that I bought all the flavors and took them for our trip in April. After two days of having the worst headaches and feeling like utter poo (my body's reaction to artifical sweetners) I grabbed one of the boxes and looked closely. I was so diappointed.

The Country Time Lemonade mixes for water bottles also have the fake sugar. Grrrrrrr........

[GetGlowing]

I just wish a company would make the individual mixes for regular tea, no peach or lemon flavoring.

Nestea? I don't know if they make individual sizes but they've made instant tea since I was a kid (and probably way before). Just experiment with how much to put in a 20-oz bottle.

You can make sun tea with regular tea bags, of course, but brewed black tea does spoil easily. I don't know if it would make you sick, but it tastes bad. I have no experience with green, white, or herbals in this department.

I'm an absolute tea snob and if I can't make my black tea with boiling water and steep for 3.5-5 minutes, I won't do it! =)

[HGD24]

Sorry wasn't referring to your post. :goodvibes: Was in reference to the poster that said reusing plastic water bottles are harmful.

Ah!!! That makes more sense :thumbsup2 I thought you were saying that Nalgene's aren't BPA-free since at the end of the article, it states that they aren't. :flower3:

[lauralana9]

Ah!!! That makes more sense :thumbsup2 I thought you were saying that Nalgene's aren't BPA-free since at the end of the article, it states that they aren't. :flower3:

I missed that bit.. I would have said something. I love my nalgenes. I do have to admit that my fave one is an old one.. I still use it. :rolleyes1:

[Sillybowtie]

Camelbak makes a water bottle that is BPA free and has a wide opening so cleaning is easy and you can brew tea. I like it becuase it has the camelbak mouthpiece so its like you are drinking out of a straw. You only need one hand to drink from it and does not leak.

[HGD24]

Camelbak makes a water bottle that is BPA free and has a wide opening so cleaning is easy and you can brew tea. I like it becuase it has the camelbak mouthpiece so its like you are drinking out of a straw. You only need one hand to drink from it and does not leak.

I own these and love them!!!! For some reason, the only way I could drink water when I was pregnant was through a straw - otherwise I would get nauseous - that's when I found the Camelback bottles. Back then, they had BPA in them, but I've recycled those and gotten the new BPA-free ones. Also, my 16 month old DD has been drinking from them for months now.

[brekin67]

I like to add the Special K protein packet. It is yummy and maybe it does not have artificial sweetener.

[koima]

The Special K protein drinks do have artificial sweeteners. They have fiber and protein, though, which actually helps keep me feeling full between meals, so I overlook the artificial sweeteners in it. :)