Coke vs. Pepsi? How about Neither?…..

When I was a kid our family dinner always included some sort of caffeinated soda. (Only growing up in Chicago we referred to it as “pop”).

Back then; soda “pop” was a staple at mealtime. Every friend’s house I went to would have a fridge full of all flavors:

grape, orange, mountain dew, ginger ale, cream soda, root beer, coke.

(No Pepsi, only Michael Jackson drank Pepsi.)

My mom would go through 8-12 cans of Tab a day. (She gave up cigarettes in the 70’s for health reasons and took up soda instead. Who knew?)

(This is an actual coupon I found in my moms house before she sold it…..sitting in the same box of coupons for 30 years along with the coupon for $0.39/ pound summer peaches at the Jewel.)

The 80’s were a remarkable time for caffeine-fueled beverages, they weren’t just for college kids and party goers, they were for 8 year olds, picnics and family dinners. Only we did not drink ‘Red bull’, we drank ‘Jolt’.

I rarely saw a pitcher of water. The healthiest drink in our fridge (or so I thought) was concentrated orange juice made from a frozen can of Tropicana. (Which, incidentally, is delicious eaten straight from the can in the frozen state- like a Popsicle).

At Friday night dinner, my brothers and I would have a contest who could mix up the best drink using all the sodas on the table – we would mix the different flavors of soda together in specific amounts to see which elixir tasted the best. We referred to this as our “concoctions” and to this day I love to concoct.

I concoct everything food related and that’s how I come up with my great (I mean gross) sounding – yet healthy- recipes.

Now, with so much information, research and health advice out there, it amazes me that people still drink soda. I only kicked the habit myself about 5 years ago, but I have never looked back.

I used to hate water as a kid. Now, my body craves it and I jug a 2 liter bottle with lemon in it first thing in the morning before anything else (including my coffee.) Then I drink warm lemon water with raw ginger.

Lesson Learned:

We can teach our bodies to adapt to anything. All it takes to kick an unhealthy habit is the desire to want to try.

Find a replacement to ease your way out of an unhealthy vice or make the transition slowly by just cutting out a little at a time.

It will do your body good.

And now for your viewing pleasure: