I can't deny it. Coffee and soda are a part of my life. I wake up every morning and crave a cup of coffee, and throughout the day I put back two or three (or more!) cans of Diet Coke. It's not a great habit to have, especially when you consider all the caffeine I'm consuming— not to mention the expense of buying multiple 12-packs of soda every week.
In an effort to cut back on my liquid vices, I'm turning to Bigelow tea as a healthy alternative.
My plan was to switch my morning cup of coffee with a caffeinated tea, and then to drink iced herbal tea throughout the day. Pretty easy, right!? Actually, substituting tea for coffee and soda was much easier than I thought. I started by picking up a few boxes of Bigelow tea at my local Walmart Supercenter {you can see my experience on Google+}. The first thing I noticed was how inexpensive a box of tea was compared to other beverages.
Coffee Substitute: Bigelow Vanilla Chai
I would have never of guessed that a cup of Vanilla Chai tea would be as satisfying as a cup of coffee, but Bigelow totally proved that to be true. Chai tea not only looks like coffee, but it has a ton of flavor without having to add anything to it. I did add a little almond milk to replicate the same creaminess that I get with coffee, but Bigelow Vanilla Chai tea tasted great without any extra sugar or flavors.
Black tea (the main ingredient in Chai) has 30-60 mg of caffeine per cup versus 100-120 mg. in a cup of coffee.
Soda Substitute: Bigelow Herb Teas
The main reason I drink soda is because it's cold, fizzy and easy to access when I'm on-the-go. We could debate back and forth how horrible it is for you, especially diet, but it's something I enjoy and that's enough for me to drink it. The big problem I have with soda is the expense. Between my husband and I, we go through dozens of cans per week. More than anything, I want to cut back to save us some money.
Replacing herbal tea for soda was a bit harder because it doesn't have the fizziness of a carbonated drink. Though, I found that the more I drank it, the more I craved it. To make the tea easier to grab when I left the house, I made a large pitcher by boiling a few bags of Bigelow Pomegranate and I Love Lemon herb tea. After letting it chill, I filled up some reusable bottles and stored them in the fridge. When I was ready to go somewhere I popped a few pieces of frozen fruit (mango chunks & raspberries) in the tea to keep it cool and add a little extra flavor without sugar.
The tea is super refreshing and I love that I can mix and match the flavors to create my own custom drinks.
Bigelow herb tea has no caffeine, so it's an adjustment if you rely on soda for an energy boost. To combat this, I started to take a B-12 vitamin gummy (works perfectly in the afternoon!).
What I Love About Bigelow Tea
- Tea is natural and good for you
- Minimal caffeine
- Inexpensive
- Easy to prepare—just add water!
- Ton of variety
- Can be served hot or cold
- Individually wrapped for freshness
- Tastes great!
So far, my coffee/soda switch with Bigelow tea has gone remarkably well. I'm not sure I can give up either 100% completely, but I'm thrilled to be cutting back on the addiction with a healthy alternative.
Have you tried replacing coffee/soda with tea?
Liz @ A Nut in a Nutshell
Oh girl, I don't know if I could give up my Diet Coke. However, I have come to love tea and iced tea within the last year so I'm perfectly willing to tip the scales a little more in tea's favor. (A little.)
Tiff @ Babes and Kids
I really love herbal tea, it's a perfect way to wind down in the evening. I actually have some Bigelow Herbal tea in my cupboard right now!
Mellisa
I've really been trying hard not to drink soda, this is a great alternative.
Jennifer
I've actually cut out soda recently and it feels so good. I discovered I love water again, and yes, I have been drinking more tea too. When I'm not using my Keurig brewer the Bigelow brand is the only brand I buy!
Donna
I don't think I could give up my coffee. I do love hot tea, though!
Jenn- The Rebel Chick
I love tea, especially anything chai. Good luck with giving up the soda!
Tammy
Quite honestly I'd never give up my coffee. Ever. But I do drink a lot of iced tea instead of pop. I try and sweeten it with substitutes too, so it's tasty but not calorie laden.
Jenn
I need to cut back on the coffee. Thanks for the suggestion!
Robin Gagnon {Mom Foodie}
I love their Vanilla Chai!
Angela
I use the Bigelow herbal teas a lot, for both iced and hot tea.
Marcie W.
I could not survive without my daily cup of super strong coffee but an occasional bit of herbal tea as the weather cools down would be wonderful.
Kathleen
I definitely need to give some of these a try. I had quit soda all together, but have somehow gone back to my bad habit.
Colleen
Its amazing how many flavors they come out with. I prefer water to soda but tea is definitely a better choice then soda.
LyndaS
I have not tried to make the switch, but I really ought to. I love Chai tea.
Courtney
I really cut down on my caffeine once baby in my belly 🙂 I now drink tea and I loveeee bigelow! I really wish they still made cherry vanilla.
Lolo
I am not a coffee drinker but I absolutely love chia tea! I will look for Bigelow's the next time I am at the store!
Shell Feis
I have had to cut back on caffeine since I'm pregnant so I've been using other drinks, too! I need to pick up some Bigelow tea, it looks yummy!
Anne - Mommy Has to Work
I drink a lot of water but love me some sweet tea!
HilLesha
The way I drink tea and water, it's almost hard for anyone to believe that I used to go through a whole pack of soda a day! Now, my day hardly goes right until I have that first sip of piping hot tea. 🙂
Amber K
We're crazy for Bigelow Tea!
Emily
I really need to try that chai!!
Crystal @ Simply Being Mommy.com
They offer so many options, love that!
Brandie (@ Home Cooking Memories)
#client I'm both a coffee and tea drinker...always drinking coffee in the morning. But hearing your experience with the Bigelow Vanilla Chai totally intrigues me! I think I'm going to give it a shot and see how I like it. Love your addition of the almond milk too.