5 Non-Alcoholic Beverages for a Romantic Dinner

I've read a lot of pieces online that talk about having a romantic dinner with a glass of wine, or a bottle of wine. I see recipes often that mention what kind of wine to drink with your entrée. What if a person doesn't have a bottle of wine available... or even drink wine for that matter? I know me personally I'm not one to drink liquor. I've tasted wine before and have cooked with wine, but I don't normally have a glass even on special occasions.

Bottles of wine at a good place (this is for a romantic dinner right? So we need to have the good stuff!) can easily go for $20... $30... $100. Of course if you just frequent the local grocer for something reasonable I'm sure you can get away with $5 or $10 for a bottle. I want to provide some alternatives for people who don't drink or need a more cost-efficient beverage alternative with a romantic meal.

Let's consider the following:

1. Sparkling Cider or Sparkling Fruit Juice

I'd recommend sparking apple cider, sparking peach juice, or sparking grape juice in particular. These are great non-alcoholic options for a romantic dinner. You can usually find them for about $3.00 (give/take) per bottle. If you can't get to a place where you can get a bottle, the alternative would be to puree some fruit, or get some fruit nectar and add some seltzer water or club soda. It doesn't have quite the same effect, but it's close.

2. Ice Cream Float

I know many of you are thinking that an ice cream float is NOT romantic... but remember, romance is not so much in the content, but it's also in the presentation. Let me explain. What is an ice cream float made of? Ice cream and pop, right? Well, here's your chance to be romantic with some ice cream and pop... get a flute (not the musical instrument, the glass) or a goblet, put in 1-2 small scoops of ice cream and your favorite soda, and let it come as close to the top as possible. Add a cherry on top, or whipped cream, and you have a fun, romantic beverage. I can hear some of you saying, "yeah right." I really believe some couples will find this romantic.

3. Strawberry Virgin Daiquiri

I found a good recipe base for a virgin strawberry daiquiri here. If you read that recipe, what I'd recommend you do afterwards is to blend it so that everything blends together. If you don't have strawberries, consider using peaches.

4. Shirley Temple

A Shirley Temple consists of cranberry juice and a carbonated lemon/lime beverage. Some use 7-Up, some use Sierra Mist, some use Sprite. Whatever your choice is, be sure to add a cherry on top and enjoy this potent beverage.

5. Smoothies

Make your own smoothie combination for your romantic dinner. Smoothies are great if you have particular theme in mind. For example, for the fall, you can go with an orange/brown theme and make a smoothie with fall fruits, or fruits with fall colors like cantaloupe, honeydew, or strawberry. Try something new and exciting with your spouse. Each of you pick two fruits that you want to put in and let the blender do the rest.

Hopefully this will help you find a beverage that will be romantic and be fun to make. Remember, romance isn't just about elegance; it's also about enjoying one another and having fun together.