Drink Mix Packets: Crystal Light VS. Lipton

Drink mix packets are the hottest thing on grocery store shelves right now. Even as I was checking out the last time I went shopping, the lady at the register commented on how good the drink mix packets are. It seems that people can't get enough of them. It's not necessarily a new idea, but one that has taken quite a few years to morph into the product available now. Back in the 80's, Crystal Light became very popular, but even then, you had to measure each serving out before using it. And even predating that, we've had instant tea available. But it wasn't until someone had the brilliant idea to pre-measure it and sell it for people on the go that they had a hit on their hands. Now, you can find drink mix packets which are pre-measured to shake into a 16.9 oz bottle of water, on any grocery store shelf. I will compare two of the hottest brands, and some of the leaders in their field; Crystal Light and Lipton.

Though I compared different flavors, I wanted to get as close a comparison as possible, so I chose tea flavors for both. The Crystal Light was Iced Tea flavored, while the Lipton was Raspberry White Tea. White tea usually has a sweeter, lighter taste than normal tea, and it's loaded with antioxidants.

The Lipton Raspberry White Tea did not mix into the bottle very easily. It seemed to get stuck inside the packet, and it was difficult to pour without spilling. It's quite possible this was a one time problem, but the perforation where you tear seemed to be smaller and more difficult to open than it should have been. When it mixed into the water, it was an odd yellow color, and the color alone did not make it look very palatable. The taste had a definite raspberry flavor, but there was also a strong Splenda flavor. This drink has zero calories, and the taste beats just plain water. Overall, it was good, but it was definitely not the white tea that I'm used to drinking. One strong benefit to the Lipton Raspberry White Tea was that it contains 80mg of antioxidants per serving. There are two servings in each packet, so this is quite a benefit.

The Crystal Light Iced Tea drink mix packet was much easier to pour. Once it went in, it mixed well with the water. I've sampled many different drink mix packets from many different companies, and this flavor mixed the most thoroughly. The color is also what you would expect from iced tea. But sadly, the flavor was not. It had a strong lemony taste, despite no mention of a lemon flavor on the packet. Furthermore, it still has that strange instant tea flavor that so many instant teas have. It does not taste like brewed iced tea, and if that's what you are expecting, you will be disappointed. The Crystal Light Iced Tea has 10 calories per packet, which is slightly higher than the Lipton Raspberry White Tea, but not significantly higher.

Overall, I preferred the Lipton Raspberry White Tea. The taste was closer to what I was expecting, and it's a rather tasty way to drink your daily requirement of water. It's color leaves something to be desired, but it isn't so strange that it causes you to not want to drink it. And while the Splenda flavor is not good, it's better than the fake taste of the Crystal Light Iced Tea. With the antioxidant benefit to the Lipton product, it would be my choice for a drink packet mix.