Spa Water at home feels a little extra-fancy, but it’s incredibly delicious and so easy to make. Infusing your water with fruits, veggies, and herbs makes staying hydrated much more tasty and fun!
We drink a LOT of water around here. And it’s much more enjoyable when we’re drinking Spa Water — you know, the infused waters you find at spas and hotel lobbies? My favorite combo of sliced cucumbers, lime, and fresh mint is super refreshing (kind of like a non-alcoholic Cucumber Mojito!); it’s the one you’ll find most often in our fridge. But there are endless flavor options…let me inspire you with a few beautiful, delicious possibilities!
Reasons to Make Spa Water at Home
Since our family has (mostly) cut out sodas and other sugary drinks, our spa water consumption has been on the rise. Here’s why we love to make it + drink it:
- Fun way to stay hydrated. A pretty pitcher of spa water serves as a great motivator for drinking more water throughout the day. If you have trouble drinking straight water, you’ll appreciate the added flavor from fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs. And even if you do like plain water, I’m betting you’ll welcome the opportunity to change up your routine!
- Endlessly customizable. You can choose your own adventure with spa water! I share some of my favorite ingredient combinations below, but the possibilities are endless. Use what YOU like!
- Great way to use odds-and-ends. If you often end up with stray packages of rosemary or too many lemons rolling around in your fruit drawer, infused water is a fantastic way to put them to use.
My Personal Drink-More-Water Story
I learned a very important life lesson back in 2002, when I was 7 months pregnant with our first daughter. Blake and I had just returned from Las Vegas to attend the wedding of some close friends. With all the miles we had walked + the drying effect of flying, I ended up spending the next month on full bed rest. I was dehydrated, and the much-too-early contractions were coming hard. I was instructed to only get out of bed to use the bathroom and take a (short) shower, and to drink LOTS of water.
The inactivity and hydration did keep the contractions at bay (and Hatti was born right on time – thank you, God!). But I also realized other benefits. I had much less back pain and my prenatal migraines had dissipated completely.
These benefits continued on to my non-pregnant life as well, I’m so happy to share. I had suffered from back aches and head aches for many, many years. And the advice I received while on bedrest, to simply drink more water, helped me so much. It was life-changing!
What You’ll Need
Generally speaking, juicy and/or stronger-flavored fruits are best for infusing spa water. An apple, for example, isn’t going to add a whole lot of flavor, but citrus and berries are fantastic. Any herb will work too, but use ones that complement the flavors of fruit—dill or oregano might be tricky! Scroll to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact ingredient amounts.
For All Flavors:
- Water – I recommend using cold, filtered water.
Flavor Combinations:
- Grapefruit + Orange + Lemon + Rosemary – Woodsy rosemary pairs so well with citrus, and we’ve got 3 different citrus fruits here!
- Cucumber + Lime + Mint – Cucumber and mint is the most common spa water flavor. I like to add some lime too, which adds a bit of acidity.
- Watermelon + Kiwi + Lime – Peel the kiwi first to keep the little bits of fuzz out of your water. This combination is summery and extremely kid-friendly.
- Blueberry + Lemon + Basil – Basil adds a fresh, herbaceous flavor and lemon is bright and citrusy — two big flavors to perk up the simple sweetness of blueberry.
- Strawberry + Raspberry + Thyme – Be sure to use ripe, juicy, sweetly-scented strawberries for this one — local, in-season berries are best! They pack in much more flavor than pale, firm grocery store berries.
- Pineapple + Blackberry + Jalapeño – Close your eyes and you can pretend this is a Pineapple Jalapeño Margarita — okay, maybe not. But it does pack some (non-alcoholic) punch!
How to Make Spa Water
You’re just 3 simple steps away from refreshing fruit-infused water. Scroll to the recipe card for printable instructions.
- Prep the fruits, veggies & herbs. Be sure to wash all ingredients well. Add the fruits, vegetables, and herbs to a large jar or pitcher. (You can use one of those fancy infuser pitchers, but you don’t need it — any pitcher or jar will work.)
- Infuse the water. Add water to fill the jar/pitcher and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight to infuse even more flavor.
- Serve. Pour into glasses – with or without the fruits, veggies, and herbs. Add a straw, if you like.
Tips for Success
I also have a few helpful hints when it comes to flavoring water:
- Don’t over-infuse the water. I prefer to drink my spa water within 48 hours of making it. When they sit too long, the water can become cloudy. And it sometimes turns bitter, especially when using citrus, as the water has more time to take on the flavor of the rind.
- Muddle the berries. I add fruits and veggies in either slices or chunks. But with blueberries and other small berries, I recommend adding them whole and then slightly crushing, or muddling, them to release their flavorful juices.
- Adjust the flavor. If you want a more intense flavor, I encourage you to also squeeze in the citrus and gently crush or muddle any fruits, veggies, and herbs.
- Garnish for that spa experience. To make your glass pretty, and to feel like you’re on a little vacation, always have some extra ingredients on hand for garnish. Actually, I think this is more of a necessity than a helpful hint! 🥰
How to Store
Refrigerate spa water in a sealed jar or pitcher. As mentioned above, the flavors can start to go south after sitting too long. If I can’t finish the water in a day or two, I usually remove the herbs and fruits with a slotted spoon – this will keep the water tasting fresh for another couple days or so.
More Spa Recipes
Supplement your spa water with some spa-like foods. These fresh, flavorful salads are the kinds of recipes you’d find at a spa – but they’re simple to make at home!
Spa Water
Ingredients
Grapefruit + Orange + Lemon + Rosemary
- ¼ grapefruit, sliced
- ½ naval orange, sliced
- ½ lemon, sliced
- 2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 quart cold water
Cucumber + Lime + Mint
- ¼ English cucumber, sliced
- ½ lime, sliced
- 2-3 sprigs fresh mint
- 1 quart cold water
Watermelon + Kiwi + Lime
- 6 small watermelon wedges
- 2 small kiwis, peeled and sliced
- ½ lime, sliced
- 1 quart cold water
Blueberry + Lemon + Basil
- ½ cup blueberries
- ½ lemon, sliced
- 1-2 sprigs fresh basil
- 1 quart cold water
Strawberry + Raspberry + Thyme
- 6 strawberries, sliced
- ½ cup raspberries
- 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 quart cold water
Pineapple + Blackberry + Jalapeno
- 6-8 large chunks peeled pineapple
- ½ cup blackberries
- ½ jalapeno, sliced with seeds removed
- 1 quart cold water
Instructions
- Pick a flavor combo and add it to a quart jar or pitcher. Place in refrigerator to infuse for at least 2 hours. Infuse overnight for more flavor.
Notes
This post was originally published in 2013, then updated in 2024.
I would LOVE to try the infusion pitcher! I drink water almost exclusively and would enjoy some variation. Also, I LOVE PC! Their cooling racks rock!
At work, the cafeteria started making infused water and my favorite combo so far was watermelon and mint. I have been wanting to get an infuser of my own ever since!
love the pitcher tea Infusion Pitcher
I would love to try the Tea Infusion Pitcher or the Tea-Bird Infuser. I am a tea addict! :)
I would love to try the Infusion Pitcher!!! This is something that I would use on a daily basis!!! :-)
I would love the beverage infuser! I would use that puppy ALL of the time.
I would love to try the Boil Over No More, well because I constantly boil over the pasta water!
My favorite drink it’s water. Some may say it’s boring but I love it keeps me well and it can take different forms, like all these infusions you mentioned! Can’t wait for hot summer days!
Thank you for sharing your refreshing water ideas and for the lovely comment left on my guest post on Sommer’s blog
You’re so welcome, Roxana – I’d love to have just one slice of that beautiful tart!! :)
So fun! I love this idea!
This pitcher looks like a great thing to try!
I’m drinking cucumber/lemon water while reading this!!
The manual food processor!
As a consultant, I was able to purchase some of the new Spring products but wasn’t able to get the Tea Infusion Pitcher. It is on the top of my Wishlist.
I love it! I thought it would be a little on the small side for me, but after using it for awhile, I think it’s just the perfect size! I love how easy it is to use and clean, too.
Love The Grill It! BBQ Pizza Set!
the silicone prep bowls look so helpful!
I’m such a simple person, those microwave grips look awesome. I can’t tell you how many times I have burned myself getting stuff out the microwave!
And I hear you on the keeping yourself hydrated! Traveling is the worst too, I have to keep reminding myself to drink water. I love your flavored water ideas!! Will definitely try for my next family get together!
Hi Julie! I definitely struggle when traveling, too. I get so dehydrated when flying, but tend to hold back because I hate needing to go to the bathroom during flights, etc. I usually down a big bottle of water and a fruit smoothie as soon as I land!
I’m only a month old as an independent consultant and I love their products. I never got into cooking that much but it really makes it enjoyable when you have the correct equipment. I’d love to win any products from Pampered Chef. I’m always looking to increase my product line for partys or just personal use.
I would love to try the tea infusion pitcher.
I would love one of those tea infusion pitchers, especially with summer on the way. (Even though it is snowing this evening!)
Another beautiful product from Pampered Chef, would love to win it!