Plastic-free Philly is an effort led by the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University that aims to reduce single-use plastic water bottles and replace them with environmentally healthier, more affordable options like drinking tap water and using reusable bottles. We are encouraging the public to drink more water with these free, easy recipes for flavor-infused water drinks. Enjoy these healthy, fun recipes to make your water delicious and delightful! 

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Bartlett Pear Blueberry Blast

Ingredients: 1 Bartlett pear, 4–6 blueberries, water   

Cut two to four thin slices of the Bartlett pear and all the blueberries in half. Add ingredients into a clean water bottle and top it with 8 ounces of filtered tap water. Close and leave it overnight in the fridge to steep. Enjoy!  

Pears naturally contain a fiber called pectin, which can nourish and improve gut health, while also increasing feelings of fullness. Grab a reusable straw and enjoy!   

Belonging to the genus Vaccinium, blueberries are relatives of cranberries, bilberries and huckleberries. Blueberries are native to North America and can tolerate fires.  

Blood Orange Coconut Infusion    

Ingredients: 1 blood orange, 2 tablespoons fresh coconut, water   

Cut two to four thin slices of the blood orange. Dice fresh coconut into thin pieces. Add ingredients into a clean water bottle and top it with 8 ounces of filtered tap water. Close and leave it overnight in the fridge to steep. Enjoy!  

Use high-quality, fresh coconut meat — the edible white flesh lining the inside of a coconut, also called the kernel — for the best flavor!   

Coconuts are the only living species of the genus Cocos. Highly useful as a global source of food, cosmetics and medicine, the coconut originated from Southeast Asia.   

Honeydew Parsley Nectar

Ingredients: 2 ounces honeydew melon, 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, water   

Cut the honeydew melon into thin slices. Rinse parsley and bruise lightly by tapping a spoon on the leaves. Add ingredients into a clean water bottle and top it with 8 ounces of filtered tap water. Close and leave it overnight in the fridge to steep. Enjoy!   

Your body needs certain vitamins and minerals to remain healthy and strong. Parsley contains vitamin K — an essential nutrient that helps support bone-building cells.   

One of many cultivated melons belonging to the genus Cucumis, honeydew has a white rind that is usually smooth. Honeydew is also related to cucumber and cantaloupe.  

Grapefruit Basil Refresher

Ingredients: 1 grapefruit, 2–3 fresh basil leaves, water   

Cut two to four thin slices of the grapefruit. Rinse basil leaves and bruise lightly by pinching between your fingers. Add ingredients into a clean water bottle and top it with 8 ounces of filtered tap water. Close and leave it overnight in the fridge to steep. Enjoy!   

There are many varieties of basil, all with slightly different flavors. Basil is thought to have antioxidants and healthy anti-inflammatory properties.    

There are many important crops in the genus Citrus, including grapefruits, lemons and limes. Originally a hybrid between an orange and a pomelo, grapefruit currently comes in many varieties of color and sweetness.  

Watermelon Shaker

Ingredients: 2 cups cubed seedless watermelon, 3 teaspoons agave, 2 tablespoons lime juice, water, ice   

Blend watermelon and tap water. Add blended mixture, agave, lime juice and ice into a cocktail shaker and shake. Strain into a glass and garnish with a watermelon cube. Enjoy!  

Watermelon is made almost entirely of water and has very few calories for its total weight, making it a wonderful choice for staying hydrated.   

Belonging to the genus Citrullus, watermelons have been cultivated for thousands of years. Grown best in warm, tropical climates, the watermelon fruit is actually a kind of berry called a pepo.   

Pineapple Coconut Lime Fizz

Ingredients: 1 cup diced pineapple, 1/3 cup shaved coconut, 1 whole lime, 2 tablespoons lime juice, sparkling water, ice   

Add pineapple, coconut and lime juice into a glass of ice. Top with sparkling water and stir. Garnish with a slice of lime. Enjoy!   

Pineapple is high in vitamin C, which helps support your immune system. Look for a pineapple that is heavy and free of any soft spots or dark eyes. A ripe pineapple will smell sweet!  

In the genus Ananas, a single pineapple plant can produce over 200 flowers. The individual fruits of all these flowers then merge to create one large mass — the pineapple we eat.  

Orange Blackberry Thyme Ice

Ingredients: 1/2 orange, 8 blackberries, 1–2 sprigs of thyme, water, ice  Peel and slice the orange. Add oranges, blackberries and thyme into a glass of ice. Top with tap water and stir. Enjoy!   

Summertime is the best time for blackberries, which are a great source of vitamin C.    

A relative of oregano, thyme is found within the genus Thymus. It is a hardy, aromatic evergreen shrub that can tolerate both deep freezes and hot sunshine.  

Blueberry Lavender Delight

Ingredients: 1/2 pint blueberries, 3 tablespoons culinary lavender, 1 whole lemon, water, ice  Slice the lemon. Add blueberries, lavender flowers and 2 lemon slices into a glass of ice. Top with tap water and stir. Enjoy!   

Blueberries are rich in vitamin K, which helps promote heart and bone health. Check out one of the 36 locations near Philadelphia to pick blueberries this summer!   

Lavender belongs to the genus Lavandula. The leaf shape and flower color of the many different lavender species can vary widely.  

Asian Pear Sparkler

Ingredients: 1 Asian pear, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/4 cup honey, 1/4 cup sugar, small grating of nutmeg, sparkling water, ice   

Slice the Asian pear. Combine pear, lemon juice, honey, sugar and nutmeg into a saucepan. Bring to a quick boil to dissolve the sugar. Strain the liquid and let it cool. Pour liquid into a glass of ice. Top with sparkling water and stir. Enjoy!   

Honey is naturally antimicrobial. Some studies also suggest that honey might offer antidepressant and anti-anxiety benefits.     

In the genus Pyrus, Asian pears are harvested throughout autumn for their delicate, fragrant flavor. Originally native to Africa and Asia, pear trees now have thousands of varieties cultivated across the globe.  

Pumpkin Smash

Ingredients: 8 ounces pumpkin puree, 1 1/2 cups water, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, 1 cinnamon stick, sparkling water, ice   

Boil pumpkin puree, water, sugar and spice in a small saucepan, stirring constantly until smooth. Strain mixture and let it cool. Pour the mixture into a glass of ice. Top with sparkling water and stir. Garnish with a cinnamon stick. Enjoy!   

Those jack-o'-lantern pumpkin seeds are packed with nutritious protein and fiber. They also contain healthy unsaturated fats.   

Found in the genus Cucurbita, pumpkins are a squash native to North America. Pumpkins have been cultivated as a valuable food source for thousands of years.  

Cinnamon Apple Sipper

Ingredients: 1 apple, 2 cinnamon sticks, fresh ginger, 1 whole lemon, water, ice  Slice the apple, ginger and lemon.  

Add the apple, cinnamon sticks and 1–2 ginger slices into a glass of ice. Squeeze 1 lemon slice into the glass. Top with tap water and stir. Enjoy!   

Keep your teeth and gums healthy! Active compounds in ginger may keep oral bacteria from growing to help prevent gum infections.   

Belonging to the genus Malus, apples have over 7,000 known cultivars. Apples grown from seed can have different flavor, color and shape characteristics than the parent tree.  

Grapefruit Pomegranate Spritzer

Ingredients: 1 grapefruit, 1 medium pomegranate, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 star anise pod, sparkling water, ice  

Slice the grapefruit. Combine grapefruit, pomegranate, sugar and star anise in a saucepan. Bring it to a quick boil to dissolve the sugar. Strain the liquid and let it cool. Pour liquid into a glass of ice. Top with sparkling water and stir. Garnish with pomegranate seeds. Enjoy!   

How sweet! Pomegranates contain antioxidants that may help protect cells from damage, prevent some diseases and reduce inflammation.   

Pomegranates belong to the small genus Punica. A pomegranate can produce anywhere from 200 to 1,500 edible seeds inside one fruit husk. 

Love Your H20: Flavor Facts 

• Flavor-infused water is different than commercially available flavored waters. By infusing the base — filtered tap water — with fruits and herbs, the result is a light, naturally refreshing drink. Unlike flavored waters, these recipes are not heavily sweetened with fruit juice or extracts.  
• It is not the quantity of fruit or herbs that contributes to the recipe's flavor, but rather the quality of the ingredients and the steeping time. Excellent fruits and herbs will naturally produce great tastes, so you don't need to overdo it. Create many of your simple flavor-infused water recipes the night before for a delicious drink the next day. 
• Using filtered tap water will yield better results. We recommend an activated charcoal-base filter for tap water.  
• Since these recipes use a small amount of ingredients to flavor the water, the nutritional gains are minimal.