Non-Alcoholic Fruit Punch: An Eight-Serving Guide

Non-alcoholic fruit punch works best with a clear fruit base and bubbles added separately. This recipe makes about 1.6 litres of liquid for eight smaller glasses.

A practical recipe

Combine 500 ml white grape juice, 300 ml apple juice and 80 ml lemon juice with 250 g chopped fruit. Add 720 ml sparkling water just before serving. Orange, apple and berries work; remove seeds and tough pieces of peel.

Plan the preparation

Plan by serving size rather than guest count alone. At 200 ml liquid per glass, 1.6 litres makes eight servings; large glasses with little ice can hold much more. Fruit takes extra space. Keep a second unsparkled base chilled if you need refills.

Flavour and variations

For red punch, replace white grape juice with red and use berries. Replace some juice with unsweetened cold tea for less sweetness. Adjust sweetness only after dilution rather than sweetening the concentrated base.

Preparation and serving

Chill the ingredients before mixing. Keep the juice base and sparkling ingredients separate until serving. Put ice in individual glasses where possible so a large pitcher does not dilute throughout the event. Stir any fruit-purée base before dividing it between glasses.

Make a small trial serving first. Juices, nectars and sodas vary in sweetness; once the ratio works, scale it up. Record the final quantities so the next pitcher tastes consistent.

Common question

Can I mix everything the night before? Prepare juice base and fruit separately under refrigeration as appropriate for their freshness. Add bubbles and ice at serving time.

More variations: strawberry punch and sangria .

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