If you're trying to kick the soft drink habit or any beverage habit with refined sugar or fake sweeteners, a very good alternative is out there, and it's one I just discovered. It is made by Celestial Seasonings (a division of Hain Celestial Group), and it's a ready-mix herbal tea that reminds me of...kool aid!

Yes, this tea mix requires just plain water and a shaker cup or spoon and it makes a great 16-ounce healthy drink. The ingredients are all-natural (just some corn maltodextrin for sweetness) and the main sweetener is the no-calorie herb stevia, of which I am a huge fan. No sugar, aspartame, sucralose or other bad sweeteners here.

This is turning out to be a great product and so far, I suggest it highly due to it being very good for you and a great replacement for sugar-laced drinks filled with fake colors and high fructose corn syrup. Price? About $2.50 for 10 packets. Not bad -- and it beats that coke machine in price and nutrition! Oh -- and zero calories to boot. My favorite: Wild Berry Chill.