5 Fabulous Tiki Mocktails (for Fewer Calories!)

The Hawaiian wave is still going strong, with poke bowls and coconut everything. And tiki drinks are especially fun, fresh, and delicious, on the rocks or blended, stuffed with colorful cherries and orange slices, and sipped straight out of an outrageous pineapple or coconut shell.  

Traditional tiki drinks are made with several different types of rum and a splash of fruit juice. If you’ve ever experienced the sting of a scorpion bowl, you already know that so much alcohol and sugar are a recipe for a hangover. Add a dollop of coconut cream, and you’re piling on the calories and saturated fat. But you can get all of the island vibes without blowing your calories, if you flip that ratio around and fill up your cup with lots fresh flavors, first. Can you hear the ocean calling? Pull up an umbrella, put your toes in the sand, and sip on these thirst-quenching mocktails.

5 Smart Swaps for Low-Cal Cocktails

Here’s your tiki cheat sheet! Instead of each of these classic ingredients, use one of these fresh alternatives.  

Every kind of rum → every kind of tropical fruit

Coconut cream → coconut milk beverage (found in the cold case)

Sugary drink mixes → fresh fruit purees

Artificial flavors → bitters, extracts, fresh mint

Sugary sodas → sparkling water

Still tempted to sneak a splash of rum? That’s really your call. For any of these recipes, you could add 1 shot (1½ fl oz/45 ml) rum, and they’d still be lighter than the classic cocktails. (A regular piña colada could be more than 650 calories for 12 fl oz. This virgin variation is less than 150 calories.) But keep in mind: The CDC recommends no more than one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men.

5 Fabulous Tiki Mocktails for Less Than 150 Calories

Mai Tai

½ cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) orange juice
½ cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) lime juice
Dash of pure almond extract
Crushed ice
Sparkling water

In a tall glass, add the orange juice, lime juice, and almond extract and stir to combine. Fill with crushed ice and top off with sparkling water. Makes 1 serving.

74 calories, 1 g protein, 0 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 18 g carbs, 0 g fiber, 12 g total sugars, 12 g added sugars, 3 mg sodium

Zombie                                                                                  

½ cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) grapefruit juice
½ cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) pomegranate juice
Big squeeze of fresh lime juice
Dash of ground cinnamon
Crushed ice
Sparkling water

In a tall glass, add the grapefruit juice, pomegranate juice, lime juice, and cinnamon and stir to combine. Fill with crushed ice and top off with sparkling water. Makes 1 serving.

80 calories, 1 g protein, 1 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 19 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 18 g total sugars, 18 g added sugars, 9 mg sodium

Hurricane

½ cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) passion fruit juice
½ cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) orange juice
Big squeeze of fresh lime
Crushed ice
Sparkling water
Fresh cherries for garnish

In a tall glass, add the passion fruit juice, orange juice, and lime juice and stir to combine. Fill with crushed ice and top off with sparkling water. Garnish with cherries. Makes 1 serving.

84 calories, 1 g protein, 0 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 20 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 18 g total sugars, 18 g added sugars, 6 mg sodium, not including garnish

Piña Colada

1 cup (6 oz/185 g) frozen pineapple chunks
1 cup (8 fl oz/250 ml) coconut milk beverage, unsweetened
Big squeeze of fresh lime
Fresh pineapple wedges for garnish

In a blender, combine the pineapple, coconut milk beverage, and lime juice. Blend until thick and smooth. Pour into a glass and garnish with pineapple wedges. Makes 1 serving.

130 calories, 1 g protein, 4.5 g total fat, 4 g saturated fat, 23 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 16 g total sugars, 0 g added sugars, 27 mg sodium, not including garnish

Strawberry Daiquiri

2/3 cup (3 oz/90 g) frozen strawberries
1/3 cup (3 fl oz/80 ml) lime juice
1/3 cup (3 fl oz/80 ml) orange juice
Lime wedges and fresh strawberries for garnish

In a blender, combine the strawberries, lime juice, and orange juice. Blend until thick and smooth. Pour into a glass and garnish with lime wedges and fresh strawberries. Makes 1 serving.

123 calories, 2 g protein, 0 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 33 g carbs, 4 g fiber, 17 g total sugars, 8 g added sugars, 6 mg sodium, not including garnish

Becky Duffett

Becky Duffett is a contributing nutrition editor for Fitbit and a lifestyle writer with a passion for eating well. A former Williams-Sonoma cookbook editor and graduate of San Francisco Cooking School, she’s edited dozens of cookbooks and countless recipes. City living has turned her into a spin addict—but she’d still rather be riding a horse. She lives in the cutest neighborhood in San Francisco, spending weekends at the farmers’ market, trying to read at the bakery, and roasting big dinners for friends.