Nothing soothes on a hot summer day quite like a cool, refreshing pitcher of lemonade.
The citrusy drink has provided refreshment to heat-suffering humans for centuries.
Despite its early origins, lemonade remains a popular commodity, especially in warmer climates.
Photos: The brands. Design: Eat This, Not That!
I recently tried 10 name-brand varieties to put them all to the test.
The label proclaims that it’s made with high-quality ingredients and devoid of artificial colors and flavors.
It’s also USDA-certified organic, gluten-free, and non-GMO Project Verified.
Photo: Amanda Mactas/Eat This, Not That!
A 32-ounce bottle cost me $3.89.
The look:This is one of the darkest of the lemonades that I tried.
In fact, the color is a bit offputting for a lemonade.
Photo: Amanda Mactas/Eat This, Not That!
It was very translucent compared to some of the cloudier lemonades.
The taste:This one didn’t really smell or taste like lemonade to me.
I wouldn’t purchase this one again.
Photo: Amanda Mactas/Eat This, Not That!
It looks even lighter when poured into a glass.
The taste:Whoa boy!
I would not repurchase this one.
Photo: Amanda Mactas/Eat This, Not That!
A 52-ounce bottle set me back $4.69.
However, natural flavors, citric acid and vitamin C also make the list.
So do hard-to-pronounce items like acesulfame potassium and aspartame.
Photo: Amanda Mactas/Eat This, Not That!
In total, the beverage contains only 5% juice.
The look:This is a very pale, very cloudy-looking lemonade.
It looks almost like lime juice with its greenish tinge.
Photo: Amanda Mactas/Eat This, Not That!
The taste:In general, I’m not a huge fan of zero-sugar products.
While this certainly wasn’t my favorite of all the lemonades, it did surprise me with its flavor.
Although slightly artificial tasting, it wasn’t very sweet and had a refreshing quality.
Photo: Amanda Mactas/Eat This, Not That!
Even so, the whole concoction contains only 12% juice.
For a 59-ounce jug, I paid $3.99.
The look:This was a very pale lime color and more subtly green than yellow.
Photo: Amanda Mactas/Eat This, Not That!
Once I poured it into a glass, it appeared even more translucent than in the bottle.
The taste:There was something just a little bit off on this one for me.
In short: it wasn’t great, but it wasn’t as bad as some of the others.
Photo: Amanda Mactas/Eat This, Not That!
However, its ingredients are a bit more exhaustive.
However, the flavor is spot on, with both a noticeable tartness and sweetness.
The look:This lemonade has a pleasant, light yellow color that brings to mind pastel Easter colors.
Photo: Amanda Mactas/Eat This, Not That!
But that doesn’t mean this isn’t a good lemonade.
The look:This is a very light yellowish-greenish color and looks even lighter when poured into a glass.
The taste:This one is okay.
It doesn’t give me that nostalgic lemonade flavor that I’m accustomed to.
I paid $4.09 for a 59 fl oz container.
It made me think it was freshly squeezed, especially since it also had visible skin pieces in it.
The taste:This lemonade was very pleasant tasting and not overpoweringly sweet.
It had a bit of a tang to it, but it was very subtle.
It definitely made my brain conjure up warm summer days and a wraparound porch.
Trader Joe’s
Cult favorite grocery chainTrader Joe’shas its own brand of delicious products lining its shelves.
For $3.99, you get 52 ounces of the sweet stuff.
The look:This lemonade is a nice, light yellow color.
The taste:This is sweet and tart.
It does taste very fresh and I’d argue it tastes the freshest and most natural of the bunch.
I paid $4.69 for a hefty gallon jug.
It is a darker, more saturated yellow and looks a bit artificial.
