How to Observe Dry January
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I’ve been alcohol-free since October 2023. I decided to become sober because I realized that every time I drank alcohol – even just one glass of wine – I would be awake half the night and feel so cranky the next morning.
As a single mom, a full time employee, and a blogger, I simply do not have the time to waste sleep on something so silly and within my control. It is not worth it to me in any way.
What is Dry January?
Dry January is a 31 day challenge where participants do not ingest any alcohol. Some key things to note would be that kombucha naturally includes a tiny bit of natural alcohol as a result of the fermentation process, but I have never heard anyone exclude kombucha as an option. Cooking extracts also do not count, as the alcohol is cooked off when baked.
Why Would Someone Observe Dry January?
More young people are cutting back on drinking alcohol or giving it up altogether. Alcohol was named a Class I carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. The World Health Organization has declared “No Level of Alcohol Consumption is Safe for Our Health.” As a nurse, I see the long-term effects of chronic alcohol consumption on people and I don’t want any of that for myself.
There is a wide spectrum for why someone would want to participate in Dry January. Some like me might want to see if it helps them feel better. Others might be concerned that they are drinking too much alcohol and would like to challenge themselves to go without it.
Whatever the reason, it is the personal business of the participant and no one else, so respect the wishes of anyone saying they are participating and support them.
What To Drink During Dry January?
“Anything besides alcohol” seems kind of silly to say, but in general: coffee, tea, kombucha, kefir, soda, flavored waters, NA wine or NA beer.
I also like to have some fun with mocktails. My favorite restaurant has a beautiful drink of pineapple, cucumber, and mint, muddled together and topped with ginger ale. It’s served in a copper mule mug and it’s delightful.
I also enjoy the mocktail that went viral on tiktok last year for helping people sleep well featuring tart cherry juice, powdered magnesium, and flavored sparkling water.
My Favorite Non-Alcoholic Drinks for Dry January
Casual socializing:
I usually stick with soda in these situations, or sparkling water to keep things simple. If you’re someone who really likes flavors, combining a stick of Liquid IV with a sparkling water is basically a to-go mocktail option.
Feeling Fancy:
BeWell is a line of traditionally made wines with the alcohol removed. I love their Brut Rose for special occasions! They have several wine options, and I usually find it at Total Wine & More.
Watching Football:
Guinness 0. I am Irish, and while my dad really doesn’t drink a lot of beer, he is the one who first introduced me to Guinness and we now share a mutual love of the the stout – I even make him a (vegan) Guinness chocolate cake for Father’s Day every year!
If you are familiar with Guinness, it has a distinct thickness to it. The Guinness 0 has all of the flavor and about 80% of the thickness.
The Guinness 0 has become more popular to carry at restaurants and bars. Even my local coffee shop carries it in stock! Otherwise, I can find it at Total Wine and More.
Where to Buy Non-Alcoholic Options
As I mentioned above, I’m starting to be able to get my Guinness 0 almost anywhere, including my local coffee shop (yay for accessible options!). I do still find many grocery stores like Fresh Thyme and Trader Joes to be lacking in a variety of NA options. For the widest variety, if you feel safe going into a store focused on alcohol, I like to go to Total Wine and More (this post is not sponsored). The best part is that since Dry January is gaining traction, they have a much bigger selection of NA options in January!
Have you ever observed Dry January? What did you think about it?
