Make These Galentine’s Day Drinks for as Low as $0.44 With Splenda

Have you heard of Galentine's Day? It happens every year on Feb. 13 (the day before Valentine's Day), and it's all about a day of honoring your "gals" — your best friends. And while you could go out to a restaurant, drink prices aren't exactly cheap. Even at happy hour, an alcoholic pink lemonade at The Cheesecake Factory costs $8.95, and you'll also pay $9.29 for a cosmo at Yard House. That’s almost $30 for two cocktails after tax and tip, and it doesn’t even include food.  

So to save money this year, I’m hosting Galentine’s Day at my house and using Splenda® Peel & Pour™ Zero Calorie Drink Mix as the main ingredient on the drink menu. That’s because now through March 1, you'll get $5 cash back when you buy six-count boxes at Walmart and the scan your receipt in the Ibotta app. That brings your final cost down to $1.28 per package, which breaks down to just $0.21 per pod.

Whether you’re sipping from a martini glass or a Stanley tumbler this Galentine's Day, these low-cost cocktails and mocktails are the perfect way to celebrate. They serve between 7-11 people, and cost as low as $0.44 per serving. Here are our favorite Splenda-infused drink recipes.

1. Pink Lemon Drop Martini

This recipe makes 11, 5 oz. cocktails for $10.99. That’s just $0.99 per cocktail, which is $7.96 less than what you’ll pay for one J.W.'s Pink Lemonade during Happy Hour at The Cheesecake Factory. 

Ingredients:

• 1 liquid pod Splenda® Peel & Pour™ Zero Calorie Drink Mix – Pink Lemonade - $0.21

• 1 750-ml bottle of Pink Lemonade Vodka (I like New Amsterdam Pink Whitney Vodka) - $9.99

• 1 quart water

• 1 sliced lemon - $0.79

• Optional: Line each rim with Splenda® Granulated Sweetener or Splenda® Sugar Blend

Directions:

1. Fill a pitcher with 32 oz. of water and add the Splenda® Peel & Pour™ pod and pink lemonade vodka. 

2. Stir and refrigerate.

3. Serve over ice in a glass, or first shake with ice and then pour into a martini glass. Slice a lemon for garnish. If you want to be extra bougie, line each glass with Splenda® Granulated Sweetener or Splenda® Sugar Blend before you fill them.

2. Skinny Sangria

This simply sangria recipe makes seven 8-oz servings for $1.66 per glass. You’ll pay almost four times that for an Applebee’s Red Berry Sangria.

Ingredients:

• 1 liquid pod Splenda® Peel & Pour™ Zero Calorie Drink Mix – Fruit Punch – $0.21

• 1 32-oz bottle Great Value Seltzer Water – $0.97

• 1 bottle of sweet red wine, like Lambrusco – around $8.99

• 1 orange – about $0.75

• 1 apple – about $0.75

Directions:

1. Slice your orange and apple and place them in a bowl or pitcher.

2. Add the bottle of red wine and Splenda® Peel & Pour™ pod and refrigerate.

3. Just before your guests start to arrive, pour the seltzer water in and mix (I do this last so that it stays carbonated!) 

4. Serve straight up or over ice.

3. Boozy Sherbet Punch

Why pay $9.89 for a glass of Tito's Punch at Chili's when you can make an entire batch for $9.87? This recipe will make about 10 servings, which means it's less than a dollar for each cocktail.

Ingredients:

• 1 liquid pod Splenda® Peel & Pour™ Zero Calorie Drink Mix – Fruit Punch – $0.21

• 6 cups water

• 1.5 cups Svedka vodka (you can also substitute rum, if preferred) – $6.14

• 6 scoops Rainbow Sherbet – $1.64

• 1 cup frozen mixed berries – $1.88

Directions:

1. Before the party starts, mix your Splenda® Peel & Pour™ liquid pod, water, and vodka in a pitcher and refrigerate.

2. Just before your guests arrive, add frozen berries to a large bowl. Then, pour the pitcher on top.

3. Cover the top with around six scoops of the sherbet. (This makes it look pretty!)

4. Guests can pour their own glasses with a ladle. Thanks to the frozen berries and sherbet, ice isn't necessary!

4. Basil Lemonade Mocktail

At Panera Bread, a 20 oz. Strawberry Lemon Mint-Charged Lemonade with ice costs $4.89. But it only costs $3.53 to make an entire pitcher of this Basil Lemonade Mocktail – which makes around 8 glasses. That's only $0.44 a cup!

Ingredients

• 1 liquid pod Splenda® Peel & Pour™ Zero Calorie Drink Mix – Pink Lemonade – $0.21

• 1 ounce mint leaves – $1.99/bunch

• 1 ounce basil – $1.33

• 2 quarts water

Directions:

1. Wash your mint and basil and then place it in a large pitcher.

2. Fill the pitcher with 2 quarts of water and mix in your Splenda® Peel & Pour™ liquid pod.

3. Let sit for a few hours so that both the basil and mint have time to seep their flavors into the liquid.

4. Serve straight up or over ice.

5. Hydrating Coconut Punch

Skip the line at Starbucks and make this Hydrating Coconut Punch. Instead of paying $4.95 for one grande Pink Drink (about 10 oz of liquid and 6 oz of ice), you'll get almost 7 servings of punch in this recipe, and each one costs just $1.43.

Ingredients:

• 1 liquid pod Splenda® Peel & Pour™ Zero Calorie Drink Mix – Fruit Punch – $0.21

• 2 - 33.8 oz. cartons of coconut water – $7.56

• 4 tsp Himalayan Pink Salt

• 1 cup sliced strawberries – $2.25

Directions:

1. Combine the coconut water and Splenda pod in a pitcher.

2. Carefully slice your strawberries, add them to the pitcher, and give it a good stir.

3. Refrigerate and then serve over ice.