Okay, I sent my wife to the store with my post-op grocery list (which was WAY shorter than the normal lists I send her to the store with. It's amazing when you take Doritos and Dr. Pepper off the list how light it gets.)

Anyway, I had on there sugar-free Kool-Aid. Now, she did what any normal person would have done and got 5 packets of regular Kool-Aid (which says UNSWEETENED on the packet). This was not, of course, what I wanted so I went back to the store and got the right stuff.

Now, hopefully someone has a trick here because 5 packets of regular Kool-Aid were 5 for a Dollar. 5 Packets (1 box) of Kool-Aid sugar free was about $2.75.

I'm going to blow through millions of dollars drinking this crap unless I find something cheaper. (okay, that was hyperbole, but you get my meaning.) It's either this or Water and I'm about tired of water and need some taste!!!!!!

trying ticker

I buy the Crystal Light to go packets ... they come in a box of 14 I think and all ya do is add it to a 16.9 oz bottle of water. It comes in different flavors (fruit punch is the best!) ... also Wyler's makes "to go" packets as well and they are a little cheaper too

You could also make tea, either decaf or regular. You can get big boxes of tea bags or instant tea for cheap, and if you want it sweet you can just add some splenda or equal or something.

I've made pitchers of the regular Koolaid without the sugar. Then I add Splenda, Sweet & Low, or your artificial sweetner of choice to my glass. I think it tastes just as good.

I've not liked the taste of Water.. ever.. since banding, I've made an effort to drink it a lot, and it HAS grown on me.. but certain times of day, I do not want water.. I grew up with Crystal Light pink lemonade, I never realized it was 'diet'.. so I like that one.. the fruit punch is too sweet IMO.. and the tea one.. bleh..

I LOVE the grape & fruit punch sugar-free kool aid. Because I'm not crafty, I never tried mixing my own artificial sweeteners.

Well, let me break it down this way---

How many Dr. Peppers did you drink in a day?

I drank about 6-12 Mt. Dew cans in a day.

On the CHEAP side, I'll say they're 50 cents a can.

That's $3-6 a day.

5 packets of kool-aid is $2.75..

1 packet=2 quarts

2 quarts= (about 6 glasses for me)

So cost of 1 kool aid drink= $.09

Still saving money :rose:

And I've also tried the sugar-free hawaiian punch drink mix.. I didn't particularly like it, but my G'ma who is diabetic says she likes it.

So cost of 1 kool aid drink= $.09

Still saving money

Oh, no question about it. Just wanting to find the most value in the whole thing. I might try the regular Kool-Aid with the Splenda and see if that makes any difference. Can you buy Splenda by the bag/can? Or will I just have to open up 200 of those little sugar packets??

Oh, no question about it. Just wanting to find the most value in the whole thing. I might try the regular Kool-Aid with the Splenda and see if that makes any difference. Can you buy Splenda by the bag/can? Or will I just have to open up 200 of those little sugar packets??

Yeah, here it is about $6 for the big bag. I love kool aid with it! No diffence for me. One thing to think about is also flavored tea. I am addicted now to peach tea and you can buy it cheaply in bags still!

Also..

Rasberry

Mint

Green Tea (which helps promote weight loss)

Earl Tea

The list goes on and on! I love it!

Splenda also come in a kool-aid type packet. Perfect to sweeten a pack of kool-aid, or a gallon of iced tea. I personally live on hot tea, I have become a tea snob. If I go out and order hot tea and it's a cheapie brand, I break out my gourmet stuff from my purse. ~Mandy

I buy my Splenda by the 'box'. Looks like a box of instant mashed potatoes.. but it's Splenda

They do have bags too.

Also check out stevia, it is a natural calorie free sweetner. I get it at trader joes in a parmasean cheese type container. It takes about half as much as splenda and taste really good. ~Mandy

Splenda also come in a kool-aid type packet. Perfect to sweeten a pack of kool-aid, or a gallon of iced tea. I personally live on hot tea, I have become a tea snob. If I go out and order hot tea and it's a cheapie brand, I break out my gourmet stuff from my purse. ~Mandy

What types of tea do you like best? I love plain Ceylon tea, as well as Assam.

Oh, no question about it. Just wanting to find the most value in the whole thing. I might try the regular Kool-Aid with the Splenda and see if that makes any difference. Can you buy Splenda by the bag/can? Or will I just have to open up 200 of those little sugar packets??

Keep in mind one issue about Splenda. Pound for pound Splenda and sugar have the same number of calories. But Splenda is 200x stronger (sweeter) than sugar so you need much much less than sugar.

I'll try splenda today. I have never really gotten into tea. Since I haven't had a caffeinated drink in over a month and a half in prep for this surgery, if I'm going to drink caffein, it will be in something I like :confused:

Thanks for the good thoughts. Was banded yesterday and things are going very well so far...

Artificial sweeteners give me gas and raise my blood sugar. A dash of real fruit juice in water is my pick.

I usually get mine at the Dollar Tree or Walgreen's. There they are $1 for a pack of 8 I think. They don't have "Kool-aid." They have sf Hawaiian Punch red, grape Hawaiian Punch, Wylers Lemonade, Wyler's Pink Lemonade, Wyler's Rasberry Lemonade, and Wyler's Peach tea. For some of them you can get the size that make around 2 quarts.

These are the most inexpensive I have found.

When I am in a rush, I will get some at Walmart or Superwalmart and they are around $2 I think. The walmart brand are $1.88.