What Your Adventist Granny Drank:: A Nostalgic Look at the Warm and Cool Drinks That Filled Adventist Kitchens

Long before energy drinks, gourmet coffee shops, and fancy sodas, Adventist kitchens had their own familiar collection of beverages. Most reflected the church's long-standing commitment to health, temperance, and simplicity.

If you grew up in an Adventist home anytime between the early 1900s and the 1970s, chances are you've sipped many of these drinks. Some were everyday favorites, while others appeared only on special occasions or when someone was feeling under the weather.

As well as avoiding stimulent ingredients, like caffeine, theobromine (in cocoa), or spices like cinnamon, temperature of the served drink was also a concern. The early health pioneers believed that very hot (boiling or scalding) drinks or extremely cold drinks (ditch the ice cubes and serve up in just under room temperature, preferably) damaged the stomach lining. The cold drink recipes here contain ice as a recipe ingredient, but it is unlikely that Adventists used ice, at least not as hosts and hostesses.

Let's take a stroll down memory lane.

Warm Drinks

Postum

Perhaps no beverage is more closely associated with Adventists than Postum.

Created by C.W. Post in 1895 as a caffeine-free coffee substitute, Postum was made from roasted wheat bran, wheat, and molasses. It developed a pleasantly roasted flavor without containing coffee or caffeine.

Although Post himself was not an Adventist, he had spent time at Battle Creek Sanitarium under Dr. John Harvey Kellogg and was strongly influenced by the health reform movement flourishing there.

Many Adventist homes served steaming cups of Postum with breakfast or after Sabbath dinner.

Simple Preparation

• 1 teaspoon instant Postum

• 1 cup hot water

• Add milk or plant milk if desired

• Sweeten to taste

Caramel Cereal Drink

Before instant Postum became widely available, many families made their own cereal beverages.

Barley, wheat, rye, or even browned flour were roasted until deep golden, then simmered in water to create a rich, coffee-like drink.

Each family often had its own recipe.Roasted Grain "Coffee"

Some pioneer Adventists roasted barley or rye berries in the oven until dark brown before grinding them.

The grains were brewed much like coffee but contained no caffeine.

This homemade beverage was especially common during the Depression years.

Hot Milk

Warm milk—today easily replaced with oat, soy, or almond milk—was a comforting bedtime drink.

Many grandmothers added:

• vanilla

• a little honey or maple syrup

Malted Milk Drinks

Ovaltine

Invented in Switzerland in the early 1900s, Ovaltine became popular throughout North America.

It contained malt extract along with milk and cocoa. Although it does contain cocoa, the caffeine content is very small compared with coffee or tea. Some Adventist families embraced it as a nourishing evening drink, while stricter households avoided it because of the cocoa.

Milo

Australians and New Zealanders know Milo well.

Developed in Australia in the 1930s, Milo combines malted barley, milk solids, and cocoa. Like Ovaltine, it contains a small amount of caffeine because of its cocoa content.

Some Adventist homes enjoyed it; others chose to avoid it for the same reason.

Herbal Teas

Although early Adventists generally avoided black and green tea because of caffeine, many families happily enjoyed herbal infusions.

Favorites included:

Peppermint Tea
A soothing after-meal beverage that may ease indigestion.

Chamomile Tea
Often served before bedtime to encourage relaxation.

Linden Blossom Tea
A traditional European remedy used during colds.

Rose Hip Tea
Naturally rich in vitamin C with a pleasant fruity flavor.

Lemon Balm Tea
Gentle and calming.

Red Raspberry Leaf Tea
Especially popular among women.

Cool Drinks

Fresh Lemonade

Nothing says summer like homemade lemonade.

Simple Recipe

• juice of 2 lemons

• 4 cups cold water

• sweetener to taste

• ice (perhaps)

• Many grandmothers floated lemon slices or fresh mint leaves on top.

Limeade

Prepared just like lemonade but using fresh limes.

Fruit Punch

Church picnics almost always featured fruit punch.

A classic combination might include:

• grape juice

• pineapple juice

• orange juice

• ginger ale or sparkling water

• orange slices

• frozen berries

Grape Juice

Grape juice occupies a unique place in Adventist history.

In the late 1800s, the temperance movement sought an unfermented alternative for Communion. Pasteurized grape juice made this possible.

Dr. Thomas Bramwell Welch developed a method of preserving fresh grape juice without fermentation in 1869. His invention spread rapidly among churches that preferred unfermented Communion wine.

Seventh-day Adventists enthusiastically adopted unfermented grape juice for the Lord's Supper, a practice that continues today.

Many Adventist homes also kept Welch's grape juice on hand for guests or Sabbath dinner.

Apple Cider

Fresh pressed apple cider was especially popular during autumn.

Served chilled or gently warmed with cinnamon, it became a seasonal favorite.

Orange Julius-Style Drinks

Many Adventist families made frothy fruit drinks long before smoothies became fashionable.

Blend together:

• orange juice

• banana

• milk or plant milk

• vanilla

• a little sweetener

• ice (possibly)

Homemade Fruit Nectars

Apricot, peach, pear, and prune nectars frequently appeared on Sabbath tables.

Many were home canned from backyard fruit.Tomato Juice

A surprisingly popular health drink.

Often served before meals with a sprinkle of celery salt or black pepper.

Vegetable Juice Cocktail

Homemade versions of V-8-style drinks combined:

• tomato juice

• celery

• parsley

• carrot

• beet

• lemon juice

Adventist Mocktails

Long before "mocktails" became fashionable, Adventists were making beautiful alcohol-free party drinks.

Some favorites included:

Sunrise Punch

Orange juice

Pineapple juice

Grenadine or cranberry juice

Sparkling water

Orange slices

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Sparkling Raspberry Punch

Raspberry juice

Lemon juice

Sparkling mineral water

Fresh raspberries

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Cucumber Mint Cooler

Cucumber slices

Fresh mint

Lime juice

Sparkling water

Ice

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Cranberry Sparkler

Cranberry juice

White grape juice

Sparkling water

Frozen cranberries

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Sherbet Party Punch

A church social classic!

Lime or orange sherbet floating in fruit punch with ginger ale created a frothy centerpiece at many weddings, showers, and academy banquets.

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The Common Thread

Looking back, what stands out isn't just the beverages themselves.

It was the spirit behind them.

Adventist grandmothers welcomed guests with something warm or cool to drink. Hospitality mattered. Simplicity mattered. Health mattered.

Whether it was a steaming mug of Postum on a snowy Sabbath morning or a pitcher of homemade lemonade after working in the garden, these drinks remind us that fellowship often begins with something shared around the kitchen table.

Perhaps it's time to dust off a few of these old favorites and enjoy a taste of Adventist history.

Do you have a favorite drink from the Adventist Past that you still indulge in today, or would like to try again? Please share in the Comments below!