The recipe couldn’t be simpler, with just three ingredients: water, lemons, and sugar. Still, most people resort to the canned or even powdered version of this classic summertime refreshment. Start making it homemade, and you’ll not only save money, but the packaging that comes along with the premade juices. Also, most frozen juices contain high fructose corn syrup, while the homemade version contains nothing but sugar. (Okay, sugar is not exactly a health food, but it is better than corn syrup.)
How to Make Lemonade (whether life hands you lemons or not)
4 cups water
1 cup lemon juice (about four lemons’ worth-or use lemon juice from concentrate)
½ cup sugar (or 1/4 cup honey)
Stir until sugar or honey is dissolved and sweeten or water down to taste. Enjoy!
Making lemonade from scratch works for me! For more WFMW tips, head on over to We are THAT Family.
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July 28th, 2009 at 7:13 pm
you can make it with honey instead of sugar or agave syrup–both good for you. Also if you use pure cane sugar thats goodtoo.
July 28th, 2009 at 7:17 pm
Good point, Ali! I have never used agave syrup, but lemonade would be the perfect drink to try it in. Honey lemonade is good, too. Syrups dissolve more easily than granulated sugar, too.
July 29th, 2009 at 12:37 am
great tip!!
at my children’s preschool, they have a picnic in august so all the children and their families can meet and they make lemonade from scratch. it is absolutely delicious and the kids loving squeezing the lemons!!!
July 29th, 2009 at 8:38 am
Grapefruits are also awesome to add to the mix. We make a mixture of lemons and grapefruits all the time!
July 29th, 2009 at 8:53 am
Ali, what would be the ratio of honey or agave to water + juice? Would it be the same as the sugar?
I usually don’t have fresh lemons on-hand, but I always have the Real Lemon concentrate and use the recipe on the back. Would love to try it with honey instead of sugar!
July 29th, 2009 at 10:57 am
I would start with just a quarter cup of honey, stir well, and then taste. Honey is sweeter than sugar, so that’s the general guideline. I think I will add that to the directions!
July 29th, 2009 at 11:46 am
1/2 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup light agave syrup
1 quart of water
mix everything together, adding a bit more of any ingredient, if you want so you get the right mix of sweet and tart for your taste.
July 29th, 2009 at 6:04 pm
I love homemade lemonade!! So yummy.
July 29th, 2009 at 6:59 pm
good old fashioned lemonade can’t beat it
July 30th, 2009 at 8:50 am
Powdered lemonade is one of my pet peeves!! I wrote about it last summer. Click on my name for that plus tips for turning lemonade into an electrolyte replenisher, like Gatorade only cheaper and healthier and better tasting.