Better Water

Our fridge doesn’t have an automatic ice/water dispenser and we don’t buy bottled water, so I bought a Soma water carafe a couple of years ago. The team at Soma recently debuted their newest pitcher and offered to send one over, since they knew that I’d already been using the carafe and was a fan. The plastic pitcher has the same filter and functionality, but it’s larger, with a new shape and a wooden handle.

I’m still nursing Calvin, so I drink a ton of water throughout the day. I keep a glass bottle on my desk and another next to the bed that I refill, and we’re trying to drink water as a family more often than not with our meals. The kids call me out if I have a pop with dinner, because they’re only allowed to have it on special occasions! Most of the time we drink our filtered water plain (there’s no funny taste and it’s nice and cold from being in the fridge), but sometimes it is nice to give it a little flavor for a change. I don’t follow a strict recipe; pretty much any combination of lemon, lime, mint, basil, and cucumber works.

Two varieties that I like a lot are lemon, lime, and mint, or lemon, cucumber, and basil. I slice everything up and add it to a pitcher, top it off with water, and let it chill in the fridge for at least an hour for the flavors come together.

You can add simple syrup if you want to make it sweeter, or even mix in a little lemon-lime soda if you want some sweetness and fizz. We’re trying to drink less pop here, but I thought I’d mention it because it does taste really good — especially with the basil.

Soma makes their products here in the United States and they’re committed to good design, which is no small thing. I like that my Soma looks good on the table! That was a major deciding factor when I first bought my carafe, versus some of the other brands out there. I like the look of the new pitcher’s oak handle too, but it’s also nice because I’m usually holding the baby in one hand and refilling my glass or water bottle with the other, and a handle is easier to grab and hold onto. Plus, the larger size means I don’t have to refill the pitcher as often and it still fits on the fridge door. Beyond the good design, Soma’s filters are sustainable and plant-based (I have a new one delivered to replace the old every two months), and they do the job without leaving any black flecks behind. I also appreciate that Soma gives back through donations to charity: water, which I’ve donated directly to in the past, and it’s nice that I can support them through the brands I buy from too.

Target carries the entire Soma family, and they chose the brand as one of just sixteen Made to Matter companies, highlighting products devoted to wellness. And here’s some good news: the first 50 readers to use the code MIL1FREEFILTER at drinksoma.com will receive 1 free filter ($12.99 value) off their first Soma order!