The 8 Best Low Calorie Drinks to Order at a Bar

Going out? Discover the best low calorie drinks to order at a bar . From wine spritzers to fun cocktails, here are 8 must-try choices.

If you’ve got health goals to reach, there’s no denying that going out can feel like a hindrance. 

Between staying out late and ordering a side of fries, you may thinking that going out with friends just isn’t worth it when fitness is your priority. 

However, as they say, it’s important to live life in moderation. 

A healthy social life is part of overall wellbeing, so whether it’s going out for friends’ birthday dinners or a night out dancing, there may be moments when you want to let loose and indulge in a drink or two. 

And while cocktails are packed full of sugar and extra calories, there are better options you can order. 

Of course, not drinking is always a choice, but for those who do want to drink, making healthier choices isn’t always straightforward. 

Deciphering what is “better” or “worse” at the bar is a tough feat. Cocktails can contain any number of ingredients, and beer, wine, and spirits all have different calorie counts. 

To take the headache out of it, we've picked out a few go-to options that you can order at the bar without stressing about it. 

Though they’re still not “healthy” strictly speaking, they’re lower in calories, which can help you stick to your goals even while having fun! 

The 8 Best Low Calorie Alcoholic Drinks to Order at a Bar

Spirits and Soda Water

While alcohol itself is calorically dense on its own, the mixers certainly don’t help. Think about it: If you add a calorie-heavy soda or juice to alcohol, you can easily rack up to 200 calories in one drink. 

The most basic tip for choosing low-cal options is to opt for soda water with your spirits instead of something sugary like soda. You can order any spirit with plain soda water, and some bars will even serve it up with a lemon or lime wedge alongside. 

Tequila, gin, and scotch all make for a refreshing cocktail-esque drink to sip on while at the bar. Just choose your favourite spirit and ask for it with soda.

If that sounds too boring for you, a splash of juice can also be added. Cranberry, orange, and grapefruit are commonplace at most bars, but you’ll have to ask to see what’s available.

Gin and Light Tonic

Who doesn’t love a classic G&T? It’s a crowd-pleaser, but you might not realise just how much sugar is hiding in your refreshing beverage. Regular tonic contains 34 calories and 9g of sugar per 100 ml. Given that most standard G&Ts contain 120-150 ml tonic water, this equates to roughly 11-13.5g extra sugar per drink. 

To make your G&T lower in calories and sugar, opt for a diet or light tonic instead of the classic. Diet tonic usually contains artificial sweeteners, which means it contains no calories or sugar. 

Light tonic water, on the other hand, will be closer to 15 calories and 3g sugar per 100 ml, still making it a great option.

Mojito (With Half/ No Sugar)

As it is, mojitos are already relatively low calorie cocktails. 

If you want to make yours healthier though, simply ask the bartender to use half the amount of sugar syrup — or skip it altogether. 

When you get used to drinks with less sugar, you’ll probably be surprised at just how sweet they were before. By opting for less sugar syrup, you can save anywhere between 50-100 extra calories per drink, which can add up quickly with multiple rounds.

Flavoured Vodka

If the idea of straight spirits is off-putting to you, flavoured vodka just might be your answer. 

Flavoured vodka is sweeter, but adds less sugar to your drink than mixing with soda would. Some bars will carry a whole range of fruit-flavoured vodkas, so ask the bartender what they have on offer.

Some people opt for flavoured vodka on the rocks (on ice), but our preference is to mix it with soda water for a low-cal but sweeter option.

Rum and Diet Coke

If your tired of vodka soda, why not consider this more flavourful alternative?  By using diet coke instead of the classic, you can make a lower-calorie, lower-sugar rum and coke. 

While it may not taste 100% the same as the standard version, it’s close enough that rum and coke fans will still enjoy it. Mixed drinks can easily rack up tonnes of sugar, so choosing diet soda can be a huge help. 

Light Beer

If you’re a beer drinker, you’ll be pleased to hear that light beers are a good low-calorie option at the bar. Cooper Light, Great Northern Super Crisp, Peroni Leggera, Coors Light, Corona Light, and Michelob Ultra are all relatively low calorie, while still being cool and refreshing. 

You might think that all beers are created equal, but watch out for high-strength beers and IPAs which can be much more calorie-dense.

Wine Spritzer

Looking for a lighter way to drink your wine? 

Bars that serve wine by the glass may be able to make you a wine spritzer. It sounds fancy, but it’s just a mix of wine and soda water. 

Typically, a wine spritzer contains a smaller amount of wine, which results in fewer calories.

Thanks to the soda water, it’s still a high-volume drink, and as an added bonus it forces you to drink the alcohol more slowly, which means less risk of a hangover afterwards. Win-win! 

Sea Breeze 

Of course, many of these low-calorie drinks aren’t as fun as fruity cocktails. 

The perfect remedy for when you’re craving something special is to order a sea breeze. 

It’s basically a vodka cranberry, but with grapefruit juice added in. Because grapefruit juice has fewer calories and sugar than cranberry, it makes this drink a lighter option. 

To keep it on the healthier side, you can always ask the bartender to use mostly grapefruit juice with just a splash of cranberry.

FAQ

---

Rather make your own drinks? Try these recipes: