DIY Drinks for a Crowd — 3 Easy Recipes That Save You Money

DIY drinks for a crowd are one of the easiest ways to save money when you’re feeding a lot of people — and I’m going to show you my three go-to recipes that I keep on hand every single week. Stop buying individual drinks for your family and your crowd. This time I finally sat down and priced all three of them out, and when I did it in August 2026, the whole lot came to $1.73 for two full gallons. These three recipes are quick, refreshing, and your people are going to love them. Let me show you how I do it.

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My 3 Go-To DIY Drinks for a Crowd

Let’s talk about drinks for a crowd, because this is something I feel strongly about. When you are feeding seven people — or more, because around here it is often more — buying individual cans and bottles adds up fast. These three recipes are what I come back to week after week, and I promise they are all easier than you think. I have put what each one costs right in with the recipe, because that is the part everybody asks me about.

🍓 Crystal Light Strawberry Orange Banana — 40¢ for a Half Gallon

This one takes about ten seconds. Literally. You pour cold water into a pitcher, add one packet of Crystal Light Strawberry Orange Banana , stir, and put it in the fridge. It is zero sugar, it runs about 40 cents a packet, and one packet makes a half gallon. My kids absolutely love this flavor — they will guzzle it down faster than they will drink plain water. You could also use Great Value Kool-Aid or any fruity drink mix you like, but this is the one we keep coming back to. One done, two to go.

🍋 Southern Lemonade — 81¢ for a Half Gallon

When I was a young preacher’s wife in Louisville, Kentucky, an older preacher’s wife pulled me aside and told me that every good Southern lady knows how to make lemonade. I was not a Southern girl. I said, “Okay, teach me.” And she did — and I have been making it ever since. It is the best ratio of sweet to tart I have ever come across, and people always assume I squeezed fresh lemons. That is not what Southern ladies actually do. Here is how easy this classic Southern lemonade really is: one cup of lemon concentrate  plus one cup of sugar, equal parts. Mix them together, then add about six cups of cold water to fill a half gallon. That’s it — and it comes out to about 81 cents a pitcher. Sweet, tart, refreshing, and when it’s cold, it is the best thing in the world.

🍵 Sweet Tea — 52¢ for a Gallon

Three family-size tea bags . One cup of granulated sugar . Hot boiling water — from an electric kettle, a pot on the stove, whatever you have. Pour the hot water over the tea bags and sugar, stir until the sugar is dissolved, and let it steep about 15 minutes, maybe 20. Then fill it the rest of the way with cold water, put it in the fridge, and let it get nice and icy cold. That is two ingredients and about 52 cents for a whole gallon. I like mine on the middle side of sweet, so one cup of sugar to the gallon is where I land — if your crowd likes it sweeter, just add a little more. Southern sweet tea is not complicated, but it is absolutely worth making from scratch instead of buying it by the bottle.

Add those three together and you get two full gallons of drinks for $1.73 — enough to cover a chili night, a Sunday dinner, or a regular Tuesday with seven people who all want something different. These DIY drinks for a crowd are my go-to every single week and they have never let me down. Make all three at once and you have options for everyone at the table. And when I want one that feels a little fancy for a party, I pour a pitcher of Lavender Lime Tea right alongside them — floral, citrusy, and just as easy.

Find all the pantry staples I keep stocked to feed a crowd for less on my Shop My Pantry page — and the apron I’m wearing in this video is over on my Shop My Kitchen page! 😄

DIY Drinks for a Crowd FAQ

What are the best DIY drinks for a crowd on a budget?

My three go-tos are sweet tea, Southern lemonade from concentrate, and a Crystal Light pitcher packet. All three cost well under a dollar a pitcher, take five minutes or less, and feed a whole crowd. Make all three at once and everyone at the table has something they love.

How do I make sweet tea for a crowd?

Steep three family-size tea bags in hot water for about 15 minutes, stirring in a cup of sugar while it’s hot so it dissolves. Then top it off with cold water to make a gallon, chill it in the fridge, and serve it over ice. It is so much better than anything you’d buy by the bottle — and a fraction of the price.

How far ahead can I make these drinks?

All three keep beautifully in the fridge for a few days, so I make them the morning of — or even the night before — whenever I’ve got a crowd coming. That’s the whole point: drinks done early means one less thing to think about when everyone shows up. On chili night I had all three chilled and waiting before the first car pulled in.

Can I make a sugar-free version?

Absolutely. The Crystal Light packet is already zero sugar, and for the lemonade or tea you can swap in your favorite sugar substitute to taste. My crew doesn’t notice the difference, and it keeps the drink table friendly for everyone.

How much does making drinks at home actually save?

I finally sat down and did the math instead of guessing. In August 2026, my sweet tea came to 52 cents for a gallon, the lemonade to 81 cents for a half gallon, and the Crystal Light packet to 40 cents for a half gallon — $1.73 for two full gallons of drinks. Two gallons of bottled tea and lemonade would have cost me several times that, and that is before anybody reaches for a soda. Grocery prices move, so yours will not match mine to the penny, but the gap between homemade and bottled is not close.

More Crowd-Friendly Drinks and Budget Tips You’ll Love

• DIY Drinks for a Crowd — 4 Beverages Under $1 Each — the same idea with a fourth drink added, priced out the same way.
• Lavender Lime Tea — the pretty pitcher I pour when I want something a little fancy for a party. Floral, citrusy, and caffeine-free for the kids.
• Mixed Berry Lemonade — a fruity twist on the classic that looks gorgeous on the drink table and disappears just as fast.
• Peach Mango Iced Tea — a fruity twist on sweet tea: steeped tea stirred with peach and mango nectar for a whole gallon.

DIY Drinks for a Crowd — About Stephanie Longstreth

Stephanie Longstreth is the home cook, mom, and storyteller behind StephanieCooksForACrowd.com. She cooks for a family of seven in Florida — five kids, two cats, and one husband who appreciates a good meal. Four of her children came home through adoption, and family stories are woven into everything she makes and shares. Find her crowd-friendly recipes, weekly meal plans, and real family life on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest @stephaniecooksforacrowd.