5 Things You Should Be Putting Mio In (Other Than Water)

If you're one of those people who hates drinking plain, from-the-tap water, then chances are you've at least given Mio a shot. Billed as a sports drink you can keep in your pocket, it's a concentrated liquid sweetener that adds color and flavor to your water so that your post-workout hydration isn't so much of a chore, or so that you can keep yourself from drying out at your desk during the workday.

Mio itself comes in flavors like Black Cherry, Fruit Punch, and the classic Lemon-Lime we all associate with Gatorade, as well as a dozen other varieties. Not only that, but there's a lot of competition in this field, with liquid mixes from Jelly Belly, Kool-Aid, Crystal Light, and a dozen other brands. For the rest of this article I'll be using Mio as a kind of placeholder, so just assume that any of these liquid mixes will work just as well if you prefer another version of this product.

Whether you like these sweeteners in water or not tends to vary pretty widely. However, I've found these particular flavor shots have a lot more applications than just helping you stay hydrated. Below are some of what I consider my best successes so far!

For folks who'd like to see more of my recipe articles, such as How To Make Poor Man's Crepes, as well as general geekery, feel free to dig through my full Vocal archive!

#1: Soda

I have a lifelong love of soda, and it was one of the biggest issues I had when I decided to make serious changes to my diet in order to lose weight. More on that journey in How I Lost 40 Pounds by Eating More Taco Bell, for those who are interested in that story.

While I did drink more water to help narrow my waistline, I also switched to drinking exclusively diet soda for when I still needed the caffeine jolt. Anyone who's ever done that can attest that, firstly, it does not taste the same no matter what the manufacturer may claim. Secondly, diet soda does not have the same variety of flavors that the regular product does.

This is where Mio is a lifesaver for me.

Whether it's adding a splash of the dark cherry to a diet coke to cover up the aftertaste, or mixing up grape and cherry to recreate the taste of Mountain Dew Pitch Black, these mixers can provide variety without adding any sugar or calories to a soda. It also means you can bulk buy the base flavor of soda, and then apply whatever add-ins you want depending on your mood!

#2: Yogurt and Ice Cream

Speaking of the sweet tooth that made it hard to lose weight and keep it off, one of my favorite desserts that I rarely indulge in anymore is ice cream. Instead, I tend to eat a lot of yogurt. While I've found interesting ways of serving it, like my recipe for Creamy Yogurt Jello, sometimes I just want to be able to eat a sweet treat now rather than prep for having dessert in a few hours.

And that's where Mio comes to my rescue. All I need to do is open up the cup of yogurt I'm going to eat (or spoon out my serving from the bigger tub, which is a lot cheaper and easier to keep on-hand), add a squirt of Mio, mix it up, and viola! I now have a sweeter treat flavored to whatever I happen to be in the mood for in that moment.

Though indulged in less frequently, Mio does still add flavor to ice cream. It works better with a softer serve, but it can act as a tasty drizzle to complement the flavor. Berry or cherry on chocolate is lovely, and nearly every flavor will complement vanilla, making it a far less "boring" choice for your evening treat.

#3: Oatmeal

This is the one where most people start giving me funny looks. Because I genuinely like oatmeal, but I'm also the first to admit that you sort of need to add a dozen different mix-ins and accessories to it before it becomes an appetizing breakfast. And while I love those flavored oatmeal varieties you can just toss in the microwave, all it takes is one look at their calorie count for me to go back to doctoring the standard version again.

My first tip is that you should make it with milk instead of water, and almond milk if you're counting your calories. A splash of coffee creamer can add a hint of flavor as well, if you want to get fancy. But before you stir up your oatmeal, add a shot of Mio to it. It adds flavor and color, and it creates a whole new experience! A dollop of whipped cream and some actual fruit that complements the choice you picked (or just some granola for crunch) can make this bland breakfast feel like dessert without cutting into your calories for the day.

#4: Pancakes and Waffles

Pancake mix is one of those things that just keeps, so I spent a couple of months in quarantine making a variety of flapjacks. While you can mix in things like chocolate chips, or use coffee creamer cut with milk to add some subtle flavor, Mio can give you a whole new breakfast experience.

If you're one of those folks who's unapologetic in their love of childish sweetness, then I highly recommend the dark cherry for your next batch. Just add a squirt or two (depending on if you're cooking for just yourself or an entire table), and add your usual butter and syrup. Or if you want to be really decadent, a little chocolate syrup, because it goes well with the cherry.

You could also make blue raspberry pancakes or waffles if you were so inclined. Just don't laugh too hard while you're doing it.

#5: Cookies

In fairness, I will say you get the best results here with sugar cookies, as they're already meant to act as a canvas for you to paint on with flavor and color. Adding a squirt of Mio to your dough, and then mixing it evenly, will give it both!

If you're planning on just getting some pre-made cookies to decorate on your own, though, you can still make modifications by adding Mio to the icing. Whether you want to mix in some blackberry or lemon with the vanilla, some cherry or strawberry with the chocolate, etc., you can get some really interesting concoctions this way! Might take a batch or two in order to figure out what best suits your tastes, but hey, who ever complained about having to eat too many cookies?