5 Healthy Cocktails & Mocktails To Say Goodbye To Summer This Weekend

While fall doesn't officially begin until September 23, Labor Day can feel like the send-off to summer—which means, of course, that you should send it off in style. We created five easy cocktail and mocktail recipes to say a sweet "So long!" to the season with every sip:

This cocktail conjures warm sun and bright blue swimming pools. Grab a watermelon (before they're gone!) and blend the 1 cup of the flesh with the juice of one lime, a generous pinch of fine-grain sea salt, and 1 ounce of tequila (we love JAJA, which is made with 100% agave and has a gently sweet flavor) per person. You can strain it through a fine-mesh strainer for a smoother drink, or drink with the fiber intact for more of a slushy-type concoction.

This drink utilizes Seedlip, the world's first distilled nonalcoholic beverage, which has zero sugar or calories. Their Garden 108 blend, one of three they sell, offers a complexity of flavor that captures the vegetal freshness of summer, which we play off here by muddling 1 ounce of it with ¼ cup of chopped cucumber and the juice of one lemon in a cocktail shaker. Add a scoop of ice and shake vigorously, then strain into a glass, repeating for every additional serving. Serve up.

You might not think of corn when it comes to cocktails, but the starchy vegetable has a creamy-sweet flavor that will become your new addiction. To make this, muddle ½ cup of fresh corn kernels with a sprig of thyme and the juice of 1 lime until the liquid releases and it becomes liquidy and milky-looking. Strain into a cup, then top with 1 ounce of vodka (we love Tito's for its clean flavor and animal-supporting practices), 1 tablespoon of honey, ice, and sparkling water. Garnish with a sprig of thyme, and serve.

Is there anything that says summer like lemonade? This version is kicked up with strawberries (this is a great way to use any on their last legs) and mint, for a healthier take on a mojito. In a cocktail shaker, muddle 2 lemons, quartered, with 3 whole strawberries and a small handful of mint leaves until the juice releases. Add a few ice cubes, 1 tablespoon of honey, and lemon juice and 1 ounce of rum (we like Drake's Organic White Rum). Shake well, then strain into an ice-filled glass, topping with sparkling water. Garnish with a slice of strawberry and lemon.

Curious Elixirs makes some of our favorite alcohol-free concoctions, and their No.4 release tastes just like the classic summer cocktail, the Aperol Spritz. Made from good-for-you ingredients like holy basil, blood orange juice, turmeric, and herbs and spices, each serving contains just 6 grams of sugar. Make a simple cocktail by combining it with orange peel and serving on the rocks for a perfect Aperol-less mocktail.