An Easy, DIY Recipe for Homemade Pedialyte (2024)

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I hate buying Pedialyte! It’s so expensive, and then I feel like it gets wasted because my kids never completely drink it, and I throw a lot of it away.

To be honest, they always say it tastes bad so it’s a fight to even get them to drink it, especially when they are sick. Often when they don’t feel good they don’t want to eat or drink a lot as it is, so I need to make it taste good in order to get them to take it..

This is why I researched and discovered a simple recipe for homemade Pedialyte. I wanted to make my own for my son since he was sick this week.

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This recipe is pediatrician-approved and my kids much prefer the way it tastes.

No more expensive Pedialyte going to waste in this house!

Homemade Pedialyte Recipe

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 cups of water
  • 1/2 cup of boiling water
  • 2 teaspoons of powdered Jello, I used raspberry
  • 3 tablespoons of sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

  1. Pour the jello, sugar, and salt into a pitcher.
  2. Add in the boiling water and stir until the powdered ingredients are completely dissolved.
  3. Add the remaining cold, plain water, stir and refrigerate.
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I like that this mixture is so simple, you know what’s in it, and it tastes a little bit better than the Pedialyte in the stores.

It’s very easy to make this homemade recipe and with ingredients that almost any parent would have on hand. The last thing you want to do when you have sick kids is have to make a run to the grocery store!

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Homemade Pedialyte Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Additional Time: 1 minute

Total Time: 1 minute

Make your own Pedialyte alternative at home with this simple and quick recipe. The next time the stomach bug hits you won't need to run out to the store, just whip up this recipe!

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 cups of cold water
  • 1/2 cup of boiling water
  • 2 teaspoons of powdered jello, I used strawberry
  • 3 tablespoons of sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon of table salt

Instructions

    1. Pour the jello, sugar, and salt into a pitcher.
    2. Add in the boiling water and stir until the powdered ingredients are completely dissolved.
    3. Add the rest of the water, stir, and refrigerate.

Did you make this recipe?

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FAQ About Homemade Pedialyte

Are there alternative recipes without artificial ingredients, artificial sweeteners, artificial flavors, and food dye? Yes, the best all-natural Pedialyte would be coconut water. It has fluid-balancing potassium and sodium which are essential minerals needed when trying to combat dehydration.

One thing to note however is that my kids did not like the taste of this (and I didn’t either to be honest!). One thing you could do to make it taste better for children is mix it half and half with orange juice. The natural flavor of the orange juice is much more readily consumed by children.

I definitely am the kind of mom who prefers natural ingredients, however when it comes to a dehydrated child, I basically just give them whatever I need to in order to get them rehydrated and feeling better ASAP.

How should I store this homemade electrolyte drink recipe? Just like store-bought Pedialyte, you’ll want to store this homemade recipe in the refrigerator and drink it within 2 days.

Do you have any other tricks for getting my sick kiddo to drink this? Yes, if your child won’t drink it on its own, try freeze it in an ice cube tray and then adding the ice to something like ginger ale. Kids loves straws too, so try offering them one of those for drinking.

I hate it when young children are sick because they don’t understand the importance of staying hydrated the way my older kids do. That’s why I do whatever I can to encourage my kids to drink, drink, drink to replace their body fluids, even if it’s just small sips.

Dehydration

Do you know the signs of dehydration in children? The signs of mild dehydration are:

  • light-headedness or dizziness
  • headaches
  • nausea
  • dark yellow or brown urine OR little urine/wet diapers
  • dry lips, tongue, mouth or throat.

If your dehydrated child shows signs of severe dehydration, they need to be taken in to see their doctor or to the ER right away. Symptoms of that include:

  • no tears when crying
  • pale skin with sunken eyes
  • confusion
  • extreme thirst
  • lethargic or less active than usual
  • feeling cold, especially in the hands and feet
  • breathing faster than usual and having a fast heart rate

More Helpful Tips For the Stomach Flu

I hate it when my kids are sick and I’m sure you do too. As a mom of 7, we’ve dealt with the stomach flu far too many times here. In fact, one stomach virus was so bad and lasted so long that my husband and I affectionately review to that time period as “vomigeden”. Yeah, it was that bad!

Here are some of my best tips for when your family is dealing with the stomach bug.

  1. We keep a few cots at our home, like these bunkbed cots (they can also be set up as single cots which is what we do when they are sick) that we position in an easy-to-clean spot. We have any sick children sleep on these cots so that any overnight vomit accidents are easier to clean. When we had carpet in the bedrooms we would position these over a shower curtain liner to protect the carpet or move the cots to the hallway where we had a wood floor. This strategy helped SO much! In my opinion, it’s always a good thing to have a shower curtain liner or two on hand. They are so cheap and I use them for a lot of things.
  2. Don’t give your sick child too much solid food or beverage too quickly. I wait at least 20 minutes since the last vomit incident before trying to give my child a small amount of water or DIY electrolyte drinks. If they keep that down after a few minutes, then I give them a little bit more, slowly increasing how much I give them each time.
  3. If you don’t have some already, get yourself some popsicle molds. Then you can fill them with a rehydration drink and kids will more readily consume it. I find popsicle molds are helpful for just about any sickness my kids have. When they have a sore throat, I fill them with orange juice, coconut water, or even tea with some raw honey. They are so versatile!
  4. You don’t want your child to become dehydrated, so encourage small sips often of this homemade Pedialyte solution.
  5. Make sure that you are familiar with the signs of dehydration and monitor your child frequently for those.
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An Easy, DIY Recipe for Homemade Pedialyte (2024)

FAQs

Is Pedialyte just salt and sugar? ›

Pedialyte is made up of water, sugar, electrolytes, and sometimes flavoring. Though usually found in the children's aisle, Pedialyte is suitable for both adults and children.

What is a good substitute for Pedialyte? ›

Coconut water in general is great for drinking when you're under the weather or dehydrated because of its natural electrolytes like sodium. Kids can try the same coconut water you drink, or they can try Creative Roots, which has a mixed berry flavor with no added sugar.

What to drink instead of Pedialyte? ›

Beverages like coconut water, milk, fruit juice, and sports drinks can all contribute to hydration and electrolyte balance. For most people, a balanced diet and adequate water intake is enough to maintain electrolyte levels.

How to cure dehydration fast at home? ›

Instead, replace lost fluids naturally with sips of water, fruit juice, crushed fruit mixed with water, or salty soups or broths. Fruit juices may upset your stomach, so it's best to dilute them with water. Avoid coffee, tea, soda, and alcoholic drinks.

Is Pedialyte healthier than Gatorade? ›

Pedialyte products generally provide fewer calories and sugar and a significantly higher electrolyte content than Gatorade. Pedialyte may help people of all ages recover from viruses, while Gatorade is specifically designed for adult athletes.

What's healthier than Pedialyte? ›

Some natural electrolyte drinks may be healthier alternatives to Pedialyte and other rehydration drinks. You can have coconut water instead of Pedialyte. It is rich in natural electrolytes. You can also have fresh juices or smoothies with watermelon, spinach, celery, and bananas, which are rich in minerals.

What is the best natural Pedialyte? ›

Coconut water is the easiest Pedialyte alternative and a natural way to help your dehydrated child. Full of fluid-balancing potassium and sodium, it's nature's solution for sick tummies. Coconut water is low in sugar and high in electrolytes, which is the perfect recipe for your sick child.

What is the adult version of Pedialyte? ›

Pedialyte® AdvancedCare® Plus is formulated with 33% more electrolytes, to replenish electrolytes you may lose due to vomiting, diarrhea, fever, travel or perspiration. Pedialyte® AdvancedCare® Plus contains up to 6 times less sugar than beverages such as juice, soda and sports drinks.

How to make a natural electrolyte drink? ›

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice. 2 cups water (filtered or raw coconut water) 2 tsbp organic raw honey. 1/8 tsp Himalayan pink salt.

Is apple juice a good substitute for Pedialyte? ›

Overall, half-strength apple juice followed by preferred fluids were found to be both non-inferior and superior to the electrolyte maintenance solution in the primary composite outcome of overall treatment failure.

What are the ingredients in Pedialyte for adults? ›

Water, Dextrose. Less than 2% of: Potassium Citrate, Salt, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, and Zinc Gluconate.

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