Eighty-five percent of the tea drank in the US is of the iced variety, commercialized since 1904 when a tea business man iced it at the World’s Fair in Saint Louis in order to sell it in the hot weather.

Many different recipes for iced tea exist~here’s Tea Party Girl’s:

Brew 8 tsp. of looseleaf tea of choice in four cups of water (water temp based on the tea leaves you are brewing). Add 1/4 cup of sugar to the four cups of hot tea to dissolve. Pour the hot tea over four cups of ice. Chill and enjoy!

It is SO MUCH LESS money and calories to brew your own tea than purchase pre-bottled sweetened tea. It’s also better for the environment. I make up a pitcher each summer morning so it’s available throughout the day for the family or friends who stop by at a moment’s notice. The children love it!