You could also make a tea concentrate; that will keep refrigerated a long time. I suppose it could be frozen, though I haven't tried that. Then you could take your tea concentrate, dilute as desired and add the fruit nectar as bluejean suggested. Here's an article from Sunset magazine 1994 that provides a tea concentrate and some ideas for its use that might provide new inspiration: FindArticles > Sunset > August, 1994 > Article > Print friendly Spiced & iced - tea recipes Christine Weber Hale With fruit and bubbles, tea hits its stride as the smoother cooler ICED TEA, DRESSED UP, IS THE SOFT drink of the '90s. Skyrocketing sales of prepared teas and tea-juice blends are pushing carbonated beverages aside on market shelves. The concept of these tea drinks is simple enough to take home. Iced tea fans can easily create an exotic array of tea-juice blends. The starting point is extra-strong tea concentrate that keeps in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks. You can use the concentrate alone, diluted with water, or flavor it further with spices and other seasonings. To make a drink, dilute the concentrate by the pitcher or the glass. You can use any tea as the concentrate base, but to emphasize a juice companion, pick a tea that has the same or a complementary flavor. For example, to intensify the overall fruit flavor of Apricot Tea Sparkler, start with a concentrate made with apricot-flavor tea. A tremendous array of varietal or flavored teas is available, even in supermarkets and especially in tea and coffee stores. Pairing them compatibly with the ever-increasing kinds and blends of fruit juices--refrigerated, canned, or made from concentrates--holds promise for many refreshing hours. Adding sparkling water gives the flavored teas a tingling effervescence. Try our recipes, then let them guide you to more adventures. Keep in mind that the ratio we found strong enough to retain plenty of flavor when poured into an ice-filled glass is 1 part tea concentrate to 2 parts water or juice. Not only do these teas look cool and refreshing, but some of them will make layered drinks. When tea is poured onto some kinds of sweet fruit juice, the tea floats, making ribbons of color until you stir and sip. Apricot Tea Sparkler For the most emphatic fruit taste, make the concentrate with apricot-flavor tea. 1 1/3 cups tea concentrate 1 1/3 cups chilled canned apricot nectar 1 1/3 cups chilled sparkling water Ice cubes Combine concentrate, nectar, and sparkling water. Pour into tall ice-filled glasses. Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 49 cal. (1.8 percent from fat); 0.3 g protein; 0.1 g fat (0 g sat.); 13 g carbo.; 9.6 mg sodium; 0 mg chol. Honey Vanilla Peach Tea Sparkler 1 1/3 cups tea concentrate 1 piece vanilla bean, about 3 inches long 2 tablespoons honey 1 1/3 cups chilled canned peach nectar or juice 1 1/3 cups chilled sparkling water Ice cubes In a 1- to 1 1/2-quart pan, combine concentrate, vanilla, and honey; heat to boiling. Cover and chill until cold, 1 hour or up to 2 days. Remove vanilla bean and reserve for other uses (let dry and store airtight with sugar). Combine concentrate with nectar and sparkling water. Pour into tall ice-filled glasses. Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 81 cal. (0 percent from fat); 0.3 g protein; 0 g fat; 21 g carbo.; 13 mg sodium; 0 mg chol. Lemon Ginger Tea Sparkler 1 1/3 cups tea concentrate 1 lemon, thinly sliced 1/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger 2 2/3 cups chilled ginger ale Ice cubes In a 1- to 1 1/2-quart pan, combine tea concentrate, 1/2 the lemon slices, and ginger; bring to boiling. Cover and chill until cold, at least 1 hour or up to 2 days. Pour through a fine strainer into a pitcher and add ginger ale; discard used lemon slices and ginger. Pour tea into tall ice-filled glasses. Drop remaining lemon slices into tea, or use to garnish glasses. Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 118 cal. (0.8 percent from fat); 0.4 g protein; 0.1 g fat (0 g sat.); 32 g carbo.; 29 mg sodium; 0 mg chol. Cranberry Cherry Tea Sparkler 1 1/3 cups tea concentrate 1/3 cup dried cranberries 1 1/3 cups chilled canned cherry cider or juice 1 1/3 cups chilled sparkling water Ice cubes In a 1- to 1 1/2-quart pan, combine tea concentrate and cranberries; bring to boiling. Cover and chill until cold, at least 1 hour or 2 days. Pour mixture through a fine strainer into a large pitcher; discard cranberries. To pitcher, add cider and sparkling water; mix. Pour into 4 tall ice-filled glasses. Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 69 cal. (1.3 percent from fat); 0.1 g protein; 0.1 g fat (0 g sat.); 18 g carbo.; 10 mg sodium; 0 mg chol. Cinnamon Citrus Tea Sparkler One liquid floats on another in this fascinating beverage. Ideal swizzle sticks for mixing it are very long cinnamon sticks--the kind that are used more for decoration than seasoning. 1 1/3 cups tea concentrate Thinly pared peel (colored part only) of 1 small orange 1 cinnamon stick, about 2 inches long 2 2/3 cups chilled sparkling water Ice cubes 1/4 to 1/2 cup thawed frozen orange juice concentrate or tangerine juice concentrate In a 1- to 1 1/2-quart pan, combine tea concentrate, orange peel, and cinnamon stick; bring to boiling. Cover and chill until cold, at least 1 hour or up to 2 days. Discard orange peel and cinnamon stick. Combine concentrate with sparkling water. Fill 4 tall glasses (at least 12-oz. size) with ice cubes. To make liquid layers, pour thawed orange juice concentrate equally into each glass, then gently pour tea mixture into glasses. Stir before sipping. Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 32 cal. (0 percent from fat); 0.4 g protein; 0 g fat; 8 g carbo.; 7.7 mg sodium; 0 mg chol. Raspberry Mint Tea Cooler This drink stays in three layers until you stir it to sip. Whipping cream is the more stable choice for the middle layer, but it's also richer. 1 1/3 cups tea concentrate 1 cup firmly packed (about 1 oz.) fresh mint leaves 2 1/3 cups chilled sparkling water Ice cubes 1/2 cup thawed frozen raspberry juice concentrate or cranberry-raspberry juice concentrate 1/2 cup half-and-half (light cream) or whipping cream In a 1- to 1 1/2-quart pan, combine tea concentrate and mint; bring to boiling. Cover; chill until cold, at least 1 hour or up to 2 days. Pour concentrate through a fine strainer into a pitcher; add sparkling water. Discard mint. Fill 4 tall glasses (at least 12-oz. size) with ice cubes. To make liquid layers, pour raspberry concentrate equally into each glass. Next, gently pour an equal amount of cream into each glass, and then gently fill glasses with the tea mixture. Stir beverage with drinking straws to mix as you sip. Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 117 cal. (28 percent from fat); 1.2 g protein; 3.7 g fat (2.1 g sat.); 21 g carbo.; 23 mg sodium; 11 mg chol. Tea Concentrate Combine 1/4 cup loose tea leaves or 12 tea bags (any flavor or variety) with 5 cups water in a 3- to 4-quart pan. Bring to a boil over high heat; boil, uncovered, until liquid is reduced to 4 cups, about 6 minutes. Pour liquid concentrate through a fine strainer into a container; discard residue. Cover and chill concentrate until cold, at least 3 hours or up to 2 weeks. Use as directed in recipes that follow. Makes 12 servings when diluted. COPYRIGHT 1994 Sunset Publishing Corp. COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group Carol

Would you believe 2 grocery stores didn't have any lemon or red zinger tea? I'll try again next week. Sharon, apple juice does have a good bit of sugar, but you can find some with less, and you are diluting it to half with the tea. Usually caffeine free tea does count as water, so in the larger scheme of things, this isn't that bad for a treat. beverly

This does sound good! I have everything on hand so I am going to go start brewing some to go with lunch today........ Thanks! Alexa

The same guy on the tea forum, when discussing sun tea said he thought it wasn't exactly safe. Something about bacteria being able to grow from the tea sitting outside in the sun for hours. I never thought about bacteria, have made sun tea before and so far haven't gotten sick. I sweeten my tea, hot or cold, by serving, not in the pitcher or pot. The artificial sweeteners are really too sweet for me but if that's all I have on hand I use that. I've never tried honey in iced tea only in brewed hot. Anyone sweeten iced tea with honey?