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.

An Easy, DIY Recipe for Homemade Pedialyte (1)

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!

An Easy, DIY Recipe for Homemade Pedialyte (3)

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.
An Easy, DIY Recipe for Homemade Pedialyte (4)
An Easy, DIY Recipe for Homemade Pedialyte (5)
An Easy, DIY Recipe for Homemade Pedialyte (2024)

FAQs

How to make Pedialyte at home? ›

ingredients
  1. 4 cups water.
  2. 12 teaspoon salt.
  3. 2 tablespoons sugar.
  4. 12 teaspoon Jello gelatin, powder.

What is a good substitute for 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.

How do I make my own electrolyte drink? ›

Mix together: 1 cup (8 ounces) water, not carbonated. 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Small pinch of salt (a teaspoon of salt contains 2,300 milligrams of sodium, so you need 1/20th of a teaspoon of salt—not much)

How to make rehydration solution at home? ›

In a clean container mix:
  1. One litre of safe water.
  2. Half a small spoon of salt (3.5 gms).
  3. Four big spoons (or eight small spoons) of sugar (40 gms).
  4. Stir the salt and the sugar until they dissolve in the water.
Mar 31, 2023

Is Pedialyte just sugar water? ›

Unlike water and sports drinks, Pedialyte has an optimal balance of sugar and sodium to help replenish fluids and electrolytes more effectively.

What are the ingredients in Pedialyte? ›

Pedialyte®, Fruit: MEDICINAL INGREDIENTS: Sodium (sodium chloride, sodium citrate), potassium (potassium citrate), chloride (sodium chloride). NON-MEDICINAL INGREDIENTS: Water, dextrose, citric acid, natural and artificial fruit flavour, sucralose, acesulfame potassium, FD&C yellow No.

Can I just add salt to water for electrolytes? ›

During exercise or sweating, not only water but also electrolytes like sodium are lost. Adding a small amount of salt to your drinking water helps replenish these lost electrolytes, promoting better water absorption and preventing dehydration.

What can I mix with water to make it an electrolyte solution? ›

Electrolyte Water Ingredients:
  • Water: Start with 4 cups of water. ...
  • Salt (optional): Get 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of salt. ...
  • Sugar or Sweetener: Use 2-4 tablespoons of a sweetener of your choice, such as honey, agave nectar, or sugar. ...
  • Citrus Juice: Add juice from half a lemon or half an orange.
Jan 5, 2024

What can I drink for quick rehydration? ›

Drinking water, isotonic sports drinks, or skimmed milk are all ways to rehydrate. Dehydration is when there is an insufficient volume of water in a person's body. It can occur due to sweating, illness, diarrhea, vomiting, urinary issues, or not drinking enough water. Dehydration can range from mild to severe.

What is the mixture for rehydration solution? ›

Ingredients: Six (6) level teaspoons of Sugar. Half (1/2) level teaspoon of Salt. One Litre of clean drinking or boiled water and then cooled - 5 cupfuls (each cup about 200 ml.)

How can I rehydrate at home when sick? ›

If you can't get a pre-mixed rehydration solution, don't try to make one yourself. 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.

How to rehydrate without Pedialyte? ›

ORT Recipe
  1. Six (6) teaspoons of Sugar.
  2. Half (1/2) teaspoon of Salt.
  3. One (1) liter of clean drinking or boiled water and then cooled – (5 cupfuls, each cup about 200 ml.)
Oct 11, 2017

Is Pedialyte just salt water? ›

Pedialyte is a type of oral rehydration solution. Oral rehydration solutions contain water, electrolytes, and sugar. You can make your own oral rehydration solution at home instead of buying pre-made Pedialyte at the store or pharmacy. You'll need table sugar, table salt, and clean water to make Pedialyte at home.

Is it better to drink water or Pedialyte when dehydrated? ›

The bottom line. Pedialyte is an OTC rehydration drink for both children and adults. It's one of the most effective and safest treatments available for mild to moderate dehydration. Because it contains electrolytes, it's more effective than drinking only water if you've lost a lot of fluids.

How many bottles of Pedialyte does it take to rehydrate? ›

Continue for as long as diarrhea is present. To maintain proper hydration, 4–8 servings (32 to 64 fl oz) of Pedialyte may be needed per day. Consult your doctor if vomiting, fever, or diarrhea continues beyond 24 hours or if consumption needs are greater than 2 liters (64 fl oz) per day.

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