The 10 Highest & Lowest Calorie Drinks to Watch Out for Over Spring Break

It’s almost March.

Midterms are already around the corner.

Winter seems to have released us from its chilling, powder-white grip.

Punxsutawney [PUNK-suh-taw-knee] Phil, the season-predicting groundhog, and his kooky band of handlers have decreed that winter will end soon.

Some of these events are obviously more exciting than others, but they all mean one thing: spring break is almost upon us! For many of us, spring break includes warm weather, dance music and cold drinks. If you fall into the last category and you’re an of-age collegiette who has spent some time getting to know the bar scene around campus, you’re probably well aware of the hit-or-miss nature of cocktails. Some bartenders serve drinks that taste like 200-proof water, while others create concoctions that make one think of Prohibition era moonshine. And since a high proof equals a high calorie content, it can be difficult to know which drinks should get the green light more often than others. To simplify things, Her Campus has tallied up the 20 drinks that consistently make nutritionists cry foul and the ones that get a little less flack. 
 

10 Highest-Calorie Drinks

1. Long Island Iced Tea
Serving Size: ~ 7 oz..
Calories: up to 780
Ingredients: 1 part rum, 1 part gin, 1 part triple sec, 1.5 parts sweet and sour mix, splash of coke

If you’ve never tried a Long Island Iced Tea before, let’s get one thing straight: there is no actual tea in this. Absolutely none. Long Islands seem like a good idea for anyone who wants one drink to last them for a long while. What’s more, with up to 780 calories per glass, it’s kind of like you’re ordering a meal, too! But by no means should you skip dinner if you’re enticed by this cocktail. Long Island Iced Teas typically contain about three shots of alcohol, so make sure to have a nice dinner with your friends before going out.

2. Margarita
Serving Size: ~ 8.5 oz..
Calories: up to 740
Ingredients: 4 oz.. limeade (usually premixed), 4 oz.. tequila, .5 oz.. triple sec

If you’ve ever been to a Dallas BBQ or Blockheads, you already know that Margaritas and their cousin, the Daiquiri, pack a punch (Texas style, anyone?). Like the other high-calorie drinks on our list, Margaritas vary greatly by size and content.

3. Piña Colada
Serving size: 6 oz..
Calories: up to 644
Ingredients: 3 oz.. light rum, 3 tbsp. coconut milk, 3 tbsp. crushed pineapples

“I can’t wait to order a delicious Piña Colada,” says HC contributing writer and Syracuse student, Heather Rinder—and we totally understand why. This fruity, frothy drink is perfect for poolside chilling. While some serving sizes include as many as 644 calories in just one colada, it’s well worth the splurge when you’re on break. “I definitely enjoy my Piña Coladas,” says HC campus correspondent, Omairys Rodriguez. “They just aren’t the same in the winter!”

4. Mai Tai
Serving size: 9 oz..
Calories: up to 620
Ingredients: 3 oz.. light rum, 2 oz.. dark rum, 1 oz.. crème de almond, 1 oz.. triple sec, 1 oz.. sweet & sour mix, 1 oz.. pineapple juice

The Mai Tai packs loads of different flavors into one glass, but it also packs on the calories. This is definitely one drink that’s meant to be savored and enjoyed, rather than power-houred. Even so, HC correspondent, Nicole Del Negro, considers Mai Tais to be her favorite vacation cocktail. “They’re fun and super sugary,” says Nicole. “Mai Tais are very ‘island’ so I like ordering them when I am on Spring Break!”

5. Mudslide
Serving size: 12.5 oz..
Calories: up to 594
Ingredients: ¼ cup Irish cream, ¼ cup coffee liqueur, 1 cup vanilla ice cream, 1 tbsp chocolate syrup

This is a 21+ ice cream sundae. That is all.