TikTok remains the undisputed champion of all things viral, and one of its biggest stars is “dirty soda,” a trend in which all kinds of pop gets treated to all manner of flavor boosters, like fruit juices, syrups and half-and-half. The hashtag has over 170 million views on TikTok.
In one of the most popular series, high school teacher Joseph Hall tries his students’ favorite dirty soda orders to see whether they make the grade. He sometimes admits to feeling a little silly ordering gummy sharks on the side, but he soldiers on.
Coke with lime or cherry has been around for a lot longer than TikTok, though, and 7 Up advertised a recipe mixing milk and soda as early as the 1940s.
Get Tri-state area news delivered to your inbox.> Sign up for NBC New York's News Headlines newsletter.
Older still is doodh soda, a mixture dating back to Victorian England and still common in India and Pakistan.
So, the trend may not seem all that groundbreaking until you see what Utah-based drink shop Swig has done with it. With dozens of menu flavors like Beach Bum and Death Star, Swig has been leading the dirty soda charge for years, possibly because Utah’s large Mormon population loves the opportunity for fun mixed drinks while abstaining from alcohol. But with Swig now opening stores in six states and huge drive-in chain Sonic offering their own versions, the trend has gotten a lot bigger than Utah.
It’s not exactly a shocker that other restaurants are looking to capitalize on the hottest cold drink in town, but you might be surprised at the latest entrant in the game: Coffee Mate, the most-purchased coffee creamer in the United States.
The Scene
It’s actually already common for dirty soda aficionados to turn to Coffee Mate for their non-coffee needs, but to this point, it’s been with flavors that work for java, like French vanilla or caramel.
This time, there’s a literal twist. Coffee Mate Dirty Soda Coconut Lime Flavored Creamer was developed in partnership with Dr Pepper, which market research showed over 60% of Coffee Mate customers already drink, to complement the soda’s trademark 23 flavor components. Why does it need two more? Dirty soda devotees almost always opt for a citrus boost, and love the sumptuous ice cream float-like texture and flavor that adding dairy, creamer or coconut cream provides. The selling points for this home kitchen version are that it has a long shelf-life, requires no mixing of other ingredients, and with a few stabilizers added, you won’t get that dreaded “Pilk” curdle.
The 16-ounce bottle is available only for a limited time and retails for $3.29. Let’s give it a try!
I’m using a 90-calorie mini can of Dr Pepper because I am a nutrition professional and haven’t finished a soda since college, but you’re free to choose your own adventure. The label of Coffee Mate Dirty Soda suggests a serving size of 1 tablespoon for 35 calories (for context, that’s double the calories of half-and-half by volume), but when I added that to even this smaller serving, it sank like a rock. There was just a faint whisper of white near the bottom, so I added an extra tablespoon. It does not swirl beautifully the way it looks in the photos even for a millisecond, but that’s OK if the taste is right. Is it?
There’s not much of a lime scent, but I do catch coconut. Most of the fizz will leave any dirty soda quickly, as the additives give dissolved carbon dioxide a surface to bubble up on, and this one is no exception. The flavor and mouthfeel are fine but underwhelming unless you add more like triple or quadruple the amount of creamer, which many TikTokers do, for an extra 100 to 140 calories. An extra squeeze of fresh lime was delightful, but it also defeats the purpose of an all-in-one product.
My usual favorite dirty soda of grapefruit Rambler with a little simple syrup, Califia Better Half and a twist of lemon clocks in at about 100 calories total, and this taste test has done nothing to shake my devotion.
How can a registered dietitian talk to you about soda with creamer in it with a straight face? Trying different flavors and understanding your preferences can actually support you in making your diet more varied, and restriction instead of moderation is going to backfire. A healthy relationship with food means you find ways to include treats that hold joy and a feeling of indulgence for you, and sticking to a 7.5-ounce mini can or dirtying up a flavored seltzer are a couple of ways to do that more reasonably.
And as all of Utah already knows, it’s probably better for you than a margarita!
This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:
