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Mormons Swap Alcohol for Dirty Sodas: A Surprising Twist on Sobriety
13 Nov
Summary
- Reality show cast drinks "dirty sodas" due to Mormon alcohol ban
- Swig, a Utah soda shop, popularized the dirty soda trend in 2021
- Brands like McDonald's and Crumbl Cookies have launched their own dirty soda lines
As the third season of the reality show "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" prepares to premiere on Hulu on November 13, 2025, the cast has revealed a surprising non-alcoholic vice: dirty sodas.
According to the cast, they drink these customized sodas because, as Mormons, they are urged to avoid alcohol and certain other substances. The trend for dirty sodas, which involve mixing soda with syrups and creamers, first gained popularity in 2021 when singer Olivia Rodrigo shared a photo of a Swig soda on Instagram. Swig, a Utah-based soda shop that opened in 2010, has been at the forefront of the dirty soda craze.
In the fifth episode of the show's first season, which aired in 2024, cast members Layla Taylor, Jessi Ngatikaura, and Demi Engemann were seen visiting a soda fountain and creating their own dirty sodas. Engemann explained that these drinks are "kind of our vice" since they don't drink alcohol or do drugs.
The popularity of dirty sodas has since spread beyond Swig, with major brands like McDonald's and Crumbl Cookies testing their own lines of the sugary beverages. McDonald's launched a lineup of fruity refreshers and crafty sodas mixed with syrups and coffee creamers in July 2025, while Crumbl Cookies is also experimenting with up to 46 different dirty soda options in select stores.
