Wetting my Whistle in Winter

This week we’re asked to talk about our favorite winter drinks. Here in West Michigan the air gets mighty cold, so we do whatever we can to keep warm. We turn up the heat in our homes (but just a little, otherwise it gets mighty expensive), we bundle up even when we’re indoors, and our food and beverage choices, for the most part, are hot.

I’m always on a diet, so I try to keep zero-calorie liquids within reach. I read somewhere that if I keep my tummy full of liquids I’m less likely to fill up on stuff I have to chew. That works up to a point – I still manage to eat more than I should, but I like to tell myself that if I didn’t keep a beverage handy I’d eat even more! The specific drink in my mug depends on the time of day. In the morning I’ll drink black coffee to wake up. Hubby wakes up earlier and makes a pot of coffee when he gets up. By the time I get up there’s about one cup left in the pot, but it’s so strong that I water it down into two or more.

Around mid-morning, if I’m at home, I’ll switch to hot tea. Lately, my kids have been giving me all sorts of exotic blends. Seems they all got tea as gifts from someone who doesn’t know them that well, so they pass it on to me. I actually found two more canisters after I took this picture! Right now, I figure I have enough to last me through the winter. Sometimes, if I’ve been faithfully dieting for a specified period, I’ll treat myself to a cappuccino – I’ve got a big canister of instant, and hubby treated me to several pods of it to use in my single-service coffee maker.

I’ve always had trouble falling asleep at night, so I try to stop drinking caffeine by mid-afternoon. I usually keep decaf coffee and herbal tea on hand, but in a pinch I’ll drink plain hot water. Once in a while I’ll treat myself to hot mulled cider or hot chocolate. But those are only “once a week” treats. Any time I start putting sweets in my mouth I can’t stop. Hot cider and hot chocolate mixes tend to have a lot of sugar in it. I already have a hard time staying away from sweet munchies so I really limit the sweet drinks.

I need to bring something to drink wherever I go. For some reason, I get thirsty whenever I drive. My doctor says that my blood sugar level is fine, so I think it may be psychological. Before I walk out the door, I fill a thermos or water bottle with something to drink. Most of the time I only need a few sips, but I always need it whether I’m going five miles or a hundred. When I get where I’m going, the thermos or water bottle usually come with me, especially if I’m going to a rehearsal. These are my current favorite travel mugs, but if I lose one I have several others. I rarely stop at coffee shops – guess I’m too thrifty.

When I’m teaching I’ll go through at least one full water bottle or thermos of coffee during the course of the afternoon (I teach two classes back-to-back and each one is an hour and fifteen minutes long). I guess all that lecturing makes me thirsty. The student center is right next to the music building, and I can get a coffee refill for a dollar, so if I’m particularly thirsty I can keep myself hydrated without breaking the bank.

So to answer the original question about our favorite drinks, I guess my answer is just about anything – but when the temps dip below freezing I prefer something hot and non-fattening.

What’s in your mug?