It's 31 degrees this morning in Crystal Lake, Illinois. Old Man Winter is knocking on this native Texan's door. I need to know what your favorite warm beverages are to sip on during the cold days of winter. I drink caffeinated coffee in the morning--plenty to get me through the day. I do not want to drink many calories or more caffeine throughout the day . . .
Any recommendations? Tea? What kind? Anything else?
Thank you for helping me through my first REAL winter! I CAN DO THIS!!!
Decaff coffee :) OR hot chocolate, can't go wrong with hot chocolate and marshmallows :)
Hot chocolate.
Tea always a good choice.
You can get decaf teas too
or go for teas that are Green teas, herbal teas, most of those don't have caffeine in them.
Decaf Chai is a great thing too!
Hot Cider is awesome. I recommend getting the bottles of cider instead of the packaged instant. It tastes better. Heat it in the microwave with a cinnamon stick in it or red hot candies. YUM.
Most herbal teas are caffeine free and I love peppermint tea.
I have always like decaf teas. You can check the supermarket and see if they have a variety pack. This way you can try different flavors.
I always liked Lemon Zinger if I was sick (stuffy nose etc.), Raspberry Zinger to calm hormones from PMS and Chamomile to relax. But there are so many other flavors to try. I live in Florida now so I drink the iced varieties.
Cider is great,
I drink a lot of hot tea, I like chai it's cinnamon spicy. I like Chamomile at night as well it's relaxing, putting a bit of honey in it is the best way to sweeten tea.
Peppermint tea as well.
I like celestial seasonings as a brand.
Bah Illinois, come live in Minnesota LOL... I am a native Minnesotan and I cant handle winter sometimes. YUCKY ..most hot chocolate has more caffeine than some coffee... so I wont say that. Cider hot if you like it, tea, and warm milk with honey will help clear a throat. I like toddy's which i use decaffeinated coffee, light chocolate sauce and peppermint. I can have some caffeine but not as much as in a coffee cup or I get the jitters and heart flutters.
Decaf coffee
Decaf tea (lots of teas have caffeine in them so check the packaging)
Chai
Hot cocoa
Hot apple cider - which is really good with some caramel sauce mixed in! More calories, but YUM!
Celestial Seasonings herbal teas. Lemon Zinger is my favorite but they have so many to choose from and even sell variety packs so that you can sample different flavors. Mandarin Orange and Raspberry Zinger are also excellent. They also release special flavors for the holidays. A big plus to herbal teas, is they are calorie free and help to keep you hydrated.
We've already had snow here in the Denver area, with another round forecast for this coming week. I stocked up on our favorite teas in anticipation. Maybe you'll get to experience a "White Christmas".
Hot cider, as previously mentioned, is wonderful and versatile.
I get cider in the store, then pour into a mug and microwave it.
Plain is good, but you can also add cranberry or orange juice.
A cinnamon stick is great to stir with.
I never thought of using the cinnamon candies and I can't wait to try it!
Although there are many no caffeine herbal teas, don't forget about soup.
Warm chicken or beef broth you can drink from a mug.
Booo, winter!! Boo, hiss!
If you like hot cider you have to check your local Hallmark Store to see if they have the powdered mulling spice. It is so yummy!! I just warm up cider and mix some in and I love it...well, actually I warm up the whole bottle, mix it in and then pour it back in the bottle so I don't have to do it over and over again, but that's just me!
My husband and I also really like the International Coffees that come in a little tin. They have sugar free and caffeine free varities of a lot of them. I drink the sugar/caffeine free mocha a lot in the evenings after we put the kids to bed and it warms me right up!
Yes you can! My favorite tea only comes in decaf by mail order so you may want to get a regular tea variety pack (I like Twinings) and if there is one you like, you can order the decaf version on-line.
My favorite tea is Twinings Lady Gray. It's a black tea that's lighter than Earl Gray and laced with a subtle touch of lemon. It's so good that I just drink it black.
Believe it or not in February you'll look at 31 degrees and think "wow it's up over 30 that's practically warm - what a great day to get outside and go for a walk!"
Make sure you invest in good underwear, outerwear, and boots. I am a native New Englander and didn't bother to get good boots (LL Bean) until I was 28, just started wearing UnderArmor last year as a bottom layer (I'm now 36) and I STILL don't have a really good winter coat of my own - I have a Columbia jacket with a busted zipper that my husband wanted to throw out and I wear that sometimes. Having the right stuff on your body makes the difference between enjoying winter vs just enduring it.
Personally I like peppermint tea (decaf) in the afternoons or evenings. My kids like warm vanilla milk. I used to make it with milk and french vanilla coffee creamer heated in the microwave. Now I use milk and sugar-free vanilla syrup that I got at Starbucks, though I think I've seen flavored syrups at Walmart.
I love me some Earl Grey or Lady Grey tea by Twining. (I think they have decaf versions as well.) Cheers!
Mmmm, Jasmine tea, green tea, mint tea, decaf Earl Grey, Chamomille....
peruse the tea isle in your local market - Celestial Seasonings makes oodles of lovely flavors without the caffeine.
I use Truvia in my tea to avoid those pesky sugar calories. Though I love honey or raw sugar the best in tea.
31, huh? Gads, it was below 50 here this morning in the deep south and I thought it was cold.
Sending warm thoughts your way!
Jessica.... it was 38 degrees down here in Central Texas this morning! We're getting some of the cold, also!
Have fun up there in the North.. I miss the winters in Iowa!
tea is the best.....there are more than i could name actually, but my absolute favorite is called "tension tamer" and i dont really know if it really works i like the taste!......but most ritzy grocery stores have a bulk tea section. You scoop it out and weigh it. Even the caffeinated ones have 1/4 the caffeine of coffee.
Then there's always hot chocolate or a flavored hot milk. Peppermint makes for a good flavor, nutmeg and cinnamon do also. Orange rind and a little agave nectar.
wassail is a hot apple juice drink that might do
Hot water w/a slice of lemon
Decaf hot cocoa
Decaf coffee (you can use those creamers, like peppermint, if you want
some flavor)
I love hot apple cider. Try that.
Hot orange juice. It has to be freshly squeezed, the pop it in the microwave for a minute or so. Very warming, I love it.