Harper Lile, 8th, Co-Editor in Chief, Clara McGarvey, 8th, Features Editor
When the sun doesn’t shine, the temperatures are only getting colder and winter feels never ending, it’s hard to stay warm and positive during winter days. This story will help you discover recipes, tips, tricks and overall hacks to make the winter days enjoyable.
Clothing/accessories
Some of the best ways to stay warm at home include purchasing a heated blanket to keep on your bed, instead of heating up the whole house.
Your feet warm and head are the most important parts of your body to keep warm during the winter. Consider purchasing slippers and fuzzy socks for around the house and Ugg and snow
boots for out and about. To keep your head warm in the cold temperatures, wear such accessories, like earwarmers, balaclavies, and wool hats.
Skincare
During cold weather, our skin gets severely dry, here our some of the best products on the market for saving our winter skin
- Working hands– best for severingly dry hands
- Drunk Elephant Reparative hand cream- best for severingly dry hands
- Aquaphor– you can purchase the tub or tub for any area on your body, hand, feet, elbows, lips or the chapstick specifically for lips
- Burtsbees Chapstick- they have a lot of fun flavors that help hydrate lips
- Cerave Daily Moisturizing Lotion- A daily lotion to help lock in moisture
- Aveeno Active Naturals Skin Relief Moisturizing Lotion
- B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum Drunk Elephant– Used for your face, provides daily hydration
- Summer Fridays Jet Lag Skin Soothing Hydration Mist– Provides a nice refreshing, mist for all day facial hydration
- Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion Sheer Hydration- Body lotion that nourishes dry skin
Hacks
Utilize natural lighting, by opening your blinds or curtains you can let in sunlight that warms the room, but also makes the room feel brighter and happier. Studies and research have shown that natural lighting can improve overall wellbeing by 15%.
Spray non-stick cooking spray (like Pam or Avocado Baking Oil) on your snow shovel to help snow from sticking on the shelf.
Put your window wipers up so they don’t freeze on your car and it is easier to drive safely in the snow.
Tech For the Winter
This category is slightly more expensive but definitely worth it! In the winter it is critical to stay warm and advanced technology can help!
Something that you can use is rechargeable hot hands, these stay warm for a long time, but if they do run out, you can recharge them!
Another thing you should consider is purchasing a humidifier, this helps by adding moisture in the air during dry winters. Humidifiers help by preventing dry skin, congestion and sinus problems.
While these are good things to have in the cold conditions, they are not critical necessities. Here are some of the essentials to have around your house during snow storms.
Survival Kit
First Aid Kit
Snow Shovel
Dry, non perishable food
Bottled Water
Blankets
Toilet Paper
Chapstick
Lotion
Flashlights
Extra batteries
Power banks to charge your phone
Warm clothes
Sleeping bags
Fun indoor, winter activities when your snowed in
- Have an at home baking or cooking competition against your family- a great way to utilize extra food or baking mixes, bond with your family and have something warm to enjoy after the competition.
- Build a fort to read or watch a movie in- a great way to use what you already have, very cozy and relaxing during frigid temperatures
- Pick a theme to do a movie marathon:- for example, you can choose an actor or actress you love and binge watch all their movies, or choose a genre, you could have a rom-com or sci-fi movie marathon. Pop some popcorn and enjoy a cozy, entertaining day.
- Snuggle up in your bed and read a book – a great way to stay warm and take your mind off of the cold temperatures.
- Board game night- Get out all your favorite board games to play with your family,
- Create a hot coco bar – lay out marshmallows, chocolate chips and other ingredients to create your perfect hot chocolate drink. This is a fun thing to do with your family and a good cozy drink on a chilly day!
Tips to stay well during cold temperatures
It’s hard to avoid the Flu and the common cold, during the winter, when everyone is inside and germs are spreading rapidly. Try to keep hand sanitizer on hand, wash your hands constantly, exercise, drink lots of fluids, dress warm, get vaccinated.
Eat lots of food with vitamin C and Vitamin D. Consider stocking your fridge with orange juice, as it’s very high in vitamin C. Vitamin C is very powerful when it comes to boosting your immune system and fighting against sickness.
Vitamin D supports immune cells that fight off illnesses. You can get your daily dose of vitamin D from fatty fish, egg yolks, orange juice, cereal and dairy products.
The two simplest ways to lower your risk for sickness are to get as much sleep as you can and try your best to limit stress, even though it’s hard. Being tired and stressed can diminish your immune system, making it easier to get sick.
Warm recipes for a cold day
Warm meals are very nice to have on a cold winter day, here are some suggestions to provide you and your family warmth inside and out!
Miso soup is a great way to warm up your body, it has a good source of protein and fiber in it, making it filling and warm to eat. Miso soup is also from Japan, so during your snow days it will be something warm and new to try! The recipe for this soup is – 15-Minute Miso Soup with Greens & Tofu | Minimalist Baker Recipes
Building on soups, some classic and comforting soups are chicken and dumplings and beef stew.
Next, chicken pot pie is an easy, filling, comforting dinner perfect for a family dinner on a now day. The broth is very flavorful, the crust is flaky and crispy, the chicken is tender and the vegetables are homey.
Some creative and warm baked goods to try are cinnamon rolls, which require a good amount of effort, so an appropriate recipe for baking lovers who have a lot of time on their hands. They are great at any time of the day, for breakfast, snack or even dessert after dinner. You can always pop them in the microwave for the next couple of days. They’re great paired with a glass of cold orange juice, which boosts your immune system as stated above. Next, easier and quicker, it’s hot cocoa in a cookie! It’s a chocolate cookie topped with fluffy marshmallows. Hot cocoa cookies are decadent rich, great for chocolate and hot chocolate lovers. Perfect for a snow day and something
French toast is another easy delicious meal to make for any time of the day. It is good for a limited amount of supplies, only requiring bread, butter, eggs, vanilla, salt and milk. It is optional to add syrup on it but it brings out a sweeter flavor. French toast is an ideal meal, meeting a balance of protein and carbs and is highly recommended.
