Summer is coming to a close and here in Florida, we look forward to the cooler days that will eventually greet us in the coming months.
Along with the excitement of school and the upcoming holidays, parents are faced with packed calendars of events and activities. The transition from more relaxed summer days, to days where we are living by the calendar, can cause us to lose sight of the importance of staying hydrated.
As a working mom, community volunteer, and overall coordinator of chaos, I know first-hand how a day can get away from me and, before I know it, hours have gone by without any breaks for hydration.
The heat of summer has a tendency to help us remember to “drink” all day long, so how do we keep that focus as we “fall” back into our routines?
Here are a few of my favorite tips:
- Stock up – spend some focused time in the beverage aisle on your next trip to the grocery store. Check out the variety of products available to fit your lifestyle and activity levels.
- Buy a variety and stock the fridge.
- Having quick choices readily available keeps us sipping all day long.
- Keep a cooler in the car – I usually have a cooler in my car during the summer to keep things cold on the way home from the store, so in the fall, convert it to a dedicated beverage cooler.
- Bring it in each night and fill it up again.
- Try to put in the amount you know everyone needs to drink for the day’s activities.
- After a few days, this will be a habit, just like cleaning out and refilling those lunch boxes.
- Write reminders – use sticky notes and put reminders at your desk, in your kid’s lunchbox, or even on the front door to remind you to “grab a drink.”
- Use fun bright colors that will stand out.
- Add funny faces or “cheer words” like “let’s do this” to get everyone laughing and excited.
- Make it a competition – create a board with everyone’s names and use stickers or a pen to add a mark each time someone hydrates with water.
- Set goals for each person in the family.
- Offer the winner opportunities such as getting to select the featured film for family movie night—I know that’s a huge honor in my house.
Remember to keep it fun and full of variety. Did you know that the beverage industry has more options than ever, from flavored sparkling water to lower-calorie favorites?
We continue to focus on clear and consistent labeling across our brands through our Clear on Calories initiative to help you make informed decisions.
Take a stroll down your beverage aisle and check out all the current offerings. We hope you will be excited and energized to try something new.
Have a tip to share with us? Let us know. We would love to share how you keep hydrated during the busy season ahead.
Want to know more about our programs, check out:
Clear on Calories – https://flabev.org/health-nutrition/clear-on-calories
Balanced lifestyles – https://flabev.org/health-nutrition/balanced-lifestyles