When I was in middle and high school, I was capable of drinking a half gallon of milk a day. Skim milk was the only beverage I really liked (besides soda)…of course it wasn’t as expensive back then, but it was still pricey. And since I was homeschooled, it was common for me to raid the fridge as I was doing my math or history or whatever.
I disliked most other drinks, especially water. Hated the stuff.
Once I moved off to school, however, I found myself in a trickier situation. First, we only had a tiny dorm room fridge. Second, milk is pretty expensive when you’re a college student. And third, while I theoretically had an unlimited meal plan, getting it out of the cafeteria and into our fridge just wasn’t feasible. So though I drank it with meals, I had to start looking for substitutes.
While dancing, I’d learned that I don’t mind water from a fountain or a bottle, especially when I’m really thirsty. Since buying bottled water is expensive, I bought a single bottle of Dasani (which may just be tap water anyway) from the dorm vending machine and started refilling it with tap water. I washed it periodically and eventually recycled and replaced it (a couple months later).
I’ve kept that up ever since and it keeps our beverage spending extremely low. I still drink one cup/glass of milk a day because I enjoy it.
I think I’ve figured out why I was able to suddenly go from disliking water to loving it. At home, water was always a chilled beverage and always served in a glass. I find something fundamentally offputting about water in a glass and I don’t like it chilled. Cool is ok, like from the cold tap. But cold tap is a lot warmer than refrigerated.
And it’s in bottles, not a glass. The bottles are portable, they don’t put pressure on me to drink it all right away (though I often do). I don’t know what else makes me like them more, but it just feels right.
I know that those soda-type bottles are not optimal when it comes to reusable water bottles. For me, they had the comfort factor and I was used to drinking water from them and being ok with it. I think that was important to the transition. When it comes to buying water bottles for the long haul, here’s some advice to check out.
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I grew up with sulphur water and just never got the taste for it, so I drank soda and tea mostly.
I finally got around to drinking water when I moved, though. The water here is actually pretty good straight from the tap, though I had to work up to it. I had the same problem with fridge water being too cold, but I didn’t like how warm the tap was either. For some reason, though, drinking it out of a bottle made the difference for me, too!
Another thing that probably helped, though, is that I got used to tap temperature tea because I’d reuse the leaves with tap water throughout the day.
Speaking of which, something I like to do is to throw a bag of tea into my water bottle. I started doing that recently while flying since the hot tea was way too hot for such a turbulent trip we were having. I just asked for some tea bags and slipped them into my bottle.
I used to be the same way about chilled water. I still don’t really like it cold from the fridge, but I will drink it now. The worst is water in a glass that is cold and has ice. I keep a Brita pitcher out by my desk so the water is “tap temperature” or even room temperature.
It’s good that you drink so much milk, you probably have very strong bones.
I’m always a bit shocked when I hear about how much cow’s milk many Americans drink. Our local paper had a front page story on the high cost of food and one family was mentioned as going through SIX GALLONS of milk a week. It’s expensive and not particularly good for adults to drink. Good on you for switching to water!
My husband and I have Siggs and we love them. They give the water a nice minerally taste.
I don’t like icy cold water either, although I do like drinking from a glass.
I completely agree about cold water. I just don’t like it. But I don’t mind water if it’s not chilled.
Have you ever noticed how sweet water taste when you are really thirsty?
@Vered, I’ve noticed that and found it rather surprising at first. Now I just crave it.
Yep that sounds like me.. I trick myself into drinking water by disguising it
Sometimes, I want really cold water from the fridge. Other times, I just get it from the tap.
Lately, I’ve been adding sprigs of mint to my water to change it up a bit.
bottled water all the way! i go through at LEAST 4 bottles a day @ work (we keep them stocked in the fridge here, so no need for budgeting). but when we run low, i keep the bottle and refill from the tap.
i enjoy cool/warm water the most though. when it’s too cold it goes to my brain! and makes me say things like “Ahhhhh”. haha..
But, my all-time fav is sparkling water
bubbly and refinement all in one. love it.
I’m all for water!
I’m especially for making your own ice! What a waste of money to buy ice!
Thanks for the mention Mrs. Micah!
I find it interesting that you used to love milk so much – I’ve never really liked it. On cereal, fine, but I can’t even remember the last time I bought cereal OR milk. Interesting!
I LOVE water, and always have. It must have something to do with my parents never offering anything but water to drink my entire childhood. I also do what you do – bottle it and drink it coldish from the tap or room temperature. I think cold water isn’t fun to drink. I use Nalgene water bottles, though, which I got as a gift many many years ago.
Thanks for sharing
I love a nice cold glass of water on a hot day. I’ve gotten to where I add the packs of Lemonade or Propel to the water. I think they’re ok to drink. No calories and all that stuff. I helps me get my daily intake of water anyway.
water is the nectar of the gods. If you get a chance, watch Francois Truffaut’s “The Wild Child,” as he drinks a glass of water… pure, clear, cool (not cold, as you say) water. Impossible to find a better drink, actually.
mmmm… Water… definitely my drink of choice. Cold, cool, or hot. Bottle, glass, or mug. I just love it
I absolutely hate milk – don’t drink it, won’t put it on cereal.
I’m also not a fan of water. I’ll drink it if there’s nothing else, but I always add cordial to it if I can (sugar-free and has the same kids feel as Kool-Aid, I think).
I also prefer water from a bottle, and am not a fan of drinking it with ice, although it is nice with a slice of lemon.
I was like you. Didn’t much care for water in the beginning. I grew up on soda so water was like a downgrade for me. Now I hardly ever drink soda and water is what we mostly drink. I think growing up there was less concern about the health of food and drink and we didn’t see soda as being very bad. Now I find myself refreshed with good ol H20. And like Mark above I’ll add powdered Gatorade to a water bottle if I’m going out for a long run (the powder saves on buying the individual bottles).
I like bottled water the best, but for me it has to be very cold. We buy bottled water, but we also have a filter on our tap. To save costs I sometimes refill the empty bottled with tap water. If I’m in the mood for a little flavor, I add the little packets of Crystal Light or some Special K Protein powder to the water.