Winter Must-Haves
Sticking to the theme of the moment - especially as all of a sudden it’s freezing in the UK - we’re back this week with another Winter-themed article: my Winter must-haves. These fall into several different categories, each of which I could probably write an entire article on, but for the sake of saving your time and helping you get the most out of this week’s article, I’ve condensed my favourites down to this. Today’s categories are clothes, foods, and general Wintery things to do. Since these are my personal favourites, I might miss a few that you think of, so feel free to leave them in the comments down below!
Winter Wardrobe Staples
Keeping in mind that I’m a girl and have limited knowledge of men’s likes/dislikes when it comes to their wardrobes, this is the most generalised list I could come up with whilst also keeping my own personal favourites front-of-mind. This list certainly isn’t all-encompassing and I am definitely not suggesting you need a whole new wardrobe for Winter (although I am partial to a seasonal shopping spree, especially when Black Friday sales are right around the corner) BUT it’s certainly full of ideas for you to hold onto for the future.
A Winter coat - something that I’ve only recently acquired for my wardrobe and am loving so far, a staple Winter coat is always a good idea as it’s so easy to throw on over pretty much any outfit to keep you all wrapped up and warm. Mine is a chocolate brown, but any neutral colour like black, navy blue, cream or camel will go with everything else in your wardrobe.
Good quality long-sleeve tops - by good quality I certainly don’t mean expensive (some of my favourites are less than £15), but I do mean warm and not super thin. A good long sleeve will not only serve as a comfy, warm layer, it’s also something that you can have under layers of jumpers and coats. Ideally, you’re comfortable wearing it out of the house so you don’t end up sat in a tank top when you get warm in lectures, because then you’ll just freeze again.
Thermal leggings/jumpers - these can either be super cheap (Primark have some great ones) or more expensive (Sweaty Betty level purchases) and are definitely more sports oriented, but nonetheless incredibly useful heading into Winter. Going for a walk in the park or run early in the morning and don’t want cold legs? Grab some thermal leggings and a thermal jumper and you’ll be good to go.
Puffer jacket - one of the more obvious staples for Winter, a good puffer jacket can last you years and keep you nice and toasty when you’re heading to campus early in the morning or throughout the day. Look for one with a decent hood if you’re not somebody who uses umbrellas. I particularly love those that have either removable hoods or ones that can fold away so you don’t always have to have them out!
Thick Winter jumpers - my last suggestion for this section, a warm, thick jumper will do a world of good this time of the year. Whether you’re curled up on your bed, at lectures, or out meeting friends, having a warm jumper that you can throw on with anything is a forever staple.
Is it finally soup season?
Winter is the time for cozy foods that warm you from the inside out (and also don’t take too much effort or time to make). Whilst soup isn’t for everyone, it’s a personal favourite cozy Winter meal of mine, along with these 4 other recommendations.
Bangers & Mash - an all-time staple that arguably works year-round, but definitely in Winter, bangers & mash is a quick and easy meal that doesn’t cost an arm and doesn’t take too long to pull together either. In other words, it’s perfect! I personally prefer crispy roast potatoes over mash, but each to their own you could add peas, salad, or whatever your heart desires to this staple meal to make it your own.
Chicken (noodle) soup - or any variation of soup for that matter (I love a good pumpkin soup too)! Chicken noodle soup is so easy to throw together and also doesn’t cost a fortune in time or money to make. I make this for an easy meal prep that can go in the freezer and choose to leave the noodles out most of the time because I find they don’t freeze very well. There are so many recipes available on the interwebs, but I tend to base my soup off this one and add extra bits in when I feel like it.
Pasta bake - another meal prep winner, any kind of pasta bake is easy to throw together and leave to cook in the oven, making it ideal when you’ve not got a tonne of time but want to put a proper meal on the table. Whether it’s a chicken pesto bake or something more fancy like a lasagna, there are endless options for baked pasta dishes that are sure to warm you up.
Crumbles & Cookies - not exactly a meal, but important nonetheless, why not try making a dessert that you can have as a snack for the rest of the week? I am a die-hard cookie lover and throw them in whenever I’ve got the ingredients to make them. Specifically, this choc chip cookie recipe will never steer you wrong and can be altered in whichever way you like to include different types of chocolate!
Winter = hot chocolate addiction
This last section isn’t so much as things I think you should have, but more so things you can do to have a more enjoyable Winter and make the most of staying inside more often!
Drinking hot chocolate or tea and watching TV under a blanket - definitely a personal favourite I love making a drink and curling up to watch some TV on a cold Winter evening. Whether you’re starting to get into Christmas movies as the season rolls around, or bingeing Grey’s Anatomy for the 100th time, staying cozy and warm is 1000% the priority this season.
Getting outside for a walk - as I mentioned in last week’s article, getting outside and getting some much needed fresh air (and maybe even some sun…) is a definite way to boost your mood on a cold morning or afternoon, either before you get stuck into the day’s work, or as a break from it!
Candles, hand creams and diffusers galore - coming home to a Wintery warm house, with hands that aren’t cracked and dry from the cold, is my ideal kind of day. This certainly isn’t me saying that having a candle in halls is a good idea, but you do what you must to make your slice of home nice and cozy.
This week’s article has definitely reminded me to cook some of my favourite meals and get outside more, and I hope that you’re able to bring my little ideas into your lives to make this Winter the best one yet. Feeling down despite all of this and wondering how to find your way back up? Don’t worry, next week we’ll be diving into dealing with an off-day/week/month at uni and how you can make the best of it to come out on top.
Happy Tuesday - we’ll see you next week and until then, keep refining.
Mia