A splash or two of whole milk in your morning cup of joe. A refreshing smoothie after your workout. A glass of wine with dinner. These might not sound like much on their own, but when you add up the SmartPointsTM values of everything you drink throughout the day—especially if you’re just estimating serving sizes—the number might surprise you.
Maybe it's time to “rethink your drink.” There’s no need to swear off your favourite beverages altogether, of course. But it pays to be savvy about what you’re sipping. So whether it’s happy hour, a coffee break, or post-workout, check out these strategies for choosing wisely.
Plan for it
As you might do for meals and snacks, it’s a smart move to plan for drinks that have SmartPoints values. Just because you don’t chew them doesn’t mean they don’t count, so factor beverages into your daily budget.
Size things up
At home, practice measuring out 5-, 8- and 12-fluid ounce servings of water (or any other drink) in different glasses—some tall and thin, some short and wide, some stemmed and curvy. Take a mental snapshot to have a good portion frame of reference. Of course, our Portion Control Glasses (available at most Weight Watchers meeting centres) make the job easy, with discreet lines marking off portions!
Beware of “healthy” landmines
Store-bought smoothies can really be a meal in a glass, with tons of sugar and SmartPoints values, too. Blend your own at home using just fresh or frozen fruit, ice, and low-fat or fat-free yogurt so you know exactly how the ingredients add up.
Give water a makeover
H20 should be your go-to beverage, but if you find it boring after a while, jazz it up with fresh mint or crushed berries, citrus or cucumber slices, or a squeeze of fresh lemon or orange.
Swap what you’re sipping.
Instead of a 20-fl oz full-fat latte (14 SmartPoints value), get an 8-fl oz cup made with fat-free milk, which has a value of just 3. Forgo lemon-lime soda (which can be as much as 9 SmartPoints value for 12 fl oz) and opt for seltzer with lemon and/or lime juice (and a little artificial sweetener or a teaspoon of real sugar for 1 SmartPoints value). Swap your 5-fl oz glass of white wine for a homemade spritzer with seltzer and shave the SmartPoints value from 4 to 2.
Whip up our Raspberry-Lemonade Vodka Slushies! They can be a sweet way to welcome the weekend with good friends. Plus, they are just 3 SmartPoints value per serving. Want more easy, plan-friendly cocktails? Check out this article for ideas.