15 ways to put more fun into your thermos

The top tip here is not to pre-stew your tea with milk, as it makes it over brewed. So it’s worth bringing milk along with you – just make sure it’s secured away, as spillage there would be unforgivable.

Tea’s a pretty versatile world. There are a lot of different options. In the office here we have pretty much every one under the sun, and navigating the tea cupboard is part of the onboarding when you get a job here. Perhaps consider a lemon, ginger and honey tea for a wintry walk for maximum wellness.

There is no replacement for coffee, no matter how much caffeine you ram into a colourful plastic bottle. One of the best ways to do it on the go, at least as far as we could find, was to scrap the instant, bring an aeropress with you, and use the flask for hot water – making a fresh cup as you go. There’s no substitute.

You’re welcome just to skip the whole spice part and bring wine. That’s a winner right there. But if you have the time and your festivity’s at its peak, this winter warmer warms thrice. One for heat, one for spice and one for booze. You can’t beat a triple threat. The only downside? It’s not the quickest thing to whip up a batch of.

There’s always some guy proudly proclaiming he has no need of winter garments, whilst he stands there in shorts in four degrees. Good for that guy. And with him in mind, if he’s really so warm, perhaps he’d like something chilly, a smoothie comes to mind. Packed full of nutrients, it’ll inevitably come in handy when he gets ill.

Chocolate is, has been and always will be, excellent – regardless of its temperature, but hot? Exquisite. On the sliding scale of decadence, there are a lot of stops, all the way from hot chocolate powder made with water (shame on you), to full cream, real chocolate, whipped cream, marshmallows – and for the adults… a little Bailey’s perhaps? The customisation is endless.

Do you eat soup, or drink it? More importantly, does it matter? There are more important things like, what soup are we talking about? And is the locale important? Whilst cream of tomato feels wildly inappropriate for lunch on the river, it does however feel at home atop a mountain. Either way, it fits in a thermos, and is arguably the most useful flask filler.

Potentially a summer option, or a winter option for the courageous (and those with a designated sober OS map operator). It’s also probably one of the best motivators, just wait until the summit of a peak to help yourself to its delights, and don’t overdo it. Just don’t forget the salt!

Let’s face it, a beef flavoured drink is not for everyone. No longer quite the British staple it once was, it’s most popular in China, Malaysia and Singapore. The iconic name replaced its original title ‘Johnston’s Fluid Beef’ which… well let’s just say we approve of the marketing change there. Regardless of the name, it was good enough for Scott and Shakleton when they took on the Antarctic, so it’s good enough for you.

Ask around, and you’ll find hot Ribena is a lot more popular than you thought. Everyone’s grandma seemingly served it up, and yet – the origins of the hot variation of this magical beverage remain a mystery. Regular Ribena? Invented but a few miles from our offices in Bristol.

Ok, it’s technically tea again, but this time – super tea. Green tea’s just regular tea that’s been harvested a little earlier and left unfermented, retaining more of its nutritional content. Matcha is basically finely ground, early harvested, unfermented tea leaves. This one’s great to sip as you go, as unlike coffee, it gives a more consistent release of caffeine that doesn’t peak and crash.

Another in the ‘treat yourself’ pile. Much like mulled wine, you could just skip the mulling step and take on your hike West Country style. But if you’ve the time and energy, it’s well worth the effort, and an excellent antidote to the cold on a frosty wander.

There’s only one way to feel more wild when drinking tea – and that’s to forage it for yourself. Take a flask of hot water with you and keep an eye out for brew-able ingredients as you go along. You could use rosemary, nettles (careful), spruce or pine tips or rose hips, or many more!

The origins of the hot toddy are hotly (and toddily) debated, but one argument sees it traced back to India, where it may have derived from the word “taddy”, which was a drink made from fermented palm sap. Today, it’s a lovely blend of water, whisky, honey, lemon and cloves.

There are some drinks you reserve exclusively for being on holiday – Suze and tonic, fanta lemon, or a cheeky after dinner Armagnac. But top of the list there might be a Bombardino. An Italian Après-ski beverage, it’s a mix of 1/2 Advocaat or eggnog and 1/2 Brandy. Top with whipped cream for extra decadence.

Whilst you’ll miss out on the joy of popping the cork if you store it in your flask, there is technically no rule that you can’t enjoy Champagne however you feel like – in this case, bringing it to celebrate reaching the summit. Go on, you deserve it.