Every day, we receive messages, not just from our faithful viewers, but also from TODAY staffers, asking the same question: “What is it that the anchors are drinking?”
Well, to be honest, it depends. Just like most people, what winds up in Savannah, Craig and company’s on-air TODAY show cup depends on their mood, and sometimes comes down to production needs. For example, if there’s a food segment, we often have an adult beverage on the tasting table; Savannah likes a crisp rosé (or a Savanita), Craig a smooth bourbon and Carson will never say no to a beer.
Most of our anchors start the day off with a cup of coffee. Al likes a NOLA-style iced coffee (cold brew with chicory and lightly sweetened with milk), Dylan takes hers with milk and sugar, and Carson likes his with a splash of half-and-half (or even heavy cream when the mood strikes).
Afterwards, it may just be some water (Dylan’s go-to), and other times, it’s a concoction the culinary team has developed specially for them.
These are some of those beverages.
While Hoda is no longer an everyday fixture on the show, we had to include this since she was the first to ask the food team to prepare a custom morning beverage. She was looking for something both healthy and refreshing, so Katie, the show’s coordinating culinary producer, whipped up a green juice based on what we happened to have stocked in our fridge that day. It’s evolved over the years, and both Katie and I make it slightly differently, but she loves it either way — so much so that Savannah would often join her in having a glass!
If this sounds familiar, it’s because it’s a featured recipe in the “TODAY Loves Food” cookbook. We think it’s the perfect morning drink to soothe your throat and warm your vocal cords before going live. These days, Sheinelle drinks it every morning — and it’s also made its way into Jenna’s cup!
“I’ll be honest, some days, it has nothing to do with my vocal health,” says Sheinelle. “It’s just comforting and warm, and helps me relax before the show.”
This is the newest addition to the lineup. Craig, who recently switched from a mushroom coffee alternative, wanted to change things up with a juice of his own. Katie opted for a beet-forward juice that’s packed with nutrients and antioxidants.