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Compliant Starbucks Drinks?


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Search the forum, there's a few threads on Starbucks.  But a lot of stuff you might think would be compliant isn't: coconut "milk", green tea powder, many teas, etc. Brewed coffee or an Americano should be a safe bet ... usually cold brew too, but another forum member pointed out they may try to sneak a pump of sweet in there. 

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"May try to sneak" makes it sound like the barista is actively trying to sabotage you. 

Just say "unsweetened cold brew" or "unsweetened iced coffee" and you won't get the default recipe which is sweetened. I always get an unsweetened cold brew (from pre-Whole30 days) at dozens of different Starbucks and not once have I gotten it "sneakily" sweetened on me. 

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Whole30 is about much more than just eating healthily - personally I don't see why there's a need to go to Starbucks.  Try an independent coffee shop if you must have coffee, or brew your own?  or just don't drink coffee - a lot of people doing W30 realise that it's just a crutch, and without milk and sugar, they don't actually like it.  It can be a stomache irritant too, so there's that to think about.  When I want a coffee, I go to Hackney Fresh, it's organic, fair trade, and I have a coconut milk latte.  about once a week.  I know they pay taxes locally too, which helps!

I boycott $tarbucks, just like I boycott Te$co.

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Not everyone has an independent coffee shop within a reasonable distance. Sure, I could go to a small, independent coffee shop and drive half an hour each way, plus the cost of the coffee which is significantly higher than Starbucks. My other options are Dunkin Donuts or truly terrible deli coffee. I go to Starbucks for cold brew because I have no desire to make it myself. Tried once, made a massive mess, decided paying for it on the occasions that I wanted one was a better plan. 

I'll also frequent Starbucks because I like how they treat their employees. One of my dear friends is transgender and from the time of his first interview, they've treated him with the respect and kindness every human deserves. And they're helping him pay for a college degree thanks to their education program. 

I'd rather if everyone would keep their personal politics out of posts from here on out.

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1 hour ago, laura_juggles said:

 I go to Starbucks for cold brew because I have no desire to make it myself. Tried once, made a massive mess, decided paying for it on the occasions that I wanted one was a better plan. 

Ooof, are you me????  I've tried twice now and I seem to get wet grounds EVERYWHERE! :D I mean, part of the problem is that I keep trying to make it work using big bowls and different combinations of collanders, strainers, and funnels ... I should just get a large French press and steep it in there.  But I was trying to do it with gear I already had.  There's that "Toddy" brand of cold brew maker, although I would think a FP would do the same job and have the benefit of being used for hot coffee as well.

Have you tried the "nitrous" style of cold brew? Ohhh man, it is *awesome*!

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I think Starbucks black coffee is better than most of the independent coffee shops near me (for black coffee specifically-it is consistently good, never had a burnt batch personally).

I have started drinking a cold brew concentrate from trader Joe's. I usually mix with water and heat it up, but it would be good cold too. But that's my at work solution, not my going to someplace solution.

According to one website from a year ago, and not part of the whole 30 website, so take with a grain of salt and watch your ingredients knowing they might have changed: http://www.justjessieb.com/2015/10/whole30-eats-guide-to-starbucks.html

 

 

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I will visit SB occasionally, because it's convenient for me. In the past, I've ordered regular coffee and added half and half. Monday, I planned to drink my coffee black but asked, just on a whim if they had coconut milk. They did. They put some in my coffee and it was perfect. Now, if I were truly Whole 30 to the bone, I would have asked to see the ingredient list for their coconut milk but I figured it was better than dairy, whatever it had in it. It will be another couple of months before I visit SB again so this isn't a regular thing.

J.

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While this is not Starbucks, it may be a solution? You can keep this in a mini-fridge at work or home and just order a plain black coffee (iced or hot) and add this to it if you don't feel like brewing your own. So for any of you coffee hounds out there who don't care for pouring coconut milk from the can into your coffee, I tried this today and while I didn't love it at first taste, I think I may grow to love it. I bought this exact product on Amazon to be able to try all the different flavors:

https://www.amazon.com/nutpods-Unsweetened-Dairy-Free-Creamer-Variety/dp/B01F2PYV20/ref=sr_1_1_s_it?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1482072886&sr=1-1&keywords=nutpods&th=1

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I'd love to keep politics out of W30, but this thread is about Starbucks, and coffee, and I was giving my opinion, which has a political element to it.

i know that coffee in and of itself is technichally compliant for W30, but really if you read what they say about it, it's probably going to be a lot healthier in the long run to consider it off plan, and give it up completely for the full 30 days.  I know you don't have to, but there are many reasons why you might consider it.  The caffeine will affect you just like any other drug, if you drink it before meal 1 it'll have a hunger suppressent affect, it can change your hormone levels (cortisol, leptin, etc), it can affect you sleep, most people don't actually like it if they're forced to have it black and unsweetened, and it can be gut disruptive, and has a diuretic affect too.  I'm slowly realising that I can drink other stuff in stead - like mint tea, or just plain hot water.

but I also see that you're in New Brunswick, so a half hour drive just to get coffee is perfectly acceptable over there 'eh.  (why not Tim Hortons though!)

enough said from me I think - we each approach W30 from our own position.  it's not up to me to judge.

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I confess, I just love the flavor of Starbucks coffee. I drink it black, decaf and I just like the taste. When I'm looking for a cold drink, the cold brew even black is perfect. More confession, sometimes settling in there with my laptop and a coffee...well it's like a second office. Also agree it's a great meet up place. But mostly, I just really like the taste of a nice, black coffee. 

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 12/18/2016 at 10:41 AM, NoMoreCrunchyCravings said:

While this is not Starbucks, it may be a solution? You can keep this in a mini-fridge at work or home and just order a plain black coffee (iced or hot) and add this to it if you don't feel like brewing your own. So for any of you coffee hounds out there who don't care for pouring coconut milk from the can into your coffee, I tried this today and while I didn't love it at first taste, I think I may grow to love it. I bought this exact product on Amazon to be able to try all the different flavors:

https://www.amazon.com/nutpods-Unsweetened-Dairy-Free-Creamer-Variety/dp/B01F2PYV20/ref=sr_1_1_s_it?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1482072886&sr=1-1&keywords=nutpods&th=1

I like the Nutpods but find them to be kind of expensive. Thrive Market sells the Califia Farms Better Half for $2.95 and the container is 16oz vs. 11oz in the Nutpods. I like it just as much as the Nutpods and you get more bang for your buck!

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On ‎1‎/‎4‎/‎2017 at 1:05 PM, ErynRNY said:

I like the Nutpods but find them to be kind of expensive. Thrive Market sells the Califia Farms Better Half for $2.95 and the container is 16oz vs. 11oz in the Nutpods. I like it just as much as the Nutpods and you get more bang for your buck!

I haven't tried the Califia Farms one yet as I'd tried to go caffeine free during my last W30. I actually like the smaller serving size and shelf stable nature of the Nutpods despite their expense (I'd bought mine on Amazon and balked at the $14 or something for just three of those tiny containers, but bought it nonetheless). When I'm home from vacation at the end of the month though, I'm going to buy the Califia Farms one to try, and hope that it lasts awhile in the fridge since I don't want to make coffee a regular part of my daily life again, and I drink my tea naked. :D

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I got a grande Pike Place and sprinkled some cinnamon in this morning.  I drink black coffee most of the time though (although I do treat myself to a peppermint mocha a few times a holiday season) 

I need to buy non flavored K cups. I usually get the hazelnut version but those are out :(

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  • 4 months later...

I'm preparing for my first Whole 30 in June. I would like to decrease the amount of caffeine I drink, but I'm sure decaf coffee is preferred. As far as iced teas and beverages at Starbucks, what options are compliant?

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This has been discussed endlessly here on the forum. :) Before posting new questions, have a quick google search of "Whole30 + your question". I just googled "Whole30 starbucks and got at least half a dozen forum hits that should have decent information in them. I have merged your topic with one of those in order to keep the forum clear.

Also note, @cristinamt - you always, always want to check the ingredients of the item that you are looking to consume. Even if it says it's fine here and even if Melissa Hartwig herself says something at Starbucks is compliant, that information ages and might not be true anymore or even might not be true in your area.

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Just now, cristinamt said:

Thank you so much. I apologize, I'm new here. 

It's alright. Most everything you can think has been discussed at least once. The search function here doesn't work great but Google is excellent and you'll almost always get forum results first.

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