One of the most well-known and loved coffee companies in Rochester, NY, Starbucks, continues to spike interests around Rochester. As brand new coffee and Frappuccino recipes come out and the weather slowly gets warmer, the need for a delicious blended beverage is greater than ever! Starbucks is also nice enough to provide us with a free app that allows us to order ahead, pay without a wallet, and earn points, free birthday goodies and more. The app also has options to customize our favorite drinks such as choosing alternative milk options, adding different flavors, extra espresso shots and so much more. If you’re smart enough to order ahead on the Starbucks app, here are some recommended drinks and eats that are enjoyed around the city and why you should walk away from people who tell you to stay away from caffeine and sugary drinks before a long day at work.
The new Strawberry Funnel Cake Blended beverage is one of them! This sweet treat coffee drink is blended with cake-flavored syrup, coffee, your choice of milk and ice. Whipped cream and strawberry puree are then layered into the cup along with some powdered sugar funnel cake pieces. This drink is also available as a non-coffee crème Frappuccino. Another favorite iced drink is the Iced Shaken Espresso. Although this drink isn’t new anymore, it is still one of their most popular drinks on the menu. This drink is made with a rich espresso that is shaken with ice and topped with a splash of your favorite milk. You can doctor up this beverage on the app by adding brown-sugar syrup, sprinkled with cinnamon and enjoyed on the warm summer days ahead. This popular drink can always be turned into a hot-coffee or a latte, just customize this on the app or let your fellow Starbucks barista know upon ordering!
Nat's tip: If you're looking for a lower calorie version of the same drink, ask the barista how many pumps of syrup are added in the drink and cut it in half. This still allows you to enjoy a lower calorie beverage without sacrificing taste. Another option is to switch to skim milk or a milk alternative in your blended beverage that will naturally lower the calorie content in your delicious drink.
If you’re in for some treats to go with your coffee or beverage, Starbucks offers delicious breakfast, lunch and snack options. A healthy yet tasty breakfast option on their menu is the Spinach, Feta and Egg White Wrap. This warm and savory breakfast brings together cage-free egg whites, tomatoes and feta cheese inside of a warm and toasted whole-wheat wrap. This is a great, protein-rich way to start any summer morning. For a low-carb breakfast option, the Egg bites are so good you’ll want to order them before a long day at work every day! These Egg bites come with flavor options like Bacon and Gruyere, Kale and Portabella Mushroom, and roasted red pepper with egg white! Next on the menu is lunch and snacks and yes, Starbucks has those too. Panini sandwiches like Ham and Swiss, Turkey and Pesto and Chicken Caprese can be enjoyed with a simple snack like a small bag of chips or a sweet treat like Shortbread cookies or Vanilla biscotti cookies.
Nat's tip: When you have a long day of work ahead of you, the last thing you want to do is order a breakfast option that you don't even want. We have all been guilty of wanting to order a lemon loaf but opt for an oatmeal instead. Here's the thing, the more we restrict, the more we want what we are telling ourselves we can't have and then end up eating 10 times the amount we were going to eat the first place. My point here is, order the lemon loaf or the cake pop if that is what your heart desires. The most important thing to remember is consistency. If you order a healthy breakfast option like an oatmeal or the Spinach Feta Wrap most days, but you decide on the sugary, yet delicious lemon loaf or banana bread some days, there is NO reason to feel guilt. What counts is what you eat MOST days.
With all of these options and more, the summer ahead of us can become more warm and tasteful. So, take advantage of this glorious Starbucks app to make things easier and more customizable. If you’re a regular Starbucks junkie, this will save you time in a drive-thru, and some hard-earned money.