Navigating the menu for healthy food & drink selections at Starbucks (or any coffee shop) can be overwhelming, but we’re to make it easy for you.
Sorry, no peppermint mochas or cake pops here!
Be sure to screenshot or bookmark this page so you are armed with a list of healthy options at Starbucks the next time you need a caffeine fix.
P.s- You can also listen to this episode on our Nutrition Awareness Podcast.
Drinks
- Unsweetened black coffee or tea. Feel free to add a splash of milk to break up the bitter taste
- Americano
- Unsweetened latte or cappuccino with any milk
- Unsweetened Chai Tea Latte
- Nitro Cold Brew, plain or with unsweetened milk
- Nitro Cold Brew… with sweet cream! A grande has only 4 grams of added sugar, which is peanuts compared to other sweet beverages at SB with 4-10x that much sugar
- Unsweetened Green Tea
Tips:
- If you MUST have sweetener, order a short (8 ounces) or specify a half pump of syrup
- Avoid sugar-free sweeteners, they can trigger cravings for more sugar later in the day
- If you’re sensitive to caffeine or having trouble sleeping, order decaf after 1 pm
- While matcha has health benefits, the matcha latte at Starbucks is sweetened. Opt for a green tea, which has the same antioxidant benefits without the sugar
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Breakfast
- Spinach and Feta Egg White Wrap
- Egg Sous Vide Bites with a piece of fruit or Classic Oatmeal
- Reduced Fat Turkey and Cheese Sandwich- I’m normally not a reduced fat fan but this tastes pretty good, and still boasts a good nutrition profile compared to other options.
Tips:
- Avoid the baked goods- even if they seem healthy (i.e, banana nut muffin or blueberry scone), it’s still dessert in disguise
- The Blueberry Oatmeal has agave added, which is still a sugar. You’re better off ordering the Classic Oatmeal and adding in your own fruit (like a banana from the counter)
Lunch
- Any protein bistro box: Grilled Chicken and Hummus; Egg and Cheese (V); PB & Jam (V); Cheese and Fruit (V); and for bigger meals, Southwest Chicken Wrap Box.
- Turkey Basil Pesto Panini
- Chicken Quinoa Protein Bowl
- Tomato & Mozzarella Panini (V)
Snacks
- Siggi’s Yogurt
- Moon Cheese
- String Cheese
- Almonds/nuts
- KIND Bars
- Perfect Bars
- Turkey Jerky
- Hippeas (Chickpea Puffs!)
- That’s It Bars
Tips:
- For optimal nutrition, energy, and blood sugar balance, include at least 10 grams of protein with your snack (i.e, eat the Hippeas with string cheese or nuts; fruit with Siggi’s yogurt)
And there ya have it! A quick run down of some healthy options at Starbucks (or any other coffee shop you frequent!)
Not sure if your Starbucks order is dietitian-approved? Ask us! Send us a DM with your question on Instagram (@nutrition.awareness).
You may also like…
- How to Eat Healthy at Chick-Fil-A
- Healthiest Casual Restaurants in Orlando
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Kait Richardson is a registered dietitian nutritionist in Orlando, FL. She is a partner at a private practice, Nutrition Awareness, where she helps frustrated yo-yo dieters reach their health goals using 1:1 nutrition coaching. She is the co-host of the Nutrition Awareness Podcast.