Starbucks Habit

One of the hardest things about becoming vegan is leaving behind some of the little pleasures in life... like Starbucks.  I used to love stopping by Starbucks to get coffee when I needed a little energy boost or just wanted to treat myself.  While the coffee was okay, it was all of the cream that I added to it that made it "off-limits”.  In addition, all of the tempting treats in the pastry case are loaded with eggs and/or dairy products.  The temptation of going into a Starbucks was just too great for a new vegan, so I stopped going there.

Last week, I decided to face my temptation.  My plan was to only get a soy coffee drink, but to my surprise there were several new vegan treats for sale.  They had dried fruit, granola bars and cookies.  I picked up a pack of the Lucy's cookies and a Two Mom's in the Raw granola bar to try.  I was not sure if they would taste good, but as an uncommon vegan I strive to be open to spending money on something that may be good for me, but tastes nasty.  It is all about taking risks and trying foods that I would have never considered before.  

Once I got in my car I dug into the Cinnamon Crisp cookies and to my surprise, they were delicious. The cookies were crisp, light and tasted just like a snicker doodle.  I liked the cookies so much that I ordered a couple of packages from Amazon.com so that I have something on hand when I get a sweet craving.  I will occasionally buy the cookies at Starbucks because I want to encourage them to carry more vegan treats, but I would rather save money by purchasing them online.

The next day I tried the Blueberry granola bar.  It was not as good as the cookies but it was very filling.  The bar had a chewy center and a crumbly exterior.  There were so many little seeds that they kept falling down my shirt!  Overall the bar was good but it had an odd after taste.  I do not planning on buying the blueberry granola bar again, but I will try the company’s other products (crackers and other granola flavors).

I am glad that I can visit my local Starbucks again.  It is encouraging to see such large companies expanding their offerings to include vegan products.  One of the things that I am learning about being a vegan consumer is that I can make a difference.  If I am willing to open my mouth and pocketbook, companies will be willing to adapt to meet my needs.  Way to go Starbucks!