One of my many new years resolutions was to give up using starbucks as my morning mantra. Not only are they a terrible company to support, the strain on one's wallet is quite significant, especially given the current economic climate.
So why is it so hard for a vegan to get a sweet & cheap cup of coffee in the morning?
If ya bring Soymilk/Ricemilk into work, it mysteriously disappears
Coffee Carts/Dunkin' Donuts typically do not carry Soymilk/Ricemilk
Homemade coffee tastes like garbage and is hard to make
So what to do! How the hell can we save some dough and have awesome caffeinated goodness in the AM?
Here are my solutions!
Pour your soymilk/ricemilk into an unmarked container, put a sticker on it and write your name on it & "Do Not Throw Away". Make sure that the container is not transparent/translucent in any way. None of your co-workers are going to venture to see what mystery liquid you are keeping in there.
and ask them to carry soymilk. Include the location closest your work. Though this may not work, some have begun to include soymilk. In addition, talk to your coffee cart guy! The one outside my work now carries soymilk so you would be surprised.
Make awesome, quick coffee at home! It's easy. Get a coffee tumbler. Here's what I do: two tablespoons of Hazelnut Syrup in the tumbler, make a cup of espresso using Illy fine ground espresso, and shake up my soymilk and pour on top of the espresso in the tumbler and stir with a spoon/stirrer. It's sooo yummy!
NOTE: If you don't have a fancy espresso maker like me, go to Ikea, get a french press (its $12.99) and this is how you use it: Add about 5 tablespoons of medium ground espresso and boil 6 cups of water on the stove top and add (you can adjust these measurements to taste). Wait a few minutes (about 4) for the coffee to brew. Then press down the filter/plunger and pour! SUCCESS!!
Any other suggestions to avoid Stealbucks? Please post in the comments!!
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I'm curious why you think Starbucks is a "terrible" company to support? They pay for health insurance for even part-time employees, put money into sustainable coffee growing operations, and have helped spur tremendous growth in coffee consumption which cannot help but to inadvertently create more business for anyone who sells coffee. I don't actually visit the stores much--I make coffee at home--but compared to many, many other companies who do absolutely nothing for the environment, their employees or the social good, Starbucks actually does some good. Saying their product is too expensive is not the same as saying they are a "terrible company to support."
ReplyDeleteI understand that, however, they are a reactive company rather than a proactive company. Yes they provide benefits and what not (but don't allow unionization) but the way that they procure coffee beans (and where they procure them from) is what I think is terrible.
ReplyDeleteNot only that, but if I were to support a company on a daily basis I would prefer to throw my money at small businesses who need the dough. Starbucks will do fine without by $5 daily. Not only have they put many local coffee shops out of business, they add an extra .50 cents for soymilk and don't even use silk anymore (they use some made in-house brand).
The purpose of this post was to get people to break the habit, if they want to. If you love going to starbucks daily, enjoy!