Most of us are aware that Starbucks’ biggest fall celebrity, the Pumpkin Spice Latte, has made its debut this season at Front Room Coffeehouse and South Side Espresso Bar. If you’re not hopping on the "PSL" train though, here are four ways to switch up your daily coffee (or hot chocolate) fix this fall.
1. Add some flavor
I’m a junkie for flavored brewed coffee, except for the OU HCOM-SAF Café in the ARC, the cafes on campus don’t have any. So almost every time I order coffee, I ask for one or two pumps of flavored syrup in it. My favorites include toffee nut, caramel and white chocolate. To cut the cost but not the flavor of a PSL, add pumpkin flavoring to your cup of joe.
2. Go for espresso
If iced coffee is your lifeline for that 8 a.m. class, this one’s for you. I order three shots of espresso in a medium cup over ice, one or two pumps of flavor (see above), and then I fill the rest of the cup with milk. With most coffee shops selling espresso shots at 50 to 75 cents each, it’s significantly cheaper than an iced latte, which costs about $4.25 on average.
3. Infuse your coffee grounds
Not into the sweet stuff, but still want a little boost to your grounds? Try adding a few drops of vanilla or almond extract, a sprinkle of cinnamon or coconut flakes to them. The best part is you get to tailor it to your taste, unlike the pre-packaged kind.
4. All-natural hot chocolate
Skip the long lines and calories by making your own with three simple ingredients. Warm up your preferred type of milk (or milk substitute) in the microwave for 1 minute and 45 seconds and stir in a heaping spoonful of unsweetened cocoa powder. Make sure to stir long enough so that all of the tiny clumps of powder dissolve. Add sugar or sweetener to taste. It’s so much better than the artificial stuff — you can taste the difference.
What do all of these hacks have in common? These hacks will save you money, calories and fat. They will also save you from a sugar crash later on in the day.
Emily McIntyre is a senior studying journalism with a focus in news and information at Ohio University. What are your favorite beverage hacks? Let Emily know by tweeting her @emjmac95 or emailing her at em564912@ohio.edu.
