Starbucks Addiction: Chai Tea Latte at Home for Under a Dollar

So in my previous Starbucks post, I talked about how I love the chai tea lattes but that I can make them at home very easily and they taste exactly the same as at Starbucks. Now, I know what you might be thinking, because I was skeptical too, but they really do taste EXACTLY like Starbucks version. For under one dollar compared to their $3 and change. Seriously.

Since this isn't really a recipe (hey, at least it's better than the Food Network's "recipes" for Dark Chocolate as a Snack and Late Night Bacon) I'm going to vary from my usual format. You will need:

- A box of Tazo Chai Tea Concentrate, they sell them in a few different types like decaf, organic, etc. (I get mine at Target for about $4 and it has 8 servings)

- Milk, I use 2% because it works best with the foam that we're going to make

- Frother, more on this later

- Dash of cinnamon to make it pretty and smell amazing


First, heat up 2 tablespoons of milk for the foam. Use the mug that is going to hold your latte. Heat up the milk for about 20-30 seconds until warm. Now here is the fun part! Use a frother (mine is an Aerolatte similar to this one, I got it for $10-15 on Amazon). Put the frother tip into the milk, making sure that it is completely covered by the liquid, and press and hold the on button. Move the frother around the bottom of the mug for about 30-45 seconds until a nice stiff foam forms. Make sure the frother is off before you lift it out of the foam. If you don't have the frother completely covered by the liquid while it's on, you will get sprayed with hot milk. Just trust me on this one.

This is how thick the foam should be. 

Mix 1 part of the tea concentrate with 1 part milk in a microwave safe mug or measuring cup. I use 1/2 cup of each to fill a normal sized mug, but use however much you want to drink. Heat it up in the microwave for about a minute and a half, depending on your microwave's strength. The key here is do not let it boil! I like to heat mine up at 20 second intervals after the first minute to make sure it reaches a good temperature.

I use a glass measuring cup so it's easy to pour.

Now we're going to combine the foam and the latte! This is why you want to make the foam in the mug that you want to use to drink; pour the chai and milk combination carefully into the mug with the foam, but do so in a way that the chai goes underneath the foam. If you pour it straight over the foam, it will not hold up, and all that hard work with the frother will be for nothing!

Pour slowly so as not to disturb the foam.

Sprinkle with cinnamon and congratulate yourself on saving $3!

PS: Don't you just love this mug?

The concentrate is great because you can just keep it in your fridge and make a chai latte whenever you want! For an iced chai, just combine 1 part of the concentrate and 1 part milk (again, 1/2 cup and 1/2 cup is the standard serving size) over ice, shake, and enjoy!

Starbucks Addiction: My Top 5 Low(er) Calorie Drinks

The first step is admitting that you have a problem. Hi, I'm Renee, and I LOVE STARBUCKS.

I am not a person who goes to Starbucks every day because (1) I cannot afford that and (2) now that it's not right across the street within walking distance, I have to plan to go before work since it's out of my way. I usually go about once a week or maybe once every two weeks.

All that being said, I love Starbucks. I love when the red cups come out for the holidays and I can finally get my peppermint mocha with the chocolate shavings on top. I love reading on the porch, enjoying an icy frappucino in the summer. Most of all, I love when fall begins and the pumpkin spice lattes (PSLs) become my exclusive order for the next 3 months. Two years ago, I called Starbucks on the first day of fall and asked when they would start making the PSLs. When they told me that it was that day, I told the guy on the phone I'd be there in 5 minutes. He laughed because he thought I was kidding. When I showed up 5 minutes later and told him that I was the crazy girl on the phone, he laughed again, but there was fear in his eyes. This year, they came out early, so when I went through the drive thru and saw the sign, I squealed excitedly to the girl in the speaker that I needed to change my order to the PSL. Seriously, I love it.

So I couldn't do without it on my diet. Starbucks has a lot of great options for my Sparkpeople, calorie-counting lifestyle. You just have to be careful which ones you choose (and check what the barista wrote on the cup to make sure they didn't give you that whipped cream or full fat milk when you asked for no whip and nonfat). My top 5 low(er) calorie drinks are listed below.

NOTE ON SIZING: I refuse to order coffee in anything less than a grande based on the pricing; I can't pass up the 30 cents more for an upsize. Some of the drinks below I order in venti also. The sizes are listed where I put the nutrition. For those who don't know, Starbucks will let you order a "short" (kids size) that is 8 ounces, which I sometimes do for hot chocolate, but for the coffee drinks, I just don't think it's worth it.

They make this sign for the crazies.

#1: The PSL (seasonal)
If you couldn't tell, I am CRAZY about this drink. I've tried to recreate it at home, but it just doesn't work. Since it's only available in the fall, I allow myself to splurge on this one even though it's a bit higher in calories than the other drinks, but I only order a grande. It's so worth it. To order, say "Grande nonfat, no whip pumpkin spice latte WITH magic spices." They will know what you mean when you say magic spices, but they may also laugh at you. Consider yourself warned.

Calories: 260, Fat: 0g, Carbs: 50g, Protein: 14g, Calcium: 50%, Caffeine: 150mg

The sprinkles.

#2: Peppermint Mocha Latte
This is advertised as a holiday drink, but you can get it year-round, it just won't have the dark chocolate sprinkles on the top (which are pretty much the best part). I try to get this in grande because it is higher calorie. To order, say "Grande nonfat, no whip peppermint mocha latte...WITH sprinkles."

Calories: 280, Fat: 3g, Carbs: 59g, Protein: 12g, Calcium: 35%, Caffeine: 175mg

#3: Skinny Cinnamon Dolce (Hot or Iced)
I order this year-round, either iced or hot, in a venti size. It's sugar free cinnamon syrup and steamed nonfat milk with espresso. To order, say "Venti skinny cinnamon dolce latte" or "Venti skinny cinnamon dolce iced." Fun fact: the iced version has more caffeine because Starbucks brews their iced coffee double strong.

HOT Calories: 160, Fat: 0g, Carbs: 24g, Protein: 15g, Calcium: 50%, Caffeine: 150mg

ICED Calories: 110, Fat: 0g, Carbs: 17g, Protein: 10g, Calcium: 35%, Caffeine: 225mg

#4: Mocha Frappucino Light
I order this in a grande because a venti is too much frappucino (life lessons). It's not the full fat version with whipped cream on top, but it is yummy and really hits the spot on a hot summer day. To order, say "Grande mocha frappucino light."

Calories: 140, Fat: 1g, Carbs: 34g, Protein: 4g, Calcium: 10%, Caffeine: 95mg

#5: Skinny Caramel Macchiato
I order this in venti, and it has sugar free vanilla syrup, nonfat milk, espresso, foam, and a caramel drizzle. It's so rich and you're being so good, but it feels so bad. To order, say "Venti skinny caramel macchiato."


Calories: 160, Fat: 1g, Carbs: 25g, Protein: 13g, Calcium: 45%, Caffeine: 150mg

Honorable Mention (Non-Coffee Favorites): Chai Latte (Hot or Iced)
Pretty much the only tea I drink. I used to order this all the time, but since I can get the Tazo chai concentrate in regular and decaf at Target for about $4 (it makes around 6 servings), I never order it anymore. It's still delicious, it just tastes as good at home for less than $1. I listed the calories for a grande size in both hot and iced. To order, say "Grande (decaf) nonfat chai latte."

Calories: 200, Fat: 0g, Carbs: 44g, Protein: 8g, Calcium: 25%, Caffeine: 100mg

Honorable Mention (Non-Coffee Favorites): Peppermint Hot Chocolate
Their hot chocolate is so good. I order a "short" (kids) size for just a taste, and - bonus - it's under $2! To order, say "Short nonfat, no whip peppermint hot chocolate."

Calories: 170, Fat: 2g, Carbs: 35g, Protein: 6g, Calcium: 20%, Caffeine: 15mg




One more hint: PLEASE pay with a registered gift card!! You save about 80 cents on each venti drink, you get a free drink on your birthday, and you can easily reload it online. Why wouldn't you use one??