Whenever I am in the mood for a rich coffee drink, I often find myself walking over to the local Starbucks. There is so much variety and, for a java junkie like me, it is a little piece of heaven on earth. But, while other people in line are ordering their half-caff, double shot, nonfat, sugar free vanilla monstrosities, I have only one thing in mind – a Misto.
A Misto is Starbucks lingo for a Café au Lait, which is a fancy way of saying a coffee with milk. “So why the big deal?” you’re asking, “Why not brew up a cup of joe at home?” Well, my doubting friend, there is a lot more to a Misto than meets the eye.
Much like a Latté, a Misto is a shot of coffee or two topped with heated milk. The milk for a Latté, however is steamed, while the Misto sports half-scalded milk that gives the drink a bit of a warm, yet creamy twist. Plus, even though a darker roast of coffee is typically used in the Misto, it is a more subtle, delicate flavor than its Latté counterpart.
Another advantage of the Misto is the price. While a Latté is $3 and change, the Grande Misto rings in at just over $2. While that may not seem like much, it does add up. Think of it this way, if you make 3 coffee trips per week, that is roughly a $16 savings that can buy, well….more coffee!
As for nutrition, a Grande Misto weighs in slightly healthier than the Latté according to the Starbucks nutrition page. With the standard 2% milk option, is only 110 calories and 4 total grams of fat. Add to that the 7 grams of protein, and 25% of your daily calcium, and the Misto is a pretty decent choice overall. If you are concerned about fat, the nonfat option of this drink, in a Grande size, is only 70 calories and 0 grams of total fat – the calcium and protein remain the same. Even better for you health conscious caffeine addicts!
I have also started using the Starbucks card, charged weekly with my budgeted amount of java cash. The benefit of this, besides keeping my coffee spending in line with the rest of my budget, is that it allows me to add flavor shots to my drink at no cost.
So, if I’m feeling like I want a not-so-sweet mocha in the afternoon, I’ll add a shot of chocolate. If I want something tingly and cool, I opt for the peppermint shots. For a warm, comforting, autumn flavor I go for a shot of Cinnamon. Any flavor that is behind the coffee bar is fair game, and can be added for free if you pay with your Startbucks card. Not too bad, considering you are getting a flavorful cup of heaven for only a few dollars!
So remember, next time you go to Starbucks, instead of opting for the $4 mega drink, give the Misto a try!
