Ordering Vegan at Starbucks

Ordering vegan can be difficult when out at a public place, especially when it comes to specialty drinks. Starbucks is one of the many chain coffee stores that vegans or lactose-free drinkers can maneuver through the menu as long as they are a little ingredient savvy.

Luckily, most Starbucks offer soy or coconut milk, so a few easy swaps can make a rich drink vegan and lactose-intolerant friendly. The gingerbread latte, peppermint mocha, cinnamon latte and toffee nut can all be made vegan with a simple swap from real milk to a soy or coconut base.

Ask the barista to leave out any whipped cream, caramel, protein powder and chocolate chips for any drink and you’re already half way to vegan without sacrificing taste or drink consistency.

Unfortunately, there will still be a few drinks that cannot be made vegan, such as pumpkin spice anything, white chocolate mocha, caramel brulee and light frappuccinos. The dairy to everything else ratio of these drinks are much higher than any other and there is really no way to substitute or leave it out completely and still have a drink with more than coffee and ice.

When the main element of the drink cannot be altered or substituted, it most likely cannot be made vegan, but with so many other drink options available, no vegan will miss them.

Be sure to read through the menu carefully and keep an eye out for seasonal drinks that can be made vegan.