Paige StrandWe all remember the last time we visited our favourite coffee shop, as the air turned from cold oxygen to coffee-infused elegance; also, because that visit was likely this morning. It comes as no surprise that young adults total 40 percent of Starbucks’ sales. In fact, the average client visits the franchise a monthly minimum of six times, while thousands of Canadians end up visiting on a daily basis.
A recent census report indicated that 42% of Canadians between the ages of twenty to twenty-nine still live with their parents, and are financially unable to obtain property- this is particularly an issue in metropolis cities. With housing and even rent prices growing further from reach, our budgets can require a tightening at times to insure we can meet our goals. Luckily, Starbucks is never too far from reach, as there are still ways to satisfy your summer cravings during the financially difficult times- in fact, making your own Starbucks can actually save you as much as $2,700 annually, depending on your habit- it just has to be made right.
From a former Starbucks Barista, here are a few of your favourites explained so that you can make them at home.
Tea Lemonade
Tea – There is plenty of freedom here, as you can purchase the exact tea (black, green or passion) that is used by Starbucks to make your favourite, or you can experiment with another tea that you like. Purchasing the exact Starbucks tea online will cost you $5.75 for a twenty-four pack, but other brands are available at an even lower cost. Starbucks brews tea in concentrated quantities to compensate for the melting ice, therefore I usually let four tea bags steep in 1L of water for thirty minutes- it really depends on how strong you would like it.
Classic Syrup – Originally the drink calls for 3-5 shots of Classic syrup depending on the size of drink. The Starbucks Classic Syrup can be purchased in-store for approximately $10 in a 1L bottle. One pump of syrup is considered equal to a sugar or Splenda packet, which stand as efficient substitutes. A Tall (350mL) typically requires three pumps of Classic, whereas a Grande (470mL) requires four, and a Venti (750mL) requires five.
Lemonade – This area I have found to be quite flexible, as no particular brand changes the flavour, and there are many cost efficient options ranging as low as $2 for 2L. Starbucks uses their own design of pitcher which indicates the recipe with fill lines, therefore we can either order it online or figure out the measurements independently- continued preference is one-third of tea, one-third of lemonade and one-third of ice, shaken if possible.
Frozen Blended Beverages
Coffee – For the caffeine component of a Starbucks blended beverage, Starbucks uses a uniquely concentrated solution known as “Frappuccino Roast”, which holds its power when in contact with strong dairy flavours. I would recommend highly strong coffee- 30mL for a 350mL portion, 45mL for a 470mL portion, and 60mL for a 750mL portion. If you have an Espresso machine, I would recommend one shot for a Tall, two for a Grande, or three for a Venti.
Milk – There is plenty of freedom here, as any milk or dairy-substitute is possible to use. For those wanting to stick to the script, the default milk used in a Starbucks blended beverage is whole milk, and recommended quantity here ranges from one to two cups.
Base & Ice – The invisible ingredient in this favourite is the thickening base, which is not available for sale. To emulate this, I recommend small quantities of Pectin, a banana or levelling up your ice quantity. As for ice, it can be easily broken down as one-third of the total product, but feel free to adjust this to your liking.
Flavours – Unlike Starbucks, you can use any ingredient you see fit! Once you combine all of the ingredients mentioned above, you can look into the desired flavour- Oreos are a nice touch, as are Skor bits and chocolate sauce. You can also purchase any of the Starbucks 1L syrups for approximately $10 in-store, as they tend to last quite a while in home use.
These are just two ideas to get you started- there are many drinks that can inspire homemade summer creations, and we hope that this budget-friendly assistance will help to turn your goals into actions, and get closer to that new apartment you have your eye on. Feel free to visit the Starbucks website for more inspiration.