Macro Friendly Starbucks Drinks: Here’s What to Order

Whether I’m dieting or not, there are a handful of things that I just refuse to omit from my diet, and coffee is one of them. While most of the coffee I drink is done at home, I also enjoy a drink from a coffee shop or drive thru a couple of times per week, and Starbucks is usually a convenient and popular option for me.

Before I started tracking macros a few years ago and really paying attention to what I was consuming, I never thought twice about ordering a coffee drink from the drive through. New speciality drink with all the fixings? Sign me up!

However, as I’ve learned and grown in the nutrition realm and really leaned into it, I have started to look for ways to be able to enjoy some of my favorite things, but at less of a caloric expense. This is especially pertinent for drinks - I am not a fan of drinking my calories/macros, I’d much rather save them for actual food!

Enter: Macro-Friendly Starbucks Drinks. Yes, they exist, and yes, you are encouraged to enjoy them, if that’s your thing. In this article, I’m going to share my top picks for macro-friendly drinks at Starbucks so that you can feel empowered to enjoy your coffee without blowing your macros for the day.

Speaking of empowered, I’ll also tell you how to order these drinks so you don’t feel awkward at the window 😉.

How to Know What Coffee Drinks Are Macro-Friendly

If you aren’t sure what you’re looking for when you head to the drive through, it can be tough to choose the healthier options. In general, the fancier and more delicious that the drink sounds, the higher the calories and fat it will contain.

Coffee in and of itself is very low calorie, however, it’s the milks, creams, and sweeteners that we add to it that cause it to carry a heavy caloric load that can be damaging to your weight loss goals if not monitored or tracked properly.

A good rule of thumb is to keep your drink order as simple and plain as possible while still enjoying the drink that you’re getting - I mean who wants to overpay for a drink that doesn’t even taste good?

Tips For Ordering Healthier Starbucks Drinks

If you’re looking to keep your Starbucks drinks on the lighter side, these tips and tricks will help you do so:

• Swap out whole milk for skim milk, almond milk, or oat milk
• Ask for fewer pumps of flavored syrups
• Swap regular syrups for sugar-free options
• Ask for your drink to be “skinny” or unsweetened

Let’s dig into my top picks for the best macro-friendly Starbucks drink orders next!

Macro-Friendly Starbucks Drink Swaps & Ideas

Below are a handful of popular macro-friendly Starbucks drinks and how to order them.

1. Macro-Friendly Caramel Macchiato

2. Macro-Friendly White Mocha

3. Macro-Friendly Snickerdoodle Latte

4. Macro-Friendly Pink Drink

5. Macro-Friendly Chai Tea Latte

6. Macro-Friendly French Vanilla Cold Brew

7. Macro-Friendly Matcha Tea Latte

Classic Macro-Friendly Starbucks Drink Orders

If you’re not into a lengthy drink order or you feel weird about making swaps, the following are the classic versions of popular Starbucks drinks. 

If you went to the window and ordered any of these drinks without requesting any certain modifications, your barista will make these according to Starbucks specifications. The great news is that there are many macro-friendly options! These drinks are perfect for those who don’t want to mess around with fancy drink orders that include confusing swaps and substitutions.

The calories and macros for each drink outlined below are reflective of a grande (16 oz.) cup.

Cold Drinks

1. Nitro Cold Brew

Calories: 5

This is basically a cup of black coffee, but elevated. If you’re a black coffee drinker, a Nitro Cold Brew is as macro-friendly as you'll get with just 5 calories for a grande.

2. Vanilla Sweet Cream Nitro Cold Brew

If you’re like me and you need a little cream to make your coffee both tolerable and enjoyable, the Vanilla Sweet Cream Nitro Cold Brew is a great option. It adds just enough sweetness to make this beverage a creamy, enjoyable experience. This flavor variation includes just a splash of Starbucks’ Vanilla Sweet Cream without any additional added sugars or syrups.

3. Iced Caffe Americano

If you like strong coffee and want to drink it black, an iced Caffe Americano will serve you well. With 3 shots of espresso and the Signature Espresso Roast, this simple drink packs a powerful punch, but without any extra calories or fat.

4. Iced Coffee

A Grande Starbucks Iced Coffee comes with 4 pumps of Classic Syrup, which accounts for the bulk of the 80 calories in this drink and ensures that the drink is sweet, however, if you like a little cream in your coffee, you’re going to want to factor that into your macros.

5. Iced Chocolate Almondmilk Shaked Espresso

This specialty iced coffee drink includes almond milk, chocolate malt powder, and 3 shots of espresso. As far as specialty drinks go, this one is actually very macro-friendly and one to reach for when you want something fancy and palatable but don’t want to blow all your macros on one drink.

6. Iced Flat White

This coffee beverage is made with ristretto, cold foamed milk and served over ice. Ordered as is, this drink will contain whole milk, however, you can swap for a lesser calorie milk if you want to save a few calories.

7. Iced Caffe Latte

The Iced Caffe Latte is fairly basic in that it contains 2 shots of espresso and 2% milk, keeping the calories on the lower end at 130. Adding in a flavored sweetener would up your calories and macros a bit.

Hot Drinks

1. Medium Roast Pike Place

A basic cup of black coffee, nothing more, nothing less.

2. Hot Caffe Americano

This is your basic, black coffee but with 3 shots of espresso. If you like strong, hot, black coffee, this one is easy to fit into your macro budget.

3. Caffe Misto

This hot coffee drink includes 2% milk foam, which gives it a decent boost in calories when compared to a cup of plain coffee, but much more enjoyment if black coffee isn’t your thing.

4. Caramel Macchiato

A caramel macchiato includes 2% milk, 3 pumps of vanilla syrup and caramel drizzle topping, giving it 250 calories per grande serving, which is certainly on the higher end.

5. Cappuccino

A classic Starbucks Cappuccino includes 2% milk and 2 shots of espresso.

6. Hot Caffe Latte

The Hot Caffe Latte contains 2% milk and 2 shots of espresso and has a decent amount of calories with 190 per Grande cup.

Wrapping Up

Whether you’re looking for Starbucks drinks that are naturally on the lighter end or you want to create a special order, this list should provide you with a place to start and some helpful pointers for getting the perfect drink to match your macronutrient needs. 

If you’re like me and you love a good coffee while you’re out and about but you don’t want to risk going way over on your macros or sacrificing nutrient-dense foods, this macro-friendly Starbucks Drink list is going to be your new best friend!

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