It’s that time of year again – 2017’s festive drinks are on their way from your favourite big-name coffee shops. Alright, so it’s only the first week of November, but love it or hate it, it’s time to brace yourself as it’s almost time to get out the tinsel and shake your jingle bells as we head into the festive season.
The big three coffee shops have put away their Halloween tat for another year and are this week launching their Christmas menus, featuring all sorts of amazing-sounding drinks.
If you’re a coffee purist, sipping your small batch, single-origin, whole roasted americano, then this probably isn’t for you. However, if you’re like me and love the sound of the latest syrup-loaded, sugar-laden lattes then come with me as we take a look at the nutritional details of this year’s offerings from all the major coffee shop chains.
So you can make an informed choice about whether they’re worth splurging on or if they’re so not worth the calories, we’ve poured over the nutritional details so you don’t have to. Spoiler alert: there is a lot of sugar. A. Lot.
The ultimate guide to festive drinks 2017
Starbucks
Festive menu launches: 3rd November
Toffee Nut Latte
(made with real hazelnut topping and semi-skimmed milk as standard)
Tall: 264 calories, 11.3g fat, 31g carbs, 28.5g sugar, 9.5g protein
Grande: 348 calories, 14.3g fat, 41.4g carbs, 38.7g sugar, 13.5g protein
Venti: 416 calories, 15.g fat, 51.4g carbs, 47.6g sugar, 17g protein
Cut the calories: Switch the semi-skimmed for almond milk and grab a tall drink for 203 calories.
Gingerbread Latte
(made with semi-skimmed milk as standard)
Tall: 258 calories, 10.6g fat, 31.6g carbs, 28.8g sugar, 9.2g protein
Grande: 343 calories, 13.5g fat, 42.1g carbs, 39.2g sugar, 13.1g protein
Venti: 412 calories, 15.1g fat, 52.3g carbs, 48.3g sugar, 16.5g protein
Cut the calories: Almond milk is now offered as a milk alternative at all Starbucks shops and it’s a great low-calorie option. However, we know the watery taste isn’t for everyone. Starbucks also offer coconut milk, which would bring the calories of a tall gingerbread latte down to 238.
Eggnog Latte
Tall: 271 calories, 9.5g fat, 36.8g carbs, 33.8g sugar, 9.1g protein
Grande: 344 calories, 12.1g fat, 46.5g carbs, 43.1g sugar, 11.4g protein
Venti: 450 calories, 15.8g fat, 61g carbs, 56.3g sugar, 15g protein
Cut the calories: Slashing calories is hard to do with an eggnog latte because you can’t switch out the milk or the syrup as it’s all pre-mixed, so 271 calories for a tall is the lowest you’re going to get unless you ask for a diddy Short drink (169 cals). 56g of sugar, by the way, is comparable to drinking just under two cans of Coke. Or eating 14 teaspoons of sugar. Yikes.
Fudge Hot Chocolate
Tall: 257 calories, 11.7g fat, 36.6g carbs, 31.2g sugar, 0.1g protein
Grande: 315 calories, 13.8g fat, 46.1g carbs, 39.3g sugar, 0.1g protein
Venti: 414 calories, 16.6g fat, 63.8g carbs, 53.8g sugar, 0.1g protein
Cut the calories: Like the eggnog latte, it’s difficult to make any calorie swaps for the fudge hot chocolate, but you could always ask for a Short if you want to get a fudge hit but still keep it under 200 calories (198 calories, to be exact).
Festive Cold Brew
(cold brew coffee infused with a Christmassy spiced syrup and finished with cranberries and orange peel)
Tall: 25 calories, 0.1g fat, 5.5g carbs, 5.3g sugar, 0.3g protein
Grande: 33 calories, 0.1g fat, 7.5g carbs, 7.2g sugar, 0.3g protein
Venti: 41 calories, 0.1g fat, 9.5g carbs, 9.1g sugar, 0.4g protein
Cut the calories: You don’t need to get lower than 25 calories, surely?! This is one to have when you’re all sugared-out and can’t stand the thought of another festive latte.
Caffe Nero
Available now
Clementine Latte
Regular: 129 calories, 3.3g fat, 19.2g carbs, 17.5g sugar, 5.7g protein
Grande: 204 calories, 5.2g fat, 29.7g carbs, 28g sugar, 9.6g protein
Cut the calories: Make the switch to soya milk and the regular size will be 127 calories, saving er…2 calories.
Gingerbread Latte
Regular: 142 calories, 2.6g fat, 24.2g carbs, 22.5g sugar, 5.5g protein
Grande: 229 calories, 4.5g fat, 37.6g carbs, 35.9g sugar, 9.5g protein
Cut the calories: Caffe Nero only publish details of their drinks made with the standard semi-skimmed milk or soya milk, and if we’re honest for the sake of saving 5 calories by switching to soya milk we’d rather go for the semi-skimmed.
Roasted hazelnut latte
Regular: 148 calories, 2.6g fat, 26g carbs, 23.6g sugar, 5.5g protein
Grande: 235 calories, 4.6g fat, 39.4g carbs, 37g sugar, 9.6g protein
Salted caramel latte
Regular: 153 calories, 2.7g fat, 27g carbs, 24.6g sugar, 5.6g protein
Grande: 238 calories, 4.6g fat, 40.1g carbs, 37.7g sugar, 9.6g protein
Costa
Available from the 3rd November.
Billionaire’s Hot Chocolate
Primo: 356 calories, 11.5g fat, 38.5g carbs, 31.7g sugar, 8.8g protein
Medio: 528 calories, 24.4g fat, 62.6g carbs, 51.6g sugar, 12.9g protein
Massimo: 789 calories, 22.1g fat, 97.1g carbs, 79.3g sugar, 19.3g protein
Cut the calories: Costa’s Billionaire’s hot chocolate has the dubious pleasure of being the drink with the highest calories and sugar on our list. If you have a Primo with skimmed milk you can bring the calories down to 294.
Billionaire’s Latte
One size (Medio): 416 calories, 21.3g fat, 46.g carbs, 41.7g sugar, 9.7g protein
Cut the calories: Ask for it with skimmed milk instead and you’ll bring it down to 341 calories.
Black Forest Hot Chocolate
Primo: 363 calories, 19.6g fat, 35.3g carbs, 29.8g sugar, 10.2g protein
Medio: 477 calories, 23.3g fat, 49.7g carbs, 41.7g sugar, 14.2g protein
Massimo: 673 calories, 31.7g fat, 73.8g carbs, 60.7g sugar, 20.4g protein
Cut the calories: Ask for a Primo made with soya milk to cut it down to 309 calories.
Gingerbread Latte
Primo: 227 calories, 10.2g fat, 13g carbs, 11g sugar, 6.9g protein
Medio: 312 calories, 22g fat, 18.1g carbs, 15.9g sugar, 10.5g protein
Massimo: 380 calories, 27.3g fat, 21.1g carbs, 18.7g sugar, 12.5g protein
Cut the calories: A Primo gingerbread latte made with soya milk clocks in at 183 calories
Honeycomb Latte
Primo: 303 calories, 17.3g fat, 30.2g carbs, 27.7g sugar, 6.6g protein
Medio: 384 calories, 21.4g fat, 39.2g carbs, 35.9g sugar, 8.9g protein
Massimo: 483 calories, 27.1g fat, 49.3g carbs, 45.1g sugar, 10.9g protein
Cut the calories: A Primo with skimmed milk is 248 calories.
Salted Caramel Cappuccino
Primo: 110 calories, 6g fat, 8.7g carbs, 8.3g sugar, 5.2g protein
Medio: 169 calories, 9.4g fat, 13g carbs, 12.4g sugar, 8.2g protein
Massimo: 212 calories, 11.8g fat, 16.2g carbs, 15.4g sugar, 10.4g protein
Cut the calories: The salted caramel cappuccino is a good option to go for as cappuccinos are lower in calories than lattes as they use less milk. If you ordered a Primo made with skimmed milk it’d set you back only 61 calories.
Mint Hot Chocolate
Primo: 373 calories, 19.2g fat, 39.3g carbs, 33.5g sugar, 10.2g protein
Medio: 499 calories, 23.4g fat, 56.9g carbs, 48.2g sugar, 14.2g protein
Massimo: 697 calories, 30.4g fat, 83.2g carbs, 69.2g sugar, 19.7g protein
Cut the calories: Get a Primo made with skimmed milk and slash it down to 297 calories
Lindt Hot Chocolate
One size: 329 calories, 12.7g fat, 40.1 carbs, 32.1g sugar, 10.7g protein
We had this last year and tbh, it was pretty amazing. If you’re a chocoholic then it’s a total treat and it’s basically just like drinking melted Lindt chocolate. There are no modifications to be made with this so if you like the sound of it, make some room in your daily calorie budget and treat yourself.
Hot Spiced Apple
Primo: 79 calories, 1.4g fat, 15.2g carbs, 13.1g sugar, 1.6g protein
Medio: 122 calories, 2.2g fat, 23.9g carbs, 20.9g sugar, 2.5g protein
Cut the calories: As this isn’t made with milk you can’t cut calories that way, so with this what you see is what you get.
Look out for Part 2 of our Ultimate Guide coming soon: with a round-up of other chains who (probably) feel like Christmas hype should only be allowed once Bonfire Night is over. Quite right, too. Bah humbug.
