Today's Tip: Coffee Creamer...thumbs up or down?

When I was growing up, making coffee was pretty simple - my parents bought the big can of Folgers and made coffee every morning.  Since then, coffee has come a LONG way!  Now most grocery stores have an entire aisle dedicated to different brands of coffee, coffee beans, ground coffee, grind your own, etc.  Head to the milk section and you'll find shelves filled with various coffee creamers that can turn that cup of coffee into a bit of a dessert.  So is that a bad thing?

Well, the key to anything is moderation.  And it's really easy to overdo a serving size, so if you like to use those flavored creamers be sure to measure!  One tablespoon typically equals about 35-40 calories and if you choose the fat free or sugar free, you are putting a lot of artificial gunk into your body every morning.

So what are some other options?  No doubt I love my coffee, but instead of creamer I just froth up some skim milk (thank you Connie for teaching me that tip!) and enjoy the taste of the coffee.  Or if you must have the flavored creamer, look for the new Coffee Mate Natural Bliss with no artificial ingredients.  Target 1-2 days a week where you indulge & use your favorite creamer, and the others days go with steamed milk in your coffee.  Add a little cinnamon & Truvia for that sweet kick if you like. 

Stats on the Coffee Mate Natural creamers?  There's Vanilla, Sweet Cream, Low Fat Vanilla, and Low Fat Chocolate - a 1Tbsp. serving has 20 - 35 calories, 1 - 1.5g fat, 5 - 10mg sodium, 3 - 5g carbs, 0g fiber, 3 - 5g sugars, and 0g protein (PointsPlus® value 1*).  Yes, those calories count so don't forget to factor those into your overall food plan each day!

All this said, my parents still buy the Folgers can and make their coffee every morning.  Even in this day and age, some things never change...and that's kind of comforting!