What would life be without coffee? I LITERALLY CAN’T EVEN imagine. (If you’re not a coffee drinker, feel free to skip over this article but PS, HOW THE FUCK DO YOU FUNCTION ON A DAILY BASIS?) I’m always looking for ways to spice up my coffee routine at home so I don’t spend $238742974 a week at Starbucks. Check out some of these ideas so you can enjoy your at-home java even more.
1. Coconut oil. I’ve been doing this for a while now and it’s a major game changer. Add a spoonful of coconut oil to your coffee for added health benefits, extra flavor, and to, um, get your system moving (pro tip: make sure a bathroom is nearby). See also: Hangover cures.
2. Toss your Keurig. Confession: I have a Keurig and it’s been cool/convenient over the years, but I’m finally starting to come to terms with how bad K-cups are for the environment and how real brewed coffee just tastes better. If you have counter space (New Yorkers not applicable), you can keep your Keurig alongside a regular coffee pot or French press for when you have more time to brew a better cup. There are also some amazing cappucino and espresso machines on the market from $100 to $5K (btw, if you’re going to spend $5K on a coffee maker, can I borrow like 200 bucks?). Keep the thing filled with water and you’ll have freshly brewed cups of coffee (almost) just as quick as a Keurig.
3. Then buy legit coffee. I’m sorry Folgers, I love your commercials, but your coffee tastes like shit. Spoiler alert: There’s a reason why it’s $3.99 for a 27-gallon cannister. Order yourself some fancy Costa Rican beans, or my absolute fave Baby’s Coffee from Key West (it’ll be like vacay every day!), or at least spring for Dunkin Donuts or Green Mountain in the grocery store.
Nobody puts Baby’s in the corner.
4. Try a new flavor. You can cut back (or cut out) your sugar/fake sweetener by using any of the following to spice up your cup: Cinnamon, ground cardamom, vanilla extract, almond extract. And for you Splenda addicts (for the love of God, please tell me no one still uses Equal or Sweet’N Low), consider switching to a natural sweetener. I was a yellow packet queen, but I’ve majorly cut back (because cancer and stuff) and now use a teaspoon of stevia in my morning cup or sometimes even real sugar (GASP!), which you shouldn’t be scared of in small doses! At the end of the day, it’s better for your body than the fake stuff.
5. Get your mugs on point. Mugs are hotter than ever right now, so there is no reason why you should be sipping the most important drink of the day from the same lame ass mug you got at a work conference years ago. Check out Urban Outfitters (“Don’t care” mug below), Etsy, and Zazzle for some of the sassiest.
6. Add a splash of Bailey’s Irish Cream if it’s the weekend and you need hair of the dog + caffeine jolt…..or if it’s a random Tuesday because YOLO.
Bottoms up, betches!
LYLAS,
Ashley
Feature image from Etsy.