Here are the best bang-for-your-buck coffees and creamers sold in supermarkets for students to get their caffeine fix

By Erin Fell

When news broke this summer that the Starbucks on the corner of Marshall Street and University Avenue closed, we think us Syracuse University students all lost a part of ourselves. We will never forget configuring our routes to class to make sure we had the time for our mid-day cold brew fix at that Starbucks. 

However, it is time to put our thinking caps on to sustain our wonderful – yet expensive – tradition of sipping coffee before class. 

Although daunting, and maybe not ideal, making delicious, personalized coffee drinks in the four walls of your dorm room can be fun and doable with the right supplies. Here, we will show you different materials and ingredients you can use to concoct your favorite coffee order right in your home.

First, we’ll start with the bases. Different brands of cold brews and iced coffees are sold everywhere in supermarkets within a 10 minute drive of campus, such as Trader Joes, Target, and Wegmans. We prefer the unsweetened stuff, so that you have more wiggle room with sugars and creamers to reach that perfect sweet spot. Our favorite cold brews that are not too hefty in pricing are Chobani, The Buzz, and Stok.

If iced is not your thing in these frigid autumn and winter months in upstate New York, hot coffee is also an accessible option. Homegrounds writes an article ranking the best-bang-for-your-buck coffee and espresso machines. It includes materials needed for each and a guide on what makes each machine more or less expensive.

Next step: creamers. Our favorite brands of creamer range from dairy to non-dairy and have countless different flavors and consistencies. We love Chobani creamers for their decent price for 24 ounce containers. Nut pods are also a favorite of ours for their ethically sourced ingredients that are easy on your stomach. The Food Network released an article on the best store bought creamers that paint a picture of what to look for in your own creamer products.

Aside from creamers and coffees, we have a few more tricks up our sleeve to take your at-home coffee to the next level. We personally like a little sprinkle of cinnamon to top off our coffee creations. It has an autumnal feel that adds another dimension of flavor. Last but not least, our personal favorite gadget has to be a milk frother. Available for as little as $6 on Amazon, you can foamify any milk or creamer of your choosing for some extra flare. We suggest adding about a teaspoon of cinnamon to your creamer before frothing, then pouring on top of your coffee drink. This tastes exactly like the $8 grande latte you would purchase everyday — if Marshall Street Starbucks were still around.