How did you transition to black coffee?

13

Replies

  • JustaNoob
    JustaNoob Posts: 147 Member
    lemurcat2 wrote: »
    eater_78 wrote: »
    Why don't you just use 2% milk instead of creamer? Or start with 3.2% and then get lower right down to 0%.

    This, maybe try switching creamer to milk and then reduce the amount of milk (or try lower cal milk like skim). That seems way easier to me than going cold turkey. But yes, also try getting better coffee vs whatever your work stuff is, if it's not good.

    Not saying you can't spent cals on creamer if you like, just throwing out ideas if you want to reduce the cals.

    I may have to go this way... like tapering down first rather than a cold turkey. I've done sugarfree creamers and got it down to 60 per cup, but I haven't been loving it as much lately. In December, I let myself go crazy with the holiday flavors so I've been trying to slowly get it back down.
  • MsCzar
    MsCzar Posts: 1,039 Member


    I took my coffee with cream and two heaping teaspoons of sugar for-EVAH and didn't think I'd ever give that up. First, I went down to one heaping - then not so heaping teaspoon of sugar. About a year later, I slowly backed off the H&H - going from three tablespoons to my current one. I don't mind black coffee - and prefer drip coffee black - but now I drink 3 12 oz. mugs with a little less than 1T each. So maybe reducing the amount of creamer slowly might work for you.
  • ReenieHJ
    ReenieHJ Posts: 9,724 Member
    I'd like to know what constitutes a 'good' coffee for everybody?
    At our store we have these choices:
    Starbucks
    Green Mtn. Roasters
    Dunkin'
    Along with the normal Maxwell House, Folger's type brands which I usually buy and add milk/sugar. I'd like to get away from adding anything to my morning cup as well but haven't found any brand that I can do that with. And I admit I'd not very adventurous when it comes to flavors because I've tried too many I just don't like.

    I've tried tea as well and don't care for most I've tried. :(
  • JustaNoob
    JustaNoob Posts: 147 Member
    MsCzar wrote: »

    I took my coffee with cream and two heaping teaspoons of sugar for-EVAH and didn't think I'd ever give that up. First, I went down to one heaping - then not so heaping teaspoon of sugar. About a year later, I slowly backed off the H&H - going from three tablespoons to my current one. I don't mind black coffee - and prefer drip coffee black - but now I drink 3 12 oz. mugs with a little less than 1T each. So maybe reducing the amount of creamer slowly might work for you.

    I tried this this morning. I just put a tablespoon of half n half-- it wasn't my favorite but I did drink it. It's also a mental thing where if my coffee is too dark, I think it won't be good lol. But it wasn't too bad!
  • goal06082021
    goal06082021 Posts: 2,130 Member
    ReenieHJ wrote: »
    I'd like to know what constitutes a 'good' coffee for everybody?
    At our store we have these choices:
    Starbucks
    Green Mtn. Roasters
    Dunkin'
    Along with the normal Maxwell House, Folger's type brands which I usually buy and add milk/sugar. I'd like to get away from adding anything to my morning cup as well but haven't found any brand that I can do that with. And I admit I'd not very adventurous when it comes to flavors because I've tried too many I just don't like.

    I've tried tea as well and don't care for most I've tried. :(

    In order from most to least ideal:

    * Buy whole beans, freshly roasted, from a local coffee roastery, and grind a few tablespoons at a time fresh as-needed. A++ 10/10 excellent coffee-drinking experience, no matter how you prepare it.
    * Buy whole beans, freshly roasted, online from an independent coffee roastery that will ship to you, and grind a few tablespoons at at time fresh as-needed.
    * Buy whole beans from a local coffee shop; they will probably grind them for you, if you ask.
    * Buy ground coffee from a local coffee shop.
    * Buy ground coffee online from an independent roastery or a service like Trade Coffee.
    * Buy whole beans from the grocery store/national chain coffee shop (it's the same supply lines serving both locations, Dunkin/SBux isn't roasting their coffee on-site) - may be able to get them to grind it at the store/shop.
    * Buy ground coffee from the grocery store/national chain coffee shop.

    If it's been a while since you cleaned your coffee-making apparatus, whatever you use, give that a good cleaning. The whole thing, not just the carafe. You can run diluted white vinegar through a Keurig or drip coffeemaker to clean the mechanism. We have a gen 1 Keurig that my husband uses most of the time. I'll do about 2 tbsp vinegar in a mug of water, then run the Keurig with just water 5-6 times until I can't smell vinegar anymore. Occasionally I'll take a damp cloth and (carefully!) wipe out the chamber where the K-cup sits. It gets scungy in there.

    You might also consider making your coffee differently. A French press, Aeropress, or pour-over cone are all inexpensive coffee-making apparatuses that aren't difficult to figure out, and they're all considerably easier to keep clean than a Mr. Coffee or Keurig.
  • MsCzar
    MsCzar Posts: 1,039 Member
    edited February 2021
    I fresh grind Mayorga Cubano beans every morning and use a stove-top percolator. Not sure if it helps, but I do that old trick of pouring a wee bit of cold water into the spout to calm the grounds right after brewing. The fresh coffee is poured through a fine sieve into a pre-warmed 12 oz. mug with 1T h&h. That first cup is always heaven. HOT is very important.

    BTW - Does anybody else suspect Dunkin of adding sugar or flavoring to their coffee or creamer? The grind/beans/Keurig they sell never tastes quite like the store coffee. And the store coffee is always suspiciously delish. 🤔
  • ellybess
    ellybess Posts: 3 Member
    Well I never thought I could, but I actually had to do a bland diet due to my cholesterol and I decided to drink more water along with that. After a few weeks of drinking so much water just straight black coffee tasted great, I just did a medium roast, which that might help ease the bitterness, also try different brands, I find some brands of coffee I hate just plain black and some don't even need any extra flavoring they are just that good on their own.

    Of course it does not have to be all or nothing, you can always save a nice 300cal coffee for a special day! I love Starbucks frappes and I'll have some on occasion with almond milk and no whipped cream, that alone will knock off some of those calories. Other suggestions on this thread have been great too!
  • goal06082021
    goal06082021 Posts: 2,130 Member
    edited February 2021
    MsCzar wrote: »
    I fresh grind Mayorga Cubano beans every morning and use a stove-top percolator. Not sure if it helps, but I do that old trick of pouring a wee bit of cold water into the spout to calm the grounds right after brewing. The fresh coffee is poured through a fine sieve into a pre-warmed 12 oz. mug with 1T h&h. That first cup is always heaven. HOT is very important.

    BTW - Does anybody else suspect Dunkin of adding sugar or flavoring to their coffee or creamer? The grind/beans/Keurig they sell never tastes quite like the store coffee. And the store coffee is always suspiciously delish. 🤔

    I would bet the Dunkin is making your coffee with fresher beans than you get if you buy Dunkin coffee to use at home, so that's going to contribute to a better cup of coffee for sure, although I wouldn't put it past them to secretly sweeten their coffee or creamer in-store. It's been literal years since I've bought anything at a Dunkin, though, coffee or otherwise, so I couldn't say for sure.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
    ReenieHJ wrote: »
    I'd like to know what constitutes a 'good' coffee for everybody?
    At our store we have these choices:
    Starbucks
    Green Mtn. Roasters
    Dunkin'
    Along with the normal Maxwell House, Folger's type brands which I usually buy and add milk/sugar. I'd like to get away from adding anything to my morning cup as well but haven't found any brand that I can do that with. And I admit I'd not very adventurous when it comes to flavors because I've tried too many I just don't like.

    I've tried tea as well and don't care for most I've tried. :(

    We have a local roaster in my little village down on main street that we get our weekend and special occasion coffee...they just moved here from Seattle a couple of years ago and do a fabulous job. We typically only drink it on weekends though or if we have guests because it's not particularly cheap. We also are big into supporting local when we can. We buy the beans whole and grind them fresh when we want to use them.

    There are also several good, local coffee shops in the metro area who don't roast, but they bring in some pretty good stuff.

    We get our daily get up and go coffee from Costco and there are a couple of different ones we like...and again, whole bean and ground fresh when we're ready to use it.

    You also have to consider the bean as well as the roast. There are two main types of beans...Arabica and Robusta...Arabica beans tend to make the best coffee. Then there's the roast. I personally find a light roast to be a bit sour. My preference is a medium roast which are medium brown in color with no oil on the surface...I also find a medium roast to have a nice bright acidity, but still keeping a variety of aromatics like "fruity" or "floral"...most Colombian coffees are a medium. I find dark roasts and very dark roasts to be too bitter for my taste and I do cut those with milk...think French or Italian Roasts. One of the reasons I don't like Starbucks is that they practically char their beans...
  • useyourthorns
    useyourthorns Posts: 30 Member
    edited February 2021
    I'm not supposed to have dairy of any sort, so been using oatmilk. (Which I need to change bc its got too much sugar.) My issue with black coffee is its too acidic tasting, but found an alternative to creamer was to add powdered bone broth. (Its doesn't dissolve in water well, but in the summer you can stick the mess in a blender for a cold coffee.) If that is helpful for anyone.
  • cgage0501
    cgage0501 Posts: 2 Member
    When I was in high school, I only drank super sugary Raspberry caramel lattes. As soon as I got into my first year of college, I changed to just coffee and cream for the cost benefit and that I can easily make it myself at home. When I graduated college and entered cubicle land, I eventually switched to straight black because it was impossible to keep cream at your desk without it tasting weird, and it was impossible to keep cream in the fridge because STUPID, THEIVING COWORKERS would keep using it, even if I put my name on it and said please don't use. One coworker went to the extent of putting all her cream in a jug labeled "goats milk," to keep coworkers from stealing it for their coffee.
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,521 Member
    So, no one's going to take me up on switching to tea, then?

    Coffee is ground-up burnt beans. Oddly, the more burnt kind (French roast) is the popular one these days. Tastes terrible, is messy, and gives you bad breath. For me, it also caused cramping. And, there's so much amazing tea out there, caffinated and not.
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,521 Member
    ReenieHJ wrote: »
    I've tried tea as well and don't care for most I've tried. :(

    Ya, I know. Burnt bean sludge drinkers are very committed and are not going to switch to tea any time soon. :p

    (I'm just jealous. It irritates my gut, so I can't indulge.)

    But, if you get tea-curious, you can learn everything you need and order some really amazing varieties from a high-end tea emporium. I like rich black teas from Assam, India.

    https://www.uptontea.com/
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    edited February 2021
    I drink herbal teas in the evening when I can't have the caffeine, but otherwise coffee (black) over tea any time.

    I do like Earl Grey and occasionally have it when I'm trying to reduce caffeine gradually (it has it, but less than coffee), but when I can choose between the two I just love the coffee so much more.
  • nookicky
    nookicky Posts: 16 Member
    When I was younger, I used to just pour copious amounts of sugar into my coffee. I'm talking crunchy coffee because of all the sugar. The person I was dating at the time told me I was gonna give myself diabetes and that it wasn't funny. So, I tried using less and less sugar at the request of my ex until eventually I was at black coffee. Haven't gone back since. I will forever be grateful to my ex for that. If I'm feeling feisty nowadays I'll add a lil bit of splenda or something, but I really do prefer it black. I think it was a lot of a mindset thing for me.
  • SweatsOnSunday
    SweatsOnSunday Posts: 514 Member
    @ReenieHJ Coffee is like wine, and beer, and vodka, and pretty much everything else. You try a lot and ultimately find one that you really prefer. At least, that's how it was for me. I was lucky enough to have stores that sold many brands and types before I finally found my go-to. If the coffee is good, you really don't need to add anything to it.

    @Hamiltonfamily2018 I worked in an office for over a year with an office manager who only drank Folgers and hated any other type being brought into the office. So yeah, a black cup of Folgers makes me think of someone, too.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,627 Member
    i have no interest (nor will i ever) have any interest in doing that.

    I can tell you I used to put a LOT more sugar and milk in my coffee. Even the creamer i use now (and have for years) i used to use a lot more of.

    gradual reduction. that's all it is. Just a gradual reduction.
  • ReenieHJ
    ReenieHJ Posts: 9,724 Member
    edited February 2021
    Jthanmyfitnesspal wrote: »
    ReenieHJ wrote: »
    I've tried tea as well and don't care for most I've tried. :(

    Ya, I know. Burnt bean sludge drinkers are very committed and are not going to switch to tea any time soon. :p

    (I'm just jealous. It irritates my gut, so I can't indulge.)

    But, if you get tea-curious, you can learn everything you need and order some really amazing varieties from a high-end tea emporium. I like rich black teas from Assam, India.

    https://www.uptontea.com/

    The only tea I actually liked was one my ds's gf made. She orders them from a tea company, brews it just so, added these special sugar crystals; it was amazing! She calls herself a tea snob. But I have tried many others and they all taste yuck to me. Then I try to doctor them up with sugar/milk and I'm left thinking why am I not just drinking my coffee? :) My niece gave me some kind of Maine blueberry tea and it was so gross. :(
    Are there special flavors you'd recommend, something light tasting for a newbie who seems to be tea resistant? :)
    My sister drinks her coffee black. She said she learned to do that while dating her dh because they always had donuts with it. :)
  • JustaNoob
    JustaNoob Posts: 147 Member
    Jthanmyfitnesspal wrote: »
    ReenieHJ wrote: »
    I've tried tea as well and don't care for most I've tried. :(

    Ya, I know. Burnt bean sludge drinkers are very committed and are not going to switch to tea any time soon. :p

    (I'm just jealous. It irritates my gut, so I can't indulge.)

    But, if you get tea-curious, you can learn everything you need and order some really amazing varieties from a high-end tea emporium. I like rich black teas from Assam, India.

    https://www.uptontea.com/

    I went to a tea farm in Darjeeling, India when I visited for tasting and I have to say.... GAMECHANGER!! The Assam was my favorite too and I'd totally switch only..... I like it with cream and sugar too! :D

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