Everyone (namely Britney Spears) loves a good Starbucks Frapp now and then, but what we don’t love is the added poundage that tasty treat leaves on our thighs. Those guys over at the Bux have been catching a lot of flack for their many drinks that have more sugar and calories than a liter of Coke, not to mention those fatty pastries, so they’ve decided to make some “healthy” changes.

This month Starbucks launched a new line of treats that they claim is healthier. They’ve eliminated all artificial flavors, dyes, high-fructose corn syrup and artificial preservatives from the ingredients list wherever possible. Now the bakers use more wholesome ingredients like whole grains, Oregon blueberries and Michigan cherries to revamp the nutritional value for their muffins and baked goods. Some new food items include a blueberry oat bar filled with two types of organic blueberries, a new banana walnut bread made with real bananas (as opposed to that nasty artificial flavor), and a lower-calorie Marshmallow Dream bar. Mmmm.

They’ve even added a few new salads, one of which, the Farmer’s Market Salad, is made with blue cheese, almonds, cranberries, and apples. There are also two additions to the breakfast menu, including an egg-white sandwich as well as a healthy and well-balanced strawberry-banana Vivanno smoothie.

Sounds delightfully healthy, right?

Well, don’t be totally deceived. While the new ingredients are more natural than their predecessors, upon some investigation into the real nutrition facts, I found that the banana walnut bread only contains 30% of those “real” bananas. The “lower calorie” Marshmallow Dream Bar still has 210 calories, and isn’t all that big in size. And the new Gluten-free Valencia Orange Cake has 290 calories, not to mention the Chocolate Chunk Cookie clocking in at a hefty 380!

Does that sound much healthier to you?

I see that Starbucks is attempting to make a change here, but I still agree with the statement made by the Center for Consumer Freedom declaring that “An apple fritter is an apple fritter, not health food, and no matter what Starbucks’ marketing whiz kids say, it will still have 420 calories and 20 grams of fat.”

Do not be swayed by smart marketing, ladies. This new Starbucks menu may look better on the surface, but underneath all those punchy advertisements is a whole lot of hidden fat and calories.

I think I’ll just stick with my Skinny Latte and call it a day. A truly low-calorie day.

Have you tried any of these new foods? Taste any different, for better or for worse? Tell us all about it!

I have to admit, I’m a huge Starbucks fan, and am usually fine with shelling out a few extra dollars to indulge in something tastier than Folgers. Still, I need a new winter wardrobe… so I’m weaning myself off of overpriced coffee drinks (that taste like dessert) and makin’ my coffee at home.

I know it’s a bold move, but after playing around a bit I have learned a few things: 1) Making your own coffee can save you billions, and 2) It is really, really easy. Here are a few tips:

1. Flavor it Up.

Whenever I make my own coffee, no matter how good the brand, or how carefully I measure the coffee-to-water ratio, it always seems to taste like dirt. My solution? Flavor, flavor, flavor. Syrup, syrup, Equal, syrup. Seriously, who just gets a latte from Starbucks? Everyone has their signature: the Pumpkin Latte, Caramel Macchiato, White Chocolate Mocha…what do they have in common? Manufactured taste. Instead of shelling out $4-$5 a day for Starbucks, buy a bottle of Torani Syrups. This brand is used in tons of coffee shops across the country, so you might not even taste the difference.

2. Be Exotic.

Trading a Mocha Java Frappucino for a cup of Dark Roast isn’t going to fly. If you have money to burn on blended concoctions, you can afford gourmet coffees and still save a fortune by brewing them yourself. If you can’t find any good varieties at the store, surf the net to find your new flave: Coffee Been Direct offers Cookiedoodle, Creme Brulee, and Chocolate Raspberry coffees, to name a few; Papa Nicholas features Chocolate Hazelnut and Toasted Southern Pecan, among others; and FlavoredCoffees.Net has an overwhelming selection, from Cherry Cream to Egg Nog to Chocolate Orange. Bonus: FlavoredCoffees.Net also sells Torani syrups! Just add a splash of 2% milk to your tasty brew and you’ll douse your (high priced) cappuccino cravings.

3. Be Your Own Barista.

The internet is smattered with recipe websites, many of which include jazzy coffee beverages. All you need is Google and a ready mug. AllRecipes.com, for example lists a Cappuccino Mix that you can make for yourself, or give as a low-cost gift. The Culinary Review, meanwhile, has a great recipe for a Homemade Chocolate Mocha that you won’t even have to wait in line for!

Once you get the hang of homemade capps and frapps, you can experiment yourself! Double-brew some coffee grounds and pour the extra-strong coffee over ice for an easy iced coffee (the ice will water it down, so you should start off with stronger brew); or cool a pot to room temp and blend it up for a cheap Frappucino. Pulling an all-nighter? Pour hot coffee over a scoop of your favorite ice cream; you can indulge while you give yourself that extra boost!

4. Go For the Splurge.

If you REALLY don’t think you can substitute your fave Starbucks drink for a plain-jane coffee, invest in your own espresso machine. Yes, it will be pricey, but that one time purchase will still be cheaper than a daily Dunkin Donuts run. You’ll also save time on going out of your way to stop at the shop, and you won’t have to worry about the Barista giving you too much foam.

Nespresso has machines starting at $200, about the cost of a month’s worth of Tall Skinny Lattes, while Whole Latte Love has a decent model for $100. Search espresso machines by price at BizRate.com and find a simple yet classic Italian taste…for ONLY $23!. I’ve spent way over that in ONE DAY on coffee before.

So there you have it – four perfectly good options to start your own coffee service in the privacy of your own apartment or dorm. You’ll acquire a taste for non-Starbucks caffeinated beverages while saving tons of money for some more worthy splurges.

Or, if all else fails, you can save a couple dollars a day by switching to energy drinks, which are usually only about $2 for a giant can. That means you can drink THREE for the price of a venti Chai Tea Latte! Not that I have been known to drink three energy drinks in one day. I mean, that would mean I have a problem. <Cough.>

[For more money-saving tips for the college budget, join CollegeCandy's Facebook group!]

When I Googled “things that are bad for me” and Chicken Pot Pie came up, I was surprised I didn’t eat more of it. I happen to specialize in loving all things bad. I am a bad things virtuoso. I cuss, I eat candy bars for breakfast and I drink more wine than water.

If I thought of Chicken Pot Pie as something harmful, would I crave it every evening? Probably. I look at it as comfort food to eat on winter nights while wearing thick wool socks, something that just fills me up and doesn’t take any serious toll on my health and in turn, I haven’t eaten a Chicken Pot Pie since I was about eight.

When we want what we shouldn’t have, is our want purely psychological because our cravings are forbidden? Just as rules are made to be broken, “bad things” are made to be desired.

For Instance:

Frappucinos– I blame this one on Britney Spears, because anytime she waddled out of a Starbucks her best accessory was her Venti sized Mocha Frappucino (whipped cream included) Why is it bad? 500 calories in a beverage is just too many.

JUNK FOOD– The term junk came around for a reason. Case in point: I spent twenty minutes staring at cookie dough in the grocery store today, simply because I knew I shouldn’t buy a BUCKET of cookie dough because I may have an instant heart attack after I finish the whole thing, uncooked. Or I may get a serious case of salmonella. I’ve never spent 20 minutes staring at grapefruit or kale, because who desires ‘effing KALE?

*Founders Favorite Coldstone Creamery- love it size, 1,290 calories.

*Chiptole Chicken Burrito- 1,270 calories (sour cream included, sorry folks I love my cream)

*Pillsbury Chocolate Chip Cookie- 127 per serving, who eats one cookie? Come on. Who?

*Marie Calendars CHICKEN POT PIE- 550 calories, 34 grams of fat.

*Margarita- 740 calories!!!!! This is enough to send me into a deep, deep, depression.

THATS JUST ON THE FOOD SIDE.

How about all of the bad ex-boyfriends we’ve gone back to? The men we’ve dated and shouldn’t have? The crushes on boys wearing leather and tattooing their arms with pictures of naked women?

[Oh, maybe that's just me.]

The cigarettes we’ve puffed (not to mention the other outlawed greenery to smoke), the crushes on best friend’s boyfriends and the people who bring out your inner crazy girl.

MEN, FOOD, TOO MUCH SEX, TOO MUCH OF…well anything is (apparently) generally bad. If we did a week long experiment, judgement aside, and indulged in all of the bad DELICIOUSNESS, would our cravings for it simmer down? Would we find feeding a “hunger” is actually healthy or would all of it be less coveted?

What bad things do you crave, and why do you think you crave them???

P.S. I forgot to mention how much I ADORE bacon. Thank you and the end.

If you’re like me, and need a little something to get you through these looong, dreary January days, and that little something often means sugar of some kind, then by all means, keep reading.

Because I think I’ve just found the best sweetstuff recipe EVER.

No sh*t. It just doesn’t get any better than Frappucino flavored CUPCAKES (!!!)

Click here to go to my newest blog fave, and check out the amazing recipe