The first time I had a miele, I was hooked. The combination of honey and cinnamon is so wonderful, but there’s one problem: I’m lactose intolerant, and there’s milk in mieles.
Many lactose intolerant people put up with the stomach pains and other symptoms that often go along with the intolerance, but there are times when having a substitute for regular milk is nice. Sometimes, it’s necessary.
Thankfully, the coffee shops on campus, Modero and Barefoots Joe, are exploring these options. Though they’ve had almond milk for a while, they’re currently doing a trial with oat milk. The trial is a competition between oat and almond milk.
Because students have been asking for oat milk, the coffee shops wanted to give students the chance to decide. Cate Price, a junior English major and barista at the campus coffee shops, explained that the most-requested milk substitute by the end of the month will be the one the coffee shops keep.
“It’s been a thought for a long time,” Price said. “Barefoots and Modero are really about serving the campus, serving the community, and so if that’s what the people want in the shops, then we want to be able to give that to them.”
While this trial may not seem like a big deal to most people, some patrons are very excited about the option of oat milk in their coffee.
“I’m very excited. I feel like we’ve all been asking for it for so long, and it’s so nice to finally have it,” Maddie Steele, a sophomore journalism major, said.
Steele and Price both seem to think oat milk will come out as victor at the end of this one-month trial, but almond milk hasn’t been completely abandoned. Though Price said she has sold more oat milk drinks recently, she has had a few requests for almond milk. Steele, despite her preference for oat milk, still enjoys almond milk.
What many people wonder, though, is why these two options are so popular. Why on earth are broke college students willing to pay an extra dollar on their beloved coffee for almond or oat milk?
For some, it’s as simple as a milk allergy or lactose intolerance, but others like the taste, consistency or nutritional values more than that of regular milk.
“Whole milk is really heavy, if that makes sense, so people kind of like the lighter feeling of almond milk or oat milk. It doesn’t feel like they’re drinking as much,” Price said.
Before yesterday, I had never tried oat or almond milk in my coffee. I’m one of those stubborn lactose-intolerant people who just deals with a slightly upset stomach after a miele, but I think oat milk may have won me over. Almond milk in a miele didn’t impress me quite so much, but I’ve never been one for almond milk by itself either.
Whether you like oat, almond or regular milk in your coffee, make sure to let your voice be heard and purchase your favorite drink before the end of the month. The battle of the milks may be less important than midterms and projects, but having the right milk in your coffee will be important—maybe even lifesaving—once finals are coming for you.
Photo Credit Modero and Barefoots
