ulyssesonline.com

At a recent visit to my local Starbucks, I’ve noticed that more and more teenagers are hanging out at the popular coffee retailer while sipping their favorite drinks. Starbucks is quickly becoming the after-school and weekend bars for teenagers. I’m not exactly sure what the the older teenagers are drinking nowadays, but the likelihood of it containing coffee is fairly high. Starbucks does have drinks such as the Banana Coconut & Creme Frappuccinos, Strawberries & Creme and the Double Chocolate Chip that do not contain coffee.

More families are making stopping at Starbucks a family event. Younger kids are most likely to order the non-coffee Frappuccinos. Even toddlers are introduced to Starbucks by their moms at an early age. Well, not to drink the coffee, but just being around the smell of it after a couple of hours hanging out in the shop.

Starbucks says that it isn’t marketing to kids. Fine enough, but the non-coffee Frappuccinos often popular with kids are laden with high doses of sugar. A 16 oz grande-size Bananas & Creme contains 550 calories and 15 grams of fat. It’s not a lean drink by any means if you’re concerned about childhood obesity. According to the American Obesity Association, as much 15% of American kids are obese. A fair enough warning to parents.

To cut down on calories, I have been opting for a non-fat drink or just plain old tea. But, there’s no way getting around to caffeine. Young kids really don’t need caffeine. Some adults do. I said some since some opt not to drink it. It would be interesting to see twenty years from now, the impact and legacy of the Starbucks generation of teenagers.