Every year, millions of people go crazy with excitement when Starbucks releases its fall drinks menu. From the notorious Pumpkin Spice Latte to the new Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte, several delicious beverages can be enjoyed when the temperatures drop.
If the fall drink menu at Starbucks has you craving coffee even more than usual, you’re not alone. Coffee is the most popular beverage choice worldwide and not an uncommon craving during pregnancy. The good news? Most people can drink some coffee during pregnancy. However, there is a recommended daily limit. The current general consensus is to limit caffeine consumption during pregnancy to no more than 200 mg of caffeine per day, although less may be better when possible, especially in the first trimester.
The good news is that plenty of pregnancy-conscious options don’t exceed 200 mg of caffeine. Most Starbucks drinks are also easily customizable so that you can make them pregnancy-friendly. With so many menu options and unique terms for their drinks and sizes, it can be hard to know what to order. And if the fall drinks aren’t for you, remember you can still enjoy other coffee options or tea, like green tea!
Today, I’m sharing a round-up of fall drinks from Starbucks that are safe for pregnant women to enjoy.
10 Fall Drinks from Starbucks for Pregnant Women
Pumpkin Spice Latte
Expectant mothers can safely enjoy the mega-popular Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL), either hot or iced, with a few modifications. A grande size contains approximately 150 mg of caffeine. However, it does contain quite a bit of added sugar, which is something to be aware of for all pregnant women, including those with gestational diabetes.
A classic hot Pumpkin Spice Latte is espresso and steamed milk with the added flavors of pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. It’s then topped with whipped cream and pumpkin pie spices. You can customize your PSL with fewer pumps of syrup and sauces and no whipped topping to reduce the sugar content.
Here’s an example of a pregnancy-friendly way to order a Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL):
- The Order: Tall PSL with almond milk, half-sweet
- The Nutrition Breakdown (approximate):
- 75 mg of caffeine
- 11.5 grams of sugar (no whipped topping)
- 13.5 grams of sugar (with whipped topping)
For comparison, a tall Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte without any modification has about:
- 75 mg of caffeine
- 35 grams of sugar
- 8 grams of protein
Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato
Another delicious fall drink that expectant mothers can enjoy, either hot or iced, is the Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato. The grande size of this popular fall drink contains 170 mg of caffeine. Also, remember, you can always customize your drink orders to be half-caf or decaf, too!
An Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato is made with layers of apple, cinnamon, oats, and brown sugar flavors, as well as Starbucks Blonde Espresso Roast, oatmilk, and spiced-apple drizzle.
Ordering a grande-size hot Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato as is has (approximate):
- 170 mg of caffeine
- 29 g of sugar
- 3 g of protein
If you’d prefer to reduce the sugar and caffeine, here’s an example order:
- Tall Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato
- With one pump of Apple Brown Sugar
- No Spiced Apple Drizzle
Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
For a fall drink featuring Starbucks Cold Brew, you can sip on a Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew. A grande size of this refreshing cold coffee drink contains 185 mg of caffeine, which is more caffeine than the previous drink options we’ve discussed. Ordering a tall instead of the grande size kicks the caffeine down to about 145 mg. Cold brew is almost always higher in caffeine than regular espresso beverages, and you can’t alter the caffeine content by ordering half-caf or decaf, unfortunately.
A Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew is made from Starbucks Cold Brew sweetened with vanilla syrup, then topped with pumpkin cream cold foam and a dash of pumpkin-spice topping.
Here’s a look at the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew:
- Grande: 185 mg of caffeine, 31 g of sugar
- Tall: 145 mg of caffeine, 17 g of sugar
- Customization options: pumps of vanilla syrup, pumpkin cream cold foam topping, and pumpkin spice topping
Iced Apple Crisp Oatmilk Shaken Espresso
The Iced Apple Crisp Oatmilk Shaken Espresso is another new addition to the Starbucks fall drink menu. This cold coffee drink is full of fall flavor.
You’ll want to order a tall size to stay below the recommended caffeine limit for pregnant women. A tall Iced Apple Crisp Oatmilk Shaken Espresso contains two espresso shots and approximately 170 mg of caffeine. A grande-size, however, contains three shots of espresso and approximately 255 mg of caffeine, pushing the drink over the recommended limit for expectant mothers. As mentioned above, you can customize this and order fewer shots of espresso.
An Iced Apple Crisp Oatmilk Shaken Espresso is made with Starbucks Blonde espresso and apple, cinnamon, and brown sugar flavors that are shaken together and then topped with oat milk.
Here’s a closer look at a tall Iced Apple Crisp Oatmilk Shaken Espresso:
- 170 mg of caffeine
- 15 g of sugar
- Customization options: milk type, pumps of apple brown sugar, number of types of espresso shots (decaf options are available)
Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte
If you enjoy the flavors of chai tea, the Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte might have caught your eye. This is a delicious alternative to the coffee drinks on this list. Plus, the grande only has about 95 mg of caffeine.
It is important to be mindful of this beverage’s added sugar content. A grande size Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte has approximately 66 grams of sugar. Instead of ordering this drink every day, it would work better as an occasional treat. Or modify it by ordering it half-sweet!
An Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Latte is made from a blend of black tea infused with cinnamon, other spices, and milk. It’s then topped with sweet pumpkin cream foam and a dash of pumpkin spice topping.
Here’s an example of a pregnancy-friendly Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte order:
- Grande
- One pump pumpkin
- One pump chai
- with oat milk
Pumpkin Spice Crème
The Pumpkin Spice Creme is a coffee-free fall favorite for Starbucks fans. It’s completely caffeine-free!
The Pumpkin Spice Creme is made by combining steamed milk with pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove flavors. It’s then traditionally topped with whipped cream unless you opt out.
Here’s an example of a pregnancy-friendly Pumpkin Spice Creme order:
- Tall Pumpkin Spice Creme
- with Whole Milk
- One pump pumpkin sauce
- No whipped cream
Hot Chocolate
Hot chocolate is a popular drink once the temperatures start to drop. It is a great option if you are staying away from caffeine. It’s a sweet treat for expectant mothers who want a tasty way to warm up from the inside out. At Starbucks, you can choose from regular hot chocolate and white chocolate.
Just be aware that the classic hot chocolate does contain caffeine (25 mg in a grande size), and both hot chocolate drinks have a considerable amount of added sugar. The added sugar is something to be mindful of, but you can, of course, enjoy any of your favorite sweet treats!
The Starbucks hot chocolate is made from steamed milk and chocolate-flavored syrups. It’s then topped with whipped cream and chocolate-flavored drizzle. The white hot chocolate from Starbucks is made from white chocolate sauce and steamed milk, then it’s topped with whipped cream.
Here’s an example hot chocolate order for pregnancy from Starbucks:
- Tall hot chocolate
- With whole milk
- One pump of mocha sauce
- No mocha drizzle
- Whipped cream
Here’s an example of a white chocolate order for pregnancy from Starbucks:
- Tall white chocolate
- With almond milk
- One pump of white chocolate mocha sauce
- No whipped cream
Caramel Apple Spice
The Caramel Apple Spice is another sweet fall favorite treat. It’s caffeine-free, so it’s safe for expectant mothers to drink from that standpoint, but added sugar is something to be cautious of here. Without modifications, there are approximately 70 grams of sugar in a grande size. Modifications can help make this fall favorite less of a blood sugar blow. Check out the example modifications below for one example way to order this fall favorite.
A Caramel Apple Spice drink at Starbucks is made from steamed apple juice, with the addition of cinnamon syrup, whipped cream, and a caramel sauce drizzle.
Here’s an example way to order a pregnancy-friendly Caramel Apple Spice from Starbucks:
-
Short caramel apple spice
-
One pump of cinnamon dolce syrup
-
No caramel drizzle
-
Whipped cream
Hot Or Cold Brewed Coffee
There are several different brews to choose from at Starbucks for those who want a classic cup of coffee or iced coffee. From the medium roast Pike Place to the various Starbucks Reserve flavors and the various customizations, it’s easy to find a brew you can enjoy.
The caffeine content varies from one roast to the next, and none of them are completely caffeine-free (venti-size decaf coffees have approximately 30 mg of caffeine). Here are some examples that stay below the recommended limit of 200 mg of caffeine:
- Short Medium Roast Pike Place Roast: 155 mg of caffeine
- Tall Dark Roast: 195 mg of caffeine
- Tall Blonde Roast Veranda Blend: 195 mg of caffeine
- Grande Dark Roast Caffè Verona: 195 mg of caffeine
- Grande Starbucks Reserve: 195 mg of caffeine
Then, for a taste of fall, you could customize your cup of coffee with:
- Pumpkin cream cold foam
- Pumpkin sauce
- Pumpkin spice topping
- Spiced apple drizzle
- Apple brown sugar syrup
Espresso Macchiato
The espresso macchiato is an option if you gravitate toward classic espresso instead of brewed coffee. A Starbucks Espresso Macchiato is a European-style classic made from rich espresso and steamed milk and foam dollop. (Read more about the “best” milk for pregnancy HERE!)
Expectant mothers can enjoy a Solo or a Doppio and stay under the recommended caffeine limit. One espresso (Solo) shot contains approximately 75 mg of caffeine, while two espresso shots (Doppio) contain approximately 150 mg of caffeine.
These fall drinks from Starbucks are safe and delicious options for pregnant women.
Pregnancy should not mean you have to give up all your seasonal favorites. Fortunately, this also includes a trip to Starbucks or your other favorite coffee shop. If you regularly enjoy a drink from Starbucks, you can safely enjoy any of the ten fall drinks above. Be mindful of caffeine and sugar content; don’t be afraid to modify drinks to fit your needs!
Head over to the blog for more insight into the foods and drinks you can and should enjoy while expecting. You can also find dozens of delicious and nutritious recipes in my cookbook!
I also encourage you to sign up for The Prenatal Nutrition Library! You can search from thousands of topics, foods, and questions for a quick, clear, and evidence-based answer from pregnancy dietitians. All members get a FREE 1-week meal plan when they sign up, and annual members unlock 4 60-DAY trimester-specific meal plans as well as our complete gestational diabetes course and meal plan! See you inside!
