The Starbucks Food Item You Should Avoid At All Costs

Starbucks is known for Frappucinos and shaken espressos, but the chain also churns out a decent roster of food items. From grab-and-go items to pastries to sandwiches and salads, there's something for just about everyone on the menu. There is one Starbucks food item, though, that we recommend you avoid.

There was a time when the Starbucks cake pops were having a viral moment, but sadly they no longer live up to their heyday for a few reasons. First, the quality just isn't there. When we ranked 17 Starbucks pastries, the cake pop nearly came in last place thanks to bland, one-note flavors and underwhelming sweetness. The second reason Starbucks cake pops leave something to be desired is because they aren't great value. Starbucks has gradually increased the price of the cake pops over the years to nearly $4 a piece, which is a bit steep for something you can eat in one bite. A former Starbucks employee on Reddit reminisced about the lower cake pop prices of the past, saying, "When I worked at Starbucks two years ago they were like $1.95, who is paying $4 for a tiny bite of cake?" All in all, the cake pops are a good choice for children, but if you're looking for a sweet treat to pair with your drink, go for one of the muffins, brownie, or Cinnamon Coffee Cake that dominated the top spots in our rankings.

While there may be a handful of discontinued Starbucks cake pops we seriously miss, you can fill the void and make Starbucks-style cake pops with a store-bought shortcut. All you need is a package of sugar cookies, some cream cheese, and chocolate. Add the cream cheese and cookies to a stand mixer and use the paddle attachment to mix until it forms a thick dough. Then, shape into bite-sized balls and coat in a layer of melted chocolate. Decorating the cake pops can even become a fun activity, making homemade versions better value in terms of both dollars and entertainment.

If you don't feel like making them yourself, even just buying cake pops from the supermarket can be a much better choice than the Starbucks version. One Reddit user echoed that sentiment while voicing their frustration with overpriced cake pops, stating, "...the markup on these things is criminal. You can buy an entire box of cake pops from the grocery store for like $5." At the end of the day, your money deserves to be spent on a treat you enjoy. If that's a Starbucks cake pop, more power to you, but we highly recommend finding another pastry or dessert from the coffee chain and getting your cake pop fix elsewhere.