I think Cody has a special radar.
I call it the “Cody loves to dive-bomb mom’s photo” radar.
Because whenever I’m getting ready to take a photo of something, no matter what it may be, there he is…ready and willing to take front and center.
And then, of course, there’s a few rounds of pushing him out of the way…or me picking him up and placing him elsewhere…or then he coerces me in to playing fetch with him…and then, if I’m lucky, he’ll finally give up.
Well, at least for a little while anyway.
About a month ago, I was sent some coupons in the mail to try out the new Coffee Mate Natural Bliss all-natural coffee creamer.
Usually, I’ll just use skim milk in my coffee, but every once in a while I’ll grab a splash of Jay’s creamer. A few years ago, I actually used to be hooked on the fat-free stuff, but had eventually weaned myself off of it since the ingredient list made my head spin.
So when I checked out these new Natural Bliss coffee creamers, I was shocked to see that the ingredient list included only four ingredients…milk, cream, sugar, and natural flavor…all of which I knew and could even pronounce!
And actually, if you’ve ever compared a fat-free creamer to a regular creamer, you’ll notice that the fat content is not that much different; usually 1-2 grams of fat for each tablespoon.
So the Natural Bliss line comes in three flavors: Vanilla, Caramel, and Sweet Cream.
Jay and I have only tried the caramel and sweet cream flavors, but I can tell you that they are both delicious. Overall, I think the sweet cream flavor is my favorite, but the caramel flavor pairs really well with homemade cinnamon coffee.
Lately, I’ve been enjoying a little mix of skim milk + a splash of creamer in my morning coffee and it’s been super scrumptious. Like this morning, I enjoyed my mug of coffee with the Caramel flavor, along with a cereal combo bowl.
Today’s bowl included a new-to-me cereal, Kashi Island Vanilla + Honey Nut Cheerios + banana slices + unsweetened vanilla almond milk.
I’m definitely a fan of this Kashi cereal!
Before indulging in breakfast, I made sure to get my workout done for the day; Day 20 was another round of Xtreme Cardio Kickboxing + Bonus Abs. To be honest, this was the third day in a row where the kickboxing has been the main workout, so I was getting a little bored with that. Luckily, things switch back up tomorrow!
Now, it’s time to get back to those cupcakes…
Yes, the ones that I was working on until 11:00 last night, still wearing my heels from dinner. It was quite a sight!
Hope everyone is having a great start to their weekend!
Question for the Morning:
For the coffee drinkers: How do you take your coffee?
For the non-coffee drinkers: Do you not drink it because of the taste or the caffeine?
Disclaimer: I received three coupons to purchase and review the Natural Bliss creamers, but all opinions are strictly my own. Honestly…this stuff really did rock my socks!
Shelly @ Cake is a Food Group says
I drink my coffee with either a little milk or a little creamer – whatever is on hand at the time. I actually drink decaf since I can’t have caffeine. It still seems to perk me up though.
Shelly @ Cake is a Food Group says
Forgot to add that I really appreciate your creamer review. I think I’m going to buy the Sweet Cream version. The nutrition really isn’t bad – good deal!
Danica @ It's Progression Not Perfection says
I actually wish I liked coffee but I just can’t stand the bitter taste. Then if there’s a lot of added flavor to mask the bitterness, it gets too sweet for me. Oh well!
Good luck with the rest of your cupcake baking! You’ll definitely deserve an extra drink at the wedding for all your hard work! : )
Kathryn says
Yum, I love coffee! During the summer, I was drinking iced, but now that’s it’s getting colder I might switch back to hot, it depends on what it does to my stomach. Too much coffee and my tummy isn’t happy (thanks reflux!) but somehow the iced keeps that at bay. Anyway, I drink my hot coffee with half and half (I know, bad me!) and a bit of sugar. Same with iced, though with my iced I can get away adding milk instead (though I still prefer half and half).
Laura @ LauraLikesDesign says
I’m sipping the vanilla version of that creamer in my coffee right now and I absolutely adore it! I used to be hooked on all the fun flavored creamers but like you, stopped because of all of the icky ingredients. Now I stick with natural creamers, soy milk, or half and half.
I like my coffee with creamer if it’s on it’s own, but I prefer it black when paired with desserts…I think because the sugar in the dessert makes my coffee seem too sweet when it has creamer in it.
Sweet and Savvy says
Those are such cute Cody pics!:) And those creamers look awesome!
Khushboo says
Those creamers sound great! I take my iced coffee with plain soy milk! Initially it was sooo hard to go without the sweetener/sugar but I now love it. To be honest, knowing that my iced coffee is waiting for me in the fridge is probably one of the main things that get me through my morning workouts ;)!
Courtney @ The Granola Chronicles says
I have coffee every morning! My husband is obsessed with it, so he makes a big ol’ pot of French Press joe every morning. We drink it with soy creamer, which is great! I’m sipping on some right now actually…. :)
Kandace says
I love coffee! It might have something to do with the fact I used to work at Starbucks for 5 years. I use silk (soy) french vanilla creamer. It only has 20 cals and 1 gram of fat. Not to bad but there are some ingredients that I can’t pronounce, I ran to my fridge after reading you blog today and looked at the ingredients. I’ll have to google them to see if they’re bad or not.
Cody is too funny.
Lindsay @ In Sweetness and In Health says
Oh I love my coffee :). I used to use coffeemate creamer, but I recently discovered So Delicious Coconut Milk French Vanilla creamer and it is seriously awesome!! You should try it!
Bridget says
i used to be hooked on coffee creamer until i noticed the ingredient list as well! i am happy they are coming out with new natural flavors! However, I do make an exception for the peppermint mocha flavor around the holidays…if only they had a natural flavor of that! it is AMAZING!
p.s. i added you to my blog roll! love your blog!
Lauren B. says
I kicked my coffee habit a few months ago (as well as all caffeine), and I don’t even miss it. I still love the smell of it, but I have no taste for it whatsoever… and that’s after a 10-year habit! I am a tea-drinker now- so fun to try all of the different flavors. One of my favs is TAZO Sweet Cinnamon Spice.
Bridget says
i used to be hooked on coffee creamer until i noticed the ingredient list as well! i am happy they are coming out with new natural flavors! However, I do make an exception for the peppermint mocha flavor around the holidays…if only they had a natural flavor of that! it is AMAZING!
p.s. i added you to my blog roll! love your blog!
Jackie @ That Deep Breath says
im a coffee creamer addict, but i’ve been trying to get myself to just drink plain black coffee lately. I’ll have to keep an eye out for this kind!
Tara Burner says
Cody’s tooo cute
and I’ve never tasted coffee…
yep almost 44 yrs old and never tasted it…just can’t stand the smell of it so figure I wont like taste of it either & not into hot drinks
Kim @thefamilypractice says
I drink my coffee black, but I’m happy to see some healthier creamer! I used to buy stuff for the guys at work. They’d spill little drips and when it dried up it looked exactly the same as dried up elmer’s glue. Concerning?
I’ll have to pass this along to my coffee- with-creamer-drinkers
Those cupcakes look great! As per always :)
Brittany says
I LOVE that creamer. I used to get fat free too until I noticed all the crazy ingredients and I stopped! I started using just some half & half and my vanilla liquid stevia. Sometimes if I want a treat I will get that vanilla natural creamer and use a splash too. So yummy! I’ve never tried the sweet butter cream though.
Liz @ Tip Top Shape says
I drink my coffee with milk–but absolutely no sugar. One day I decided to treat myself with some sugar in my coffee and I ended up throwing it out! I do like flavored creamers, though. Hazelnut will forever be my favorite.
Katy says
Oh those cupcakes! Mouth watering…
Molly says
i like my coffee with honey!
Either with some milk and honey orrrr just black with some honey. so good!
Faith @ For the Health of It says
I prefer my coffee black. It’s a calorie/sugar economics deal for me – if I drink my coffee black (which is really tasty to me), I can have more cookies or snacks later! Win-win!
Renee says
I love these new creamers I have been using them for a while now, and I usually like my coffee strong and BLACK.
Liz @ Something To Chew On says
I’m a coffee drinker – if I make it in my Keurig, I drink it black because I make it flavored (either Vanilla Cupcake or Cinnamon Pastry…both amazing), but if I pick up a cup to get through a work day slump, I usually grab it with a little bit milk.
Sylvia @ Frolic Through Life says
I take my coffee with skim milk and no sugar, but I do enjoy flavored creamer on occasion. My favorite is the caramel macchiato flavor.
My boyfriend on the other hand is not a coffee drinker because the caffeine makes him jittery, but he has no problem with energy drinks, which I always found strange.
Lindsay Loves Veggies says
My dog likes to dive bomb photos like that! He’s probably smaller than Cody, so it’s even easier for him!
I used to be a coffee drinker, but I really prefer tea, and when I read about how acidic it is, and how it affects your body, I decided to switch for good. Now I just have a full-blown chai addiction! :)
Erica @ For the Sake of Cake says
I love coffee & drink a cup everyday! I add 2 Splendas + some creamer; I like things sweet! :-)
Laura @ Unchartered 20s says
I’m sorry, I just cannot get behind the idea of mixing cereals! I think i’m slightly ocd. Just slightly ;)
I’m a new coffee drinker! I never liked it b/c it would bother my stomach, but I would always take the hit around autumn to enjoy a pumpkin spice latte! Well, after a while, it just seemed to stop bothering my stomach. I usually put a ton of milk (1 or 2%) in it tho, so it’s latte-ish.
Pamela says
This is a good question for me – I love my coffee! :) For as long as I have been drinking coffee, I still use some sugar and a splash of creamer. My favorite right now is Keurig pumpkin spice coffee with a little bit of vanilla creamer! At Starbucks, I add a splenda to my Soy Cafe Misto (1/2 coffee 1/2 soy milk). Very good!
Shana says
I also used to be addicted to fat-free creamers and gave them up for the same reasons. I also figured that since I love creamy coffee, and was using probably 1/4 cup or more, I should just switch to soy milk and make lattes that provide a bit of protein. So glad I did. Those fat-free creamers are scary!
Amanda- The Nutritionist Reviews says
I’m really glad that you reviewed these creamers because I’ve been dying to know if they are any good or not!
Jess @ Jess Go Bananas says
Kashi always makes the best cereal! So crunchy! <3
Kristen @ notsodomesticated says
Interesting review! I typically prefer using just a little low-fat milk in my coffee … not because of calories of anything, I just prefer the taste. But I might actually like that creamer because it doesn’t have all the artificial flavors!!
erica says
i LOVE my coffee! i usually just put a splash of skim milk (although i’ll treat myself to creamer every once in awhile) and a packet of truvia.
now i’m interested in this natural creamer! :)
good luck on the cupcake bake!
Mallory @ It's Only Life says
those cupcakes look awesome! you are seriously talented!
the creamers sound really good. i drink my coffee (hazelnut!) with half&half, and truvia. for me, skim milk or even regular milk tastes too watery in it and doesn’t give it the creaminess i like. i figure if i’m drinking it with truvia and cutting back on the sugar, I can afford the extra fat from half&half or cream.
Abby @ Abz 'n' Oats says
I like my coffee with a bit of vanilla soymilk and NuNaturals Vanilla Stevia drops! :) Lately I haven’t really been craving it much though. Hot tea has been sounding much more appealing the last few mornings!
Lindsey says
I use unsweetened vanilla almond milk and then vanilla syrup or stevia :) I have the cinnamon creamer too :)
Katie @ Plates and Paste says
I’m a tea person :) I can’t take much caffeine and I also don’t like the taste of coffee.
Ashley @ My Food 'N' Fitness Diaries says
This is great! I’ve been looking for a creamer that is more natural, because you’re right, the regular/non fat varieties have a bunch of strange, suspicious ingredients in them.
I usually take my coffee with some vanilla soy milk and just a little bit of sweetener. Mmmm perfect.
Claire says
I agree with the skim milk with creamer!!
Allie {teaspoon of LIFE} says
Ahh! I have so many cat-sniffing-the-lens pictures it’s sick haha!
I don’t drink coffee because it requires too many flavors and creamers and sugars to make me enjoy it haha. I do love the smell, and coffee ice cream though :)
Samantha says
Is the sweet cream one the “plainest” of them all? I usually buy flavored coffee – right now pumpkin (of course) but usually french vanilla, and I use fat free plain coffee mate, but was thinking of giving it up for the same reason as you – the ingredients list is alarming!
Courtney says
Well, I haven’t had the vanilla yet, so I can’t comment on that one, but between the sweet cream and the caramel, I’d say that the sweet cream just adds a nice touch of sweetness