On January 12th, 2010, Starbucks Coffee Company began rolling out new food and beverage options in participating U.S. stores. Their new low calore paninis and skinny lattes may not appeal to dairy-free and dieters and the lactose intolerant, but fortunately, Starbucks is adding numerous items that could be considered food allergy-friendly and gluten-free.

The biggest advantages we will see are in their "Snacks On-the-Go" offerings. Sticking with the modest calorie theme, all of the new snack options contain 220 calories or less per serving. The ones we are most excited about (here at Go Dairy Free) are:

Lucy’s® Cookies: Available in Chocolate Chip, Sugar and Cinnamon, these crispy cookies will leave you satisfied without the guilt (trust me, they are tasty). Plus, they are dairy-free (yes, that includes casein, whey, AND lactose), gluten-free, egg-free, nut-free, and (whew!) vegan. Plus, the pre-packaged nature of these cookies helps to preserve that allergen-free status from other goodies in Starbucks.

FoodShouldTasteGood® Chips: They ranked in our top 10 for 2009, so we are certainly pleased that Starbucks will be carrying these all-natural tortilla chips. The will be stocking the Sweet Potato Chips (one of our favorites) and the Multigrain.

Peeled Snacks®: We couldn't be happier that this marvelous dried fruit company has teamed up with Starbucks. You will find their mango, cherry, and apple snacks in stores. We vote for the mango first, and wish they were stocking the bananas, but really, you can't go wrong with Peeled Snacks.

KIND Bars: These all-natural, fruit and nut bars are bound together by honey. They are gluten-free and wheat-free, and some of the flavors are dairy-free. And as luck would have it, Starbucks will be carrying those milk-free flavors: Mango Macadamia, Almond Cashew, Fruit & Nut Delight, and Cranberry & Almond.

Peter Rabbit™ Organics: What a wonderful company to discover from my home town. At Starbucks you will find their squeezable organic fruit pouches in the Mango, Banana & Orange and Apple & Grape flavors (Peter Rabbit also makes a Strawberry & Banana flavor).

Sahale Snacks®: Oh my heavenly goodness, I almost ran down to Starbucks when I found out they were now carrying the Pomegranate Cashews (glazed nuts) from Sahale Snacks. Talk about a treat. You should also find Sahale's Soledad Nut Blend and Barbeque Almonds. To date, all of the Sahale Snacks were dairy-free, but we aren't familiar with the Barbeque Almonds (an exclusive to Starbucks flavor), so be sure to check the ingredients.

Stretch Island Fruit Company™ Fruit Leathers: Ah fruit leather, a timeless sweet and healthy treat. The claim is that each serving is equal to half a serving of fruit, but kids just like that it tastes good. Look for the Harvest Grape, Autumn Apple and Summer Strawberry flavors in stores.

Two Moms in the Raw: Raw granola in the mainstream? We didn't predict it, but luckily, it is happening. Made with sprouted whole grains, nuts, seeds, and fruits, these granola mixes contain not a drop of added oils, nor do they contain sugar (though they are sweetened with agave). You will find two gluten-free / dairy-free varieties, Blueberry and Gojiberry, in Starbucks.

For details and pricing on the above snacks, see the Starbucks Newsroom. 

And of course, there is the tea. A new Vanilla Rooibos Full Leaf Tea is being launched in Starbuck's stores as a part of their transition to Tazo® Full Leaf Teas and herbal infusions. When it is all said and done, Starbucks will introduce 10 of these new full leaf teas, many of which will feature whole botanicals and spices.

Visit your local Starbucks (or one while traveling) to see which of these dairy-free snacks / treats they are carrying for your enjoyment. If they aren't participating in these new product offerings, put in a request!

This article is by Alisa Fleming, founder of GoDairyFree.org and author of Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance, and Casein-Free Living.