As several others here have been discussing, I too love my latte's but don't
like all the calories (and carbs) when using either cream or half-n-half.  I
would probably order it from Starbucks if they used it.  But I also bought a
nice espresso machine for home because I got tired of spending $4 for a cup
of coffee, so I don't frequent Starbucks too much any longer.

I've been experimenting with the Hood product for making Latte's at home for
a couple weeks now.  I'm a little restricted in that I have cut way way back
on coffee (eliminated it completely for 4 months to avoid the caffeine)
while in the serious weight loss mode so I'm only allowing myself 1-2
espressos per week max, mostly so I don't let the caffeine headaches kick
back in, or introduce a stall.  Yeah, yeah, I know I could use de-caf but
that just doesn't appeal to me.

I've not been using any of the low or no fat versions of the Hood product,
just the "regular" stuff.

What I know so far:

By itself, Hood does not foam (but then I did not really expect it to.)

When heated, it cooks onto the frothing arm (the protein in it I guess) and
this can be a real bugger to clean if you don't do it immediately with a
warm wet cloth.

If you heat it to temperature, then let it cool much at all, it gets a
film/skin over it, similar to the skin that forms over chocolate pudding
when you put it uncovered in the refrigerator to cool.

What seems to be working:

The above comments aside, I haven't noticed any negative effect on flavor
after steaming it to temperature.

If I use 1/2 cup of the Hood product, and add about 1TBS of half-n-half, the
end result is more suited to my tastes, and much reduced in calories and
carbs.

Doing a 50/50 split, 1/2 half-n-half, 1/2 Hood, both heated seperately then
mixed when combining with the espresso, you can get a passable amount of
foam, without too much extra work.  Of course, the 50/50 split is variable,
just hard to steam the half-n-half if you don't use a certain minimum amount
of liquid.

Using the chocolate in lieu of the white milk makes a very passable mocha.

In any case, it is very gratifying cup of coffee prepared this way.  The
chocolate Hood is very good warmed up as a cup of hot chocolate.

It is certainly more expensive than regular milk (I'm paying $2.50/half
gallon of Hood at my local Walmart) but not out of line with what I would
pay for cream or half-n-half.

The biggest problem you found with starbucks is the lack of  LC Milk?

Everything in their store is wrapped in sugar before being baked in sugar
and shipped in sugar bags.

Why not have them make your coffee drinks with Cream (0.8 C per Tbsp = 6.4
Carbs per cup).  Most of those drinks can't possible have more than a cup of
milk product in them.

P

Good idea.  I think I'll write to Peet's too.  Oh how I would love
to have one of their "Swirls".