What a great question! Thank you! Milk is the real deal from the cow -- and cream looks similar but is thicker, made out of butterfat that is extracted from raw cow's milk. Half and half is literally half milk and half cream...

Then along came creamer which mixes in all sorts of crazy things! There's one called Nestle's Tollhouse that's supposed to taste like chocolate chip cookies. Another caramel or vanilla and still another that's flavored to taste like a Snickers candy bar. All sorts of sweet things make coffee taste more like ice cream.

In general, coffee creamer is thicker and creamier than milk. Coffee creamer has a slightly sweet taste. Coffee creamer is full of fat and calories, while milk is not. Coffee creamer contains many added ingredients (including sugar, artificial flavors, and colorings).