Koko Dairy Free Soya Free Coconut Yogurt

'Well, just how many coconut yogurts do we need?' I thought, when I first heard about Koko's new dairy free and soya free yogurts. 

After all, everyone seems to be making coconut yogurt these days - good news when I heard about the first one, as there was very little in the way of soya free yogurts at the time, but now... they're everywhere!! And good though that is, it's surely time for a bit more originality, something a little bit different, maybe??

And then I heard they had additional calcium as well as probiotics... and my ears pricked up!

Looking good!

You see there are other coconut yogurts out there, some with probiotics, that are organic, or use natural sugars etc. but only one other has additional calcium - and that, for a mum of a little one with a dairy allergy, is an important consideration!! Other children eat dairy yogurts full of the stuff and one of the anxieties that many mums of kids with cow's milk protein allergy have, is whether their child is getting enough (see here, for a post about this).

As my Kiddo doesn't like that other yogurt, or indeed any other dairy free yogurt, except the one that happened to be made on the same line as dairy products and gave her a reaction, I was keen to see how this new yogurt would stack up.

What to look for on the shelves...

What's it like?

The small pots come in four flavours: strawberry, raspberry, peach & passion fruit, or coconut and lemon. 

I began with strawberry. I had to order it, as I can't buy it locally, so only went for one packet as I don't eat a great deal of yogurt, and I didn't know how long it would last. Actually, it turned out to have quite a long date, so I could have ordered more. 

In terms of taste etc. I wasn't sure what to expect, and usually prefer a more natural yogurt, but nonetheless was really pleasantly surprised. They tasted much like a 'normal' yogurt - with a lovely smooth and creamy texture. The thickness was just right. I was also really pleased that there were lots of strawberry (12%) pieces in it. There were definitely identifiable as strawberry too! 

I really liked this yogurt, and am sure to buy it again - more often when it becomes more readily available near me.

And Kiddo? Well she hasn't got a look in yet, will have to get some more! :D

Delicious creamy yogurt

What's in it?

Ingredients: 

Strawberry Yogurt:
Water, Coconut Cream, Strawberries, Sugar, Modified Maize Starch, Glucose Fructose Syrup, Thickener (Guar Gum, Pectin), Natural Flavouring, Aciditity Regulator (Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate), Dextrose, Salt, Colour (Carotene, Carrot Concentrate), Calcium Phosphate, Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, Non-Dairy Yogurt Culture (S. Thermophilus, L. Bulgaricus)


So, it turned out that not only did it have added calcium (128mg per 100g - 170mg per pot), but Vitamin D (needed to absorb calcium) and Vitamin B12 (not easily found in plant products) too!! Even better!! See full nutritional info here)

Important Update May 2017: 

Koko yogurts now state 'may contain nuts'. This does not affect Koko milk or spread. It is due to other products being made on the same line, over which Koko have no control. The risk is minimal, but there nonetheless, please read below, for further information:

Where can you buy it?

Morrison's stock the full range of yogurts, as do Ocado. Asda stock all the small pots. Hopefully other supermarkets will follow suit soon!

In Northern Ireland, the following Asda stores stock them too:

Antrim
Bangor
Belfast
Downpatrick
Enniskillen
Newtownards
Omagh
Portadown
Strabane


How Much?

You get two 125g pots in a pack, costing £1.25. Or one large 500g pot of Plain yogurt for £1.85. 

It's more expensive than most 'normal' yogurts, but you're going to be paying more for a yogurt that isn't going to bring back the same financial return to the manufacturers, as a product made from cow's milk would - well, not unless the rest of the population gives up cow's milk! Let's face it, it has to bring the manufacturers some financial reward, or it won't be commercially viable and will disappear from the shelves of our supermarkets.


Summing up...

A great new dairy free, soya free product and one that I am definitely going to recommend to others! Fab work Koko!! Go to the top of the class!!


Please note: 
This post is not an advert. I have not been paid to write this post. I am not sponsored in any way, even by advertising. I do not receive products free to review, although I have often been offered them. This is to try and maintain an unbiased approach. All views expressed are my own (unless I've asked for The Hub's or Kiddo's).

Related Posts:

Wot no Dairy?

Xotic - another Dairy and Soya free yogurt

Coyo  - Heaven in a mouthful?

Why we're all stirred up - Coconut Collaborative

A spoonful of medicine... and an allergic reaction!!

What a fortnight it's been!!

Yes, that's right a fortnight!! That's more or less how long 'Baby' has been ill. 

During this time, we have been attempting to clear and complete a sale on our old flat. It's not been easy with a small child who should be at school, is decidedly unwell, is in excruciating pain and is refusing to take her medicine!!

According to Mary Poppins, 

A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down...

Hmm! Practically perfect in every way, Mary Poppins may be, but I beg to differ!!

Our attempts to get 'Baby' to take any spoonful of medicine have been met with the kinds of shrieks and howls that might well cause any well-meaning neighbour to ring the police, in order to prevent a murder being committed. 

We needed to give her Nurofen to take her fever down (and Calpol at times too) as well as antibiotics and that's where the fun began!

That was when it became apparent that 'Baby' was reacting to her Penicillin.

When the Doctor first prescribed antibiotics, I was hoping they wouldn't be needed! After all I was still digesting the news on the BBC Horizon programme the other week - about how early use of antibiotics might contribute to developing food allergies.

However, the ear infection clearly wasn't going to go away, so reluctantly we forced (yes forced) some into our little one (some came back out again). When small red spots appeared on her cheek, an hour or so after the first dose, I wasn't too concerned. There was a red patch on her cheek that tends to appear when her body is fighting something off, so I just assumed the virus that she was also battling was entering another phase.

Her heavy eyes and doziness I just put down to her needing to catch up on the sleep she had missed due to unsettled nights, her aching limbs to the virus...

Until she had her next (hard fought) dose!!

The rash spread  quickly over her entire trunk, the heavy eyes and doziness returned, her face and lips went puffy. That's when we became alarmed and started Googling and came to the conclusion that it was either the virus or a reaction. Thing is, it couldn't be a reaction to milk - there was none in the medicine (yes, you do need to check medicines as well), our suspicion was the penicillin!

As she wasn't wheezing, we let her sleep... until the morning. 

It was a Saturday, and we were miles from home.

Despite the urgent need to shift our possessions from our old flat, The Hub had to whisk 'Baby' off to an out-of-hours appointment and the allergic reaction was confirmed. 

No more penicillin, for 'Baby!'

The good thing was that the Doctors were surprised that, given her age, this was her first experience of antibiotics. The bad thing was that the replacement medicine had it's problems too! It gave her a sore mouth and she couldn't get it down.

The second lot of antibiotics also went to waste!

The next out-of-hours Doctor was quite stern. 'Baby' HAD to have antibiotics to get well. The new medicine HAD to work. Well, I knew that, but the problem was how to get her to accept it!!

It tasted awful!

'Baby' was having none of it!

She squealed the house down, fought like crazy, clenched her teeth, covered her mouth with her hand and refused every attempt to take a spoon. NO bribe was sufficient - however much she wanted the reward, once faced with the medicine, all bets were off! There was no point injecting it with a syringe - it just came back out again! 

Reasoning, even the pain from her ear... nothing would move 'Baby' to accept the medicine.

Neither would giving it to her in lots of tiny drops washed down each time by water (which was how we persuaded her to take the Nurofen).

The Hub and I were desperate!! We felt scarred by the fight over the medicine!! No decent parent wants to cause their child such awful distress!!

Finally, we opted for mixing the medicine with something else. First her soya milk, which didn't work, then some chocolate Koko! Although it still wasn't palatable, this worked... in combination with threats of the syringe, and a fair bit of bribery (she now has quite a collection of Shopkins - don't ask) and sometimes even a spoonful of ice cream, or a bite of something sweet to follow each sip!!!

Chocolate milk works better than sugar!

But it worked!

Not a spoonful of sugar, but a CUPFUL of Koko helps the medicine go down, the medicine go down, the medicine go down...  (sing along now) 

Yes, yes, I may well have cracked, but after the fortnight I've had, who could blame me??

Now I'm after some decent dairy free probiotics - after all, we've got to look after the all important gut bacteria... I've heard Biogaia are good... and you can buy them on Amazon!

Are Tesco Tops for Free From?

Once upon a time I wasn't too choosy about where I shopped for food - I just went to the nearest large supermarket and topped up at a smaller local one in between trips to the larger store. Not any more, though! These days I find it essential to live near a Tesco Extra, a large Sainsbury's, a reasonably sized Waitrose, and well within range of Ocado, as well. We're moving shortly, and I'm rather worried that in our new locality, we'll find it difficult to get hold of products that we've come to love, and on which we've come to rely. 

I've often heard it said that Sainbury's is best for Free from food, and that Tesco mainly cater for the gluten free. AND, to be fair, it is true that Tesco has started stocking a number of new gluten free products, some of which are also dairy free, such as Heinz gluten free pasta and Newburn's bread, wraps etc. However, maybe it's just the one near me, but it's beginning to look to me as though Tesco is taking the challenge on - actually developing and seeking new products, that are specifically dairy free, especially in the chilled department. The only problem is that it's a bit of a postcode lottery - it's a bit hit and miss, according to where you happen to live!

I really wish that it wasn't like this, but that all 'Extras' stocked the same, all 'Metros' stocked the same, all medium-sized stores stocked the same, so that at least you'd know what to expect - based on the size of the store.

An example of this, is that recently I discovered that Tesco had started stocking strawberry flavoured Koko milk. Some Extras had them in stock, but not either of the Extras near me, though. I was quite disappointed, as I really wanted to get my hands on some. Eventually, the health food shop that I frequent came to my rescue, otherwise I'd still be waiting!! 

There have been, however, some new products that we have been able to get hold of. I've already mentioned the new Free From Desserts in a previous post, and they were exciting enough in themselves, however there are more products out there! If they're not in your store yet, keep your eyes peeled for these (and badger the manager like crazy, until they stock them):

Coconut based dairy free smoothies 

Perfect for going out and about

I love these - purely because they're a dairy free product that has not made with soya!   Yay! Another great thing about these smoothies, is that they're made with added calcium - always good to see, when you're dairy free!

There are two flavours. We've only tried this Tropical Fruit one so far. The other one is banana. Baby was not keen (probably because it didn't taste of chocolate) but I really enjoyed it. They are sold in a box of four, in the chiller cabinet. Smoothies are not great for your teeth, but one of these (every now and again) would be a lovely treat.

Allergy Advice: Recipe/factory nut free. Cannot guarantee completely nut free.

Dairy Free Dessert Shakes 

Also great for taking out

Another find from the chiller. They're a bit of an odd shape and come in a net bag. They're not huge. I can't have them, because they contain soya, but Baby loves having one as a treat.

Allergy Advice: Contains soya. Recipe no nuts. Made in nut free area of a factory that handles nuts elsewhere. Cannot guarantee nut free.

Gluten and dairy free lemon cake bars 

Just right for an afternoon tea

We found these in the Free From aisle. There's four in a pack. I'm not normally a fan of lemon flavoured cakes (by default, I prefer chocolate) but as shop cakes go, these are really quite nice. They're delicately flavoured, so the lemon doesn't over-power. They're obviously manufactured, rather than home-made, but not too dry and hold together well. I'll definitely be buying them again.

Allergy Advice: 

Contains egg. Recipe nut free. Cannot guarantee completely nut free - equipment previously handled products containing nuts.

Pack of two gluten free and dairy free pizza bases

There's two of these bases in one pack. Okay, so they are not fancy artisan pizza bases, baked in a wood stove, but I really quite like them. In fact I prefer them to the large Sainsbury's Free From large pizza base, because that one tends to fall apart, before I've even got it home!! Just the right size for one person, I find these smaller pizza bases very convenient for making a quick lunch at home.

Allergy Advice:
Contains egg. Recipe/factory no nuts. Cannot guarantee nut free.

Gluten and dairy free Cupcakes 

Sorry they look a bit bashed - they were all like that

I have to admit I was quite disappointed with these.  However, I have added them into this post, as I could be wrong - Tesco seem to keep restocking the shelves, so someone must be liking them and buying more.

There are two flavours, chocolate and strawberry. You get two in a packet but they're quite small.  I couldn't eat the chocolate one as it contained soya. Baby liked the sponge but not the topping. It was not until I tried the strawberry that I understood why - I thought the topping didn't taste very nice. The sponge was quite nice, though - it had a nice flavour and texture to it - if a wee bit dry!

Allergy Advice: 

Contains egg.

Recipe nut free but cannot guarantee nut free, as equipment used in their manufacture was previously used for products containing nuts.

Well, these are some of the new products that we have enjoyed. Now, back to the question in the title: How about you? Are Tesco 'tops' for you?? What products have you found and enjoyed?

Or, have you found Tesco's range (in your area) rather disappointing??

Related posts:

Shopping around

Avoiding the hop - shopping Free From online

Koko strawberry drink

To be honest, I've never been a HUGE fan of milkshake. It may have something to do with the fact that many of them, despite the pictures of yummy looking bubbles and fruit taste so... well... artificial.

Mind you, most of the milk shakes I've tasted have been those that my Mum made me, when I was a whole lot younger - before the age of Mac Donald's. They were made with that powdered Nesquik stuff, that you can mix up with ordinary milk.

I don't know if my mum was a leetle bit lax about making them up, but they were always very sugary and never quite mixed-in enough. There was always a bit of what can only be described as 'sediment' at the bottom of the glass!

Anyway, as soon as I heard about Kara, (now Koko) making strawberry milkshake, I was desperate to try one. My problem? Although I knew that some Tesco Extras stocked them, mine didn't and still doesn't. Bah!!

I contacted Koko and they offered to send me a freebie, which I turned down. Why? Because I don't like the idea of feeling obliged to write something that the people at Kara would like to read and I don't like the idea that I have an unfair advantage over others, who, like me, are trying to make the most of living on a restricted diet.

So anyway, I had almost given up looking, when a trip to my health food shop finally resulted in success!! Huzzah!!

Voila!

If you're okay with soya or rice milk, you may well be wondering what all the fuss is about - dairy free shakes made with these 'milks' have been around for ages. However, if like me, you can't have either of those, then you will understand exactly what all the excitement is about! 

Not having tried the rice or soya versions, I would be interested to hear from somebody who has, to find out how they compare. Baby has, but can't yet tell me in detail what she thought. All I know is that she didn't take to either, which was a bit disappointing as I was hoping to get her accepting some sort of dairy substitute, to up her calcium intake.

Alpro's shake has been around for a while

Now, down to business, what it is like?

To my mind, it's pretty much like milk mixed with Nesquik powder!! Though perhaps with a little extra sediment thrown in!! That said, I enjoyed it enough to want to buy some again, for when I fancy a bit of a change. However, it may not be all that often, as the drink comes with a fair few ingredients, which I personally find a bit alarming. If you want to see what else (besides coconut and strawberries) is contained in the drink, see here:

Ingredients:

Filtered water, Coconut milk 6.8%, Sugar, Maltodextrin, Calcium phosphate, Emulsifier: Sucrose ester, Strawberry juice concentrate, Natural flavourings, Thickener: Xanthum gum, Sea salt, Sandalwood extract, Vitamin D2, Vitamin B12

I've heard of most of those ingredients before, but I must admit, I was a bit surprised by the sandalwood! Just in case you too were wondering what on earth sandalwood is doing in a strawberry drink, well it's basically there to add colour to your drink. Well I never! I thought Sandalwood was an ingredient in perfume!

Now, if (like me) you are keeping a eye on your calcium intake, you may well also be interested in the following extra nutritional info:

Calcium 120mg 

Vitamin D2 0.75ug

All 15% of RDA (adult)

Children 1-3 require 350mg of calcium a day and 7.5 - 8.5 mg of Vitamin D a day (UK guidelines). So if Baby would drink a carton of this drink, each day, she would get around a third of her calcium and all of her Vitamin D for each day that she did so. That said, her teeth might suffer, so maybe it's for the best, for now, but should she change her mind, a carton as a treat, now and again should be fine.

Previous posts about dairy substitutes can be found by following the link below:
Dairy Substitutes

Further reading about Calcium and Vitamin D:

Are you getting enough... calcium?

Getting enough Vitamin D for you and me

Which milk, when, where?

Once upon a time, there was only soya milk - which is no good for me - I'm intolerant to soya milk. It causes me considerable stomach pain. Then there was rice milk I don't drink rice milk, because I'm still breastfeeding and so was advised not to, by the dietitian*.  

Fortunately for me, there are now so many dairy free milk substitutes out there, that I'm not constricted to just soya or rice milk. In fact there's so many out there now, that (if you're not allergic to nuts) it's difficult to know how/where to start. This post is about the ones we prefer and why.

I say 'ones,' as I don't have just one milk substitute. I used to think that was the way to go - I would find my replacement for milk and just stick with it. At that stage I was using Oatly - which is what we were recommended, by the paediatrician. I liked it (although you had to give it a really good shake before using it) but, made of oats, it wasn't low enough in gluten, when I developed my more recent problems, so I had to drop it and look for something else. But, eventually I came to the conclusion that the differing qualities, of each kind of milk, lent themselves to different things. So here (taking you through my daily routine) is how I prefer to go about it, now:

Coffee

Coffee is my way to start the day. No one should get between me and my morning cup of coffee - it's probably the only one I'll have all day (after all, I don't want Baby to stay awake all night) and for that reason it's precious to me. I'm so used to having my coffee black now (an Americano starts my day) that no milk is required. However, if I'm so inclined, it has to be hazelnut!

Breakfast - Porridge

Most days, I start the day with gluten free porridge, in which I quite like coconut milk. I like almond milk even more, but really, I prefer hazelnut milk, in my porridge, the most. It's creamier and as it is sweet enough (for me) as it is, I don't feel the need to add sugar. Bonus!!

Brunch - Pancakes

Well, I don't have pancakes everyday, in fact, hardly ever, but sometimes the need arises. Coconut and almond both work for me in pancakes. I can't decide which I prefer.

Time for a Cuppa 

These days, no milk is required in my tea - I actually prefer it black. In my opinion, flavoured milks do nothing for tea and there's no getting away from the nutty tastes in my favourite milks, which tend to go better with coffee.

Baking - Bread

I used to use Almond milk, but I've now discovered the unsweetened version and decided that in bread, it's the best. Sweetened milks make the bread sweet, which I hate. If I couldn't have the unsweetened almond, I'd use coconut milk, instead.

Lunch - Scrambled Egg

No milk is required whatsoever - I normally just make it with sunflower dairy free spread! However, I have also used a splash of almond milk and that works too.

A Dessert - Custard

Coconut milk carries the blandest flavour, so works best for me in custard. I quite liked the sweetened almond version, but my sister (who didn't even like the coconut much - she has the luxury of being able to have dairy) really drew the line at that one. I only make custard when we have people round - we don't usually do pudding - so I haven't yet tried hazelnut, although I'm tempted!

A Night Time Drink - Hot Chocolate

Baby's choice

I've tried a few of the ready mixed hot chocolates - Kara's coconut and Blue Diamond's almond, but I find them too syrupy sweet for my tooth. 

Baby likes a little of the Blue Diamond version but I prefer making my own - preferably with Hazelnut milk, Green and Black's Cocoa powder and half a teaspoon of sugar. Topped with a splurt of Soyatoo spray 'cream,' and/or a couple of marshmallows, it's... Delish!!

Baby's Milk

I've been trying to get Baby in to hot chocolate, (despite the horrendous sugar content) as she seems to have fallen out of love with her usual soya milk and I'm trying to get some more calcium in. 

Up to now, she has been happy with Alpro Plus 1 soya milk - it's specially formulated to meet the requirements of a young child, from the age of one (with the correct amount of calories and the same added vitamins that you'd find in a toddler's follow-on milk).

Baby's 'Giraffe' milk

The problem is that, to be quite honest, I can be a bit of a worrier and, left to myself, I wouldn't have given her any soya at all, once I became aware of the potential concerns associated with this legume. 

The concerns arise from the worry that the phyto-oestrogens in soya might not be suitable to young children - boys in particular. This is because oestrogen, is of course related to female sexuality, and the worry is that it might affect boys' future fertility.

Such concerns have led the BDA** (British Dietetic Association) to recommend that soya milk should not be used for children under the age of six months. Above that age, they say that soya can be included  as part of a balanced diet, but should not be over relied on.

Of course many Vegans have been using soya milk for years and do not seem too worried by this, but the seed of doubt planted in my mind, by this advice, caused me some worry. It's why I let  Baby continue to breastfeed - so she didn't rely too much on soya milk. 

However, I have come to the decision that as Baby can't have cow's milk and this milk is the one our dietitian recommended - due to the correct calorie content and added vitamins, and as I'm expecting this stage of Baby's life to be temporary, then we just have to go along with it. Now that she is older though, and is not lacking in calories and is seemingly okay with almond milk, I'm happy to let her have some of that on occasion, instead. Hence in her hot chocolate!

And Finally - Out and about

Small is beautiful too!

When out and about, or away for the weekend, you don't want to be carting around a whole litre of dairy free milk, which is why I love these smaller cartons by Kara (more recently re-branded as 'Koko'). They are the perfect size for making a portion of porridge and also come with a straw. You can buy them singly, or in packs of three.

I've heard of people sending their primary age kids into school, with these to drink - instead of the usual cow's milk (which the schools supply). I can see us letting Baby have these, in years to come, when she goes to school (should they be required) as long as she likes them , of course!

In Conclusion
Funny how what seemed like a negative (not being able to have cow's milk) has turned into something quite positive. I don't think that I would ever have experimented with all these different milks, if Baby had been fine with cow's milk. Now, I wonder if, when I am free to go back to dairy, I might actually be happier with my dairy free milks, after all, or whether I'll find myself continuing to experiment with dairy free milks. After all, porridge with hazelnut milk is sooo delicious!

How about you? What milks do you prefer, and when?

Update: Kara (or 'Koko,' as they're now called) have recently brought out their mini cartons in strawberry and chocolate flavour. These are now available through Holland and Barrett, Ocado and some health food shops.

*In recent years, there has been concern over the levels of arsenic in rice. Babies being less able to cope with toxins in their body are therefore supposed to be steered clear of rice milk. If you're breastfeeding, the worry is that the arsenic could pass through one's system and into the baby. Personally, I don't like rice milk anyway. The little I have tasted didn't appeal to me, although I know it does to others.

However, if rice milk is all you can have, due to other allergies/intolerances, then that it what you have to use. I was interested to read an article about the concerns over arsenic in rice, the other day, which I think could prove helpful for anyone battling with these concerns.

*Arsenic in your Rice? A clinical Nutrition Report (US)
*Arsenic in Rice Drinks (FSA - UK)

**Food Fact Sheet - Suitable Milks for Children with Cow's Milk Allergy by the BDA.

Update 2: I'm very sorry, but the above link does not appear to be working. Meanwhile, this one (also by the BDA) does seem to work: Soya and Health


Related Posts:

There are alternatives - milk substitutes
Happy with Hazelnut?


Anyone for Almond Milk?
Have you tried Hemp?

An Addendum to Winter Warmers

The new kid  on the block!

Stop Press! Excitement of excitements - another update! You may have read my post, the other week, on dairy free hot chocolate. Well it seems that I no longer have to make mine the old-fashioned way, using cocoa powder - as I found out in my most recent trip to my local Tesco Extra. 

Not to be outdone by Oatley, Alpro and the like, Kara, (who make coconut milk) have now brought out a chocolate version! And yes! I have not wasted any time - I have already purchased some and tried it! 

To my mind, it tastes very similar to the kind of hot chocolate instants you can buy (if you are able to tolerate dairy) like the one produced by Galaxy. It's very sweet, kind of syrupy in flavour. However, having become recently reacquainted with my old-fashioned version (made with Green and Blacks) I'm not sure how ready I am to like this new version. Still you never know, I've got most of the carton left and it may yet grow on me! 

Hmm! Now, I wonder how it might taste cooked with some pudding rice for a few hours? It could be good, or... well I've never claimed to be a Nigella now, have I?

Update: Kara, has since been renamed 'Koko'

There are alternatives - dairy free milk substitutes

So you can't have milk, but you might still want your morning breakfast cereal or something with your cuppa. Well there's no need for complete despair, there are alternatives! 

One of the main things to consider is the age of the individual involved. Some milk substitutes aren't suitable before the age of six months, two, three or even four years, so you need to read your labels carefully. 

Baby's choice:1+ by Alpro

You might also want to bear in mind whether your milk substitute needs to be enriched with certain vitamins. If, for example, you want your milk substitute to perform the same kind of role that normal milk would previously have carried out for you (by providing a considerable amount of your daily calcium allowance) you need to check the label. Most do, but organic versions won't, because they cannot call themselves organic, if they have added anything into the mix. 

Some also have vitamin D added. It is vital for your body to get enough vitamin D, in order to absorb calcium, so it could be worthwhile to make sure your milk substitute contains vitamin D as well. Some also have B vitamins, and so it goes on...


The good news is that there are all kinds of milk substitutes these days. The problem is that the choice could be bewildering, so let's take a look at the options:

Soya Milk

Perhaps most widely known and available - often offered in coffee shops etc. no good, however, if, like me, you have an intolerance to soya milk. Many people who can't have milk also have problems with soya. There is also some question mark over the use of soya by those who are pregnant or infants - soya contains a plant form of oestrogen, which it is thought might cause some kind of hormonal effect. More worrying for boys than girls apparently, but there nonetheless.

There are other associated risks, but reading around, it's tricky sorting out the fact from (quite frankly) the fanciful. The following article, from the BDA, is quite a helpful read.

One thing that does seem to be agreed upon, is that soya is not deemed suitable for children under the age of six months. Alpro produce a junior version (suitable from one year) that we now use for 'Baby'. This is the medical profession's preferred option for young children under the age of two, unless they are intolerant/allergic to soya. This is because it has the right amount of calories and additional vitamins, that are needed by very young children.

One of the major advantages of soya, however, has to be, that (as it has been around so long, as a useful milk substitute) manufacturers have found ways of developing yoghurts, cheeses etc. made with soya. You can also get it in various flavours and in smaller cartons, which are good for carrying around. So if you can tolerate soya, and don't depend too much on it, it could be a good option.

Rice Milk

Personally I think rice milk has a nasty after taste. It is a popular alternative but not considered suitable for children below the age of four and a half (and therefore not suitable for those who are breastfeeding either). This is due to the fact that rice contains a certain level of arsenic!! The arsenic comes from the soil in which the rice is grown. Yet somehow rice is generally widely consumed and is still considered safe as a first food for babies!! Read this article by the Food Standards Agency, for official advice. And then the following article, by Foodsmatter, for a more interesting read!

For those who can have rice milk, as well as the larger cartons, it also comes in handy smaller lunchbox-sized versions, which are good for travelling. They also come in variety of flavours.

Almond Milk

One alternative that is becoming more and more popular, is almond milk. I really like almond milk. Almond is a good natural source of calcium, so it makes good sense. It's also an excellent source of vitamin E. The good news, for nut allergy sufferers, is that almonds are not nuts - they're drupes and are related to the peach!

Ecomil, Blue Diamond, Alpro, Dairy Free Dream, and Rude Health all make their own versions of almond milk, but Ecomil's, being organic will not have any extra vitamins beyond those which are naturally present in the almond itself because you can't add vitamins to an organic drink - it immediately invalidates its organic nature). Rude Health's version will not be suitable for anyone avoiding rice milk (see section below), as it contains 14% rice milk. This isn't a huge amount, so you might regard it as okay, but that's entirely up to you!

Alpro's advice (aimed at those of us who have young 'uns) is that Almond milk is not suitable as a main milk drink for children under three, but can be used in cooking etc. Additionally, they state (unless they're organic, of course), that all Alpro milks contain vitamins B2, B12, and D as well as calcium.

Hazelnut Milk
Hazelnut milk has quite a distinctive nutty flavour. I like it in porridge, as it adds a kind of creaminess, which is missing in almond milk. Alpro is the brand leader in this one. Rice Dream also make a hazelnut milk, but it's unsuitable for anyone avoiding rice milk as rice milk is blended in with the hazelnut milk. As with almond milk, Alpro state that it is not suitable as a main milk drink for children under three, but can be used in cooking etc. 

Coconut Milk

Chocolate Kara

Made by Kara, it's OK, but I thought it left a slightly powdery taste on my tongue (but maybe that's just me). Kara's coconut milk is quite good used in custard and rice pudding. It's very popular with parents whose children are unable to have rice or soya milk. Kara's coconut milk contains calcium (250ml = 375% of RDA) and now vitamin D as well (it didn't used to). It is apparently cholesterol free. 

Handily, it comes in smaller cartons now, and in three flavours: Original, Chocolate and Strawberry, although the strawberry only comes in the smaller size. The chocolate version makes a very good hot chocolate once warmed!

Hemp Milk

Called 'Good Hemp' and made by Braham and Murray. I know it has lots of fans, but I tried this one once and am not a fan - it has a very distinctive taste. I'm guessing they've successfully removed the narcotic effects of the Hemp, though, as otherwise things could get a wee bit interesting! It's main selling point seems to be that, not only does it apparently contain calcium and vitamin D, it also contains omegas 3 and 6!

Quinoa Milk

Quinoa (keen-wah) is a type of grain. It was used by the Incas to strengthen their warriors, I believe. It's quite a good source of protein and is regarded by some as a sort of 'super food'. Made by Ecomil, we've only used this in making bread, so far!

Oat Milk

Oatly, are the brand leaders with this one, although there are now more oat drinks on the market. It was my personal favourite before my intolerance problems really began. Now that I can't tolerate gluten, this one is out for me - as it's not made with gluten free oats, which is a shame. 

It's not suitable for children under the age of two, as a main milk drink (unless advised otherwise by your dietitian), but can be used in cooking. I didn't get any nasty after-taste from it, but you do need to shake the carton really well before use as the mixture can separate. You can get a chocolate version (which isn't too bad) and they also do an Oatley cream substitute which is not unpleasant either (it's fairly thick, but thins somewhat, when it comes into contact with warm food).

In case you're wondering...
Goats milk and sheep milk are two substitutes to cow's milk that we've not tried - although people often bring these up in conversation, once they realise you have a problem with cow's milk! The reason that we haven't is because both of these contain proteins that are very similar to those found in cow's milk, so we're not going there! 

I have a friend who did rear her children on goat's milk (you can get it as a powdered formula in a tin from some supermarkets and good health food shops, it's called 'Nanny Care'), but I'm not prepared to take the risk of a bad reaction. Camel's milk and mare's milk are apparently much less allergenic, but I don't know about you, I've certainly not seen them on sale in any supermarket, just yet!


If you're from the States...
For the Americans among us, a comprehensive breakdown of milk substitutes available in the US, has been produced by the American nutritionist, Heather Bauer.


At the end of the day (having considered the options) whichever milk substitutes you end up trying, I hope you find one that you can enjoy with your cuppa and/or cereal!! 


And please... let me know how you get on!

More posts about milk substitutes can be found on our blog, under the heading 'Dairy Substitutes' which also covers yoghurt, cream and cheese!