There are many alternatives to cow’s milk – experiment with some of the ideas below.

The Other Milks

Soya, rice, oat and almond milk, to name the main non-dairy milks, are available from the following shops:

  • Health food shops – stock a wide selection of vegan milks;
  • Supermarkets – stock soya milk and some stock rice and oat milk;
  • Corner shops – these often stock soya milk;
  • Your kitchen – make your own!
    • Banana soya shake – place one banana and 1/4 carton (125 ml) of soya dessert in a jug and make up to 3/4 pint (430 ml) with soya milk. Whizz with a hand blender and serve.
    • Mango soya shake – place six dessertspoons of mango puree in a jug and make up to 3/4 pint (430 ml) with soya milk. Whizz with a hand blender and serve.

The Taste Test

We tasted and marked some non-dairy milks out of ten…

  • Hazelnut and Almond Rice Dream: 10
    This stuff is gorgeous, lovely in cereals or to drink on its own.
  • Vanilla Rice Dream: 10
    Again, lovely in cereals or to drink on its own.
  • Alpro blue sweetened soya milk: 10
    Usually does not curdle in coffee so is good in drinks and the taste is not too overpowering.
  • Tesco soya milk: 9
    Similar taste to Alpro.
  • Marks and Spencer soya milk: 9
    This has a hint of vanilla which is good in hot drinks.
  • Ecomil almond milk: 7
    One that you will love or hate, depending on your liking of the sweet almond flavour.
  • Sunrise soya milk: 5
    Watery and not many good points about this one.

Curdled Coffee

Coffee sometimes curdles when served with soya milk. All of the following help to stop it from doing so…

  • Use more soya milk than you would have done cows’ milk.
  • Make the coffee weaker.
  • Use a soya milk that contains a higher percentage of soya.
  • Heat the soya milk and allow the coffee to cool slightly before adding the milk.
  • Pour a lot of milk in quickly, stirring all the time.
  • Give up on coffee and drink tea or barleycup instead.
  • Use a vegan coffee creamer (see the next section).

Update April 2018 – Oatly Barista is a new vegan milk that does not curdle in coffee so recommended.

Coffee Creamer

Coffee creamer is a great way to get smooth tasting, non-curdled coffee. You can order vegan coffee creamer online at Vegan Store. Soyatoo coffee creamer is also available in some health food stores.