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.