Dairy Milk alternatives?

[dhano923]

I'm dairy-free, gluten-free and soy-free, and I use the 365 brand almond milk creamer in my coffee, which is sweetened, or for unsweetened, I like the Milkadamia unsweetened creamer. I swore by the Ripple half and half before, but it's gotten really hard to find in my area. That was the closest thing to real half and half I ever found.

[nfceagles]

My DH loves Oatly, especially the Barista version for his coffee. My DS has always been dairy free but just doesn’t use milk for anything. I use soy or coconut milk for cooking baking for the family.


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[zukeypur]

I too prefer Oatly, the regular one, not the light. I haven't tried the Chobani, but thank you to those who have recommended it. I am always looking for something else in the event that Oatly isn't available. The Target brand is ok, but Oatly is much better. Califia has a shelf stable Barista blend, but it's more expensive and Oatly is better.

[♥ms.pacman♥]

I have not drank cow's milk in years and have tried various alternatives over the years. my go-to right now is Califa farms Almond milk. it's way creamier than other almond milks. I like the unsweetened version- perfect for cereal and drinking with cookies. it's kinda pricey though. the thing is, most other almond milks are super watery and tasteless (like the Kirkland brand - awful) but somehow this brand is way creamier and better tasting.

I've tried Oatmilk, and it's great for things like hot chocolate and the like. but it does have a TON of carbs/calories compared to other alternatives. My DH hates the taste.
Rice milk - too high in carbs, super thin, tastes nothing like milk - this is the least preferable option, not creamy AT ALL, almost like a juice.
Coconut milk - you can find creamy versions, and some brands of chocolate coconut milk is really really good (my kids love it, almost better than regular chocolate milk) although plain coconut-based milk is so gross in my opinion (and I LOVE coconut!!). I think if you don't like coconut, you wouldn't like this.
Soy milk - depends on the brand - some are good but many have a strong soy taste. Also the consistency is a bit different. My son prefers soy milk over almond milk.

overall I prefer almond milk, but the brand tends to matter a ton. i like how the unsweetened one is only 50 cal a cup and still is pretty creamy consistency.


edit: I just re-read OP and saw that it has to be nut-free also, so I guess almond milk would be out.

[hbridge]

Thank you all so much!!!

Unfortunately, anything nut based is going to trigger an allergy, so that's out.

I have oat milk in my coffee right now, it is definitely NOT the same, but maybe I just need to get used to it. I will try some different brands and see. The store I went to only had their own brand so I got some oat milk and some coconut milk. I am not a fan of coconut, but we will try it and see. Maybe I will make the drive to Whole Foods next week and see what they have.

At this point, I am not too worried about carb/calories. Since it is only about 1/2 a cup a day total (if I have cereal for breakfast).

Thanks for the help.

[Myira]

Dairy free here for the past 6 years and I only use unsweetened soymilk from Westsoy or Trader Joe’s. Both of these are shelf stable though I refrigerate after opening. I use them in my morning chai, and they work great in my DH’s coffee, there is no aftertaste. I never liked dairy even when I was consuming it so to me tea and coffee tastes better with soymilk. These have only 2 ingredients soybeans and water without any added oils or junk. I won’t do coconut milk since it has high saturated fat content.
That said, I have researched and am not in the least concerned with soy consumption and phytoestrogens. My kids use it in their cereals when they have them occasionally.

None of the oat milk brands I’ve seen meet my requirements for no additives or oils which I’m guessing they add for stabilizing. I’ve seen several videos where people make their own but I’m guessing you’d need to consume it right away else risk separation.


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[billysmommy]

I came across Mooala banana milk last week at Wegmans. It’s actually really good, especially in cereal and oatmeal.

https://shop.mooala.com/products/ori...hoCtq0QAvD_BwE


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[AmyZ]

Funny that Oatmilk is getting so much love. My daughter is DF and NF, and she enjoys the So Delicious Coconut milk (red container).

[Myira]

I came across Mooala banana milk last week at Wegmans. It’s actually really good, especially in cereal and oatmeal.

https://shop.mooala.com/products/ori...hoCtq0QAvD_BwE


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That looks interesting, I’ll have to check where it’s available near me.


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[hbridge]

OP here...

I am thinking that you all seem to have a lot more availability than we do around here. Whole Foods and Trader Joes are a bit of a trek for me (haven't been to Trader Joe's in over a year) and our local grocery stores seem to only have one option for oat and soy. I think a Whole Foods run may be needed. Maybe I need to try soy... I definitely was NOT a fan of the oat milk this morning.

My big issues is that coffee is one think I look so forward to every morning and it is just not the same without dairy. It took a little getting used to going from half and half to 2 % milk, but that was okay. I am truly feeling like I am losing out without the dairy in my coffee...

The whole diet change has been REALLY hard and I definitely have been struggling since I started 6 months ago, this is the one thing I was hoping I could keep... ARGH!!!!