Non Dairy Alternatives to Cow Milk
From Soy to Hemp, Milk Comes in Many Forms and Flavors
Aug 6, 2009
Stocked on the shelves of the local grocery store, Fred Meyer, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and more are cartons of milk that are not the traditional cow milk staple. Rather, they are milks that come from plants and are made from beans, grains, and nuts. Since they are not from an animal source, these milks are naturally cholesterol-free and do not contain any animal fat. But they do still provide protein and other nutrients, and may also be enriched with vitamins. Perhaps best of all, each type of milk--and even each brand--has it's own unique flavor, so with a little bit of taste-testing, anyone is sure to be able to find a favorite.
Soy Milk
Soy milk tends to be the most available of the alternatives to cow milk, and often comes in plain, chocolate, and vanilla flavors. Some brands also offer a "light" variety. Soy milk is creamy, and is good to drink alone, with a peanut butter sandwich, or to use in recipes. It usually works great as a substitute for cow milk (including condensed milk) in everything from a milkshake to pancakes to mashed potatoes. Using soy milk may sometimes produce a food that is slightly different in flavor or consistency than if cow milk were used, but it is not something to be concerned about--and it may even taste better!
Some brands: Silk, Soy Dream, Pacific, Wildwood, WestSoy, Vitasoy, Organic Valley
Rice Milk
Like soy milk, rice milk also often comes in plain, chocolate, and vanilla flavors, and it is commonly used as a cow-milk replacement in recipes. Many people find rice milk to be the easiest transition from cow milk due to rice milk's white color and its sweetness. This may make it the preferred milk for things such as pouring over cereal, adding to coffee, or cookie dunking.
Some brands: Rice Dream, Pacific
Hemp Milk
Due to its health benefits (particularly that it contains omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids), hemp milk is overcoming its name (It does not contain the THC that is in marijuana.) to be a popular option. It is rich and creamy in texture and often comes in plain, chocolate, and vanilla flavors. There's even ice cream made from hemp milk!
Some brands: Hemp Bliss, Living Harvest
Almond Milk
As the name gives away, almond milk is nutty in taste, and when flavored with vanilla, it has an almost dessert-like quality. Unsweetened almond milk is available and is very low in calories.
Some brands: Almond Breeze, Almond Dream
Oat Milk
Oat milk is smooth and creamy, and the vanilla flavor has the soothing taste of vanilla pudding. Many people actually enjoy using oat milk on their oatmeal. Oat milk is easy to make at home, and there are many recipes available online.
Some brands: Oat Dream, Pacific
Note: If there is a kind of milk that you want to try and it is not available at your store, request that they carry it. They won't know that there is a demand unless you ask, and other customers may also be interested in having more options.
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