It’s the first day of March, and although we have left Veganuary behind, I’ve been taste-testing different milk alternatives for the past two months in an attempt to be more environmentally friendly. It has been a journey for sure, as I’ve been living at home for the majority of the time, with a sister who is allergic to nuts, a brother who drinks and eats everything in sight, and a mother who adores her cow’s milk tea! (She can’t leave the house without the warm hug of a tea, even if she is only going out for five minutes.)
But here is my leader board of the milk alternatives I tried.
Altogether I tried soya milk (sweetened, unsweetened and light), almond milk, hazelnut milk, and coconut milk. I unfortunately didn’t get to try oat milk, as I have Coeliac Disease and therefore can’t eat gluten, but I’m sure you have heard enough raving about oat milk online and that you agree the other milks deserve their turn in the spotlight.
So, lights, camera, action.
Scene 1, Anna tries milk alternatives, take 1:
The Coconut Milk.
In all honesty, I really did not like this milk. It didn’t mix well with my coffee and looked really dodgy in my tea. I had one coffee and was so put off it I didn’t drink any for days, and by this point it had been open for way too long. I really don’t recommend this milk. It now makes sense why this one is always on offer.
Scene 1, Anna tries milk alternatives, take 2:
The Hazelnut Milk.
I actually quite enjoyed hazelnut milk, it was tasty, and added flavouring like a syrup from Starbucks.
Did it taste like milk? No. But did I enjoy my Hazelnut hot chocolate? Yes!
I would recommend this milk if you don’t really drink hot drinks like tea or coffee (hot chocolate is the exception). For me, my tea just didn’t taste right, and it was probably the first time ever I haven’t finished a cup. I also enjoyed this milk in my bowl of cereal too, as it gave my cereal a new taste. But as a person who only really uses milk for tea and coffee, I won’t be repurchasing this any time soon.
Scene 1, Anna tries milk alternatives, take 3:
The Almond Milk.
Okay, so I preferred this to hazelnut. It tasted slightly more normal, and not so nutty and off putting in tea which was a big win. My iced coffee tasted relatively normal too. This alternative with porridge though made me put it above Hazelnut. It tasted so similar, and knowing it was lower calories was such a bonus.
Let’s just say, if all the soya milk was sold out, this wouldn’t be a bad second option.
Scene 1, Anna tries milk alternatives, take 4:
My winner: SOYA MILK
This milk was the closest to cow’s milk I could find. Sweetened soya milk tasted great in tea, and amazing in iced coffee (which is great because iced coffee is 90% milk!) I have repeatedly repurchased this milk since my initial meet-cute in January and have even ventured into buying soya yoghurts. Unsweetened wasn’t as good, but a healthier choice all the same. If you want a healthier version of soya, the Soya Light is my go-to.
I hope this helped you, and hopefully one day in the future, the gluten free gods can make gluten free oat milk.
Words By: Anna Duffell
Edited By: Laura Murphy