Non-Dairy Drink - alternative to milk

[mike]

Hi

My son is a vegan, and also a keen runner/tennis player.

He is also lactose intolerant.

I am just doing a bit of research on what type of non-dairy alternatives there are available at the shops.

I have been recommended Alpro Soya and Rice and Easy.

Any feedback on whether these products are nice to drink and suitable for my son?

many thanks
Mike

[Hiking Fox]

What country are you in? The products available vary widely according to what country you are in.

eg. in Europe we have 'Alpro', but Americans keep going on abou a brand called 'Silk', which I've never seen.

Soya milk is really good in tea and in cooking. Rice milk is really good in cereals, and as a drink on its own.

[smile 4 me]

Hi Mike, nice to see you're looking after your son.
To tell the truth, it took a while for me to get used to the taste of soya milk, but it grows on you. I think it best to have with cereal first, rather than a big glass on its own.

The different makes vary considerably in their taste, and don't give up if you find one of them disgusting!
I would recommend a fortified one with B12 and maybe calcium and definitely sweetened with apple juice for a 'beginner'
Alpro 'blue' cartons are a good choice.

Rice and oat milks are quite nice and may be flavoured with vanilla, but they contain less protein for a growing(?) or sporty lad.

Just spend a few quid experimenting, because everyone's palette is different of course.

You never know, you might make the switch to a healthier drink yourself, and in the process, reduce the amount of methane (23x worse than CO2) being released into the atmosphere by dairy/meat farming!

(Alpro soya does not come from cleared rainforests).

You don't have to declare yourself a veggie to reduce your carbon footprint and animal suffering! I know loads of omnivorous people who are starting to drink soya milk as a healthy lifestyle choice. Convert the whole family!

Good luck.

[Enhydra Lutris]

I like Alpro's blue fortified soya milk and the light unsweetened version that is refrigerated (not normal red unsweetened). Some soya milks are really nice and some I'd only use for baking etc. Try a few different ones and I'm sure you'll find something that suits him.

Oh, and soya milk often curdles if poured into hot coffee. Just let it cool a bit first and stir it vigorously. Nothing dangerous, just a bit weird.

[sonnyd7]

if you live near a costco, the kirkland brand is real good and super cheap too. only prob about that is you gotta buy it in bulk, but really that's not a prob since you dont have to refrigerate it until it's opened.

[Oak]

Hi Mike,

I'd go crazy and just buy different plant milks for your son to try, they all have different flavours, and infact I think they can change the way that we look at these things. So that it's not just one thing but something that you choose depending on what flavour you fancy at the time.

One problem is that some might taste odd to begin with and after a little exposure be nice. Just like trying any new food.

My sister prefers rice milk because it was as thin as the skimmed milk she used to.

My friend Jonathan hates soya milk but likes all other milks and likes the taste of Oats so he buys Oat milk. He likes the chocolate soya milk though.

Another friend liked full fat milk so looked for a creamy soyamilk. Started off with Bonsoy and now drinks any soya milk apart from Sunrise which is rank.

Good luck!
Oak

[spacekadet]

Like everyone else has said, milk subs are largely a matter of personal preference. I don't like rice milk. Oat milk is OK. Almond milk is OK. My milk sub as choice is Alpro Organic Unsweetened, and Granovita Organic Unsweetened. I use them primarily for tea.

I also use Whole Foods' Organic Unsweetened Soy for making soy yogurt.

[veganlove]

Where do you live? I know in the US they have really good soy milk by Edensoy. I get the normal kind, but they also have vanilla, chocolate, and enriched. It's the best I've ever had, Silk and Alpro both gross me out. Rice milk is sort of watery for my taste as well and I prefer a thicker consistency. I've heard Alpro is okay in Europe, but I absolutely hated the kind I tried. It tasted like water with salt in it and was really runny. I'd just try out everything you can, and see what he likes!

[ericajones80]

Silk brand is personally my favorite...I love the way it takes. I definitely recommend it...if you have any questions about it you can visit silksoymilk.com

[Fallen_Horse]

if you live near a costco, the kirkland brand is real good and super cheap too. only prob about that is you gotta buy it in bulk, but really that's not a prob since you dont have to refrigerate it until it's opened.

This is definitely my favorite brand of soy milk, but it often just comes down to personal taste.

Edensoy also makes a soy milk / rice milk combo that is more tolerable to people who don't like the taste of soy (or don't want to get too much soy protein in their diet). It's not cheap though.

[aliquis]

Alpro soy light taste ok imho. But I think rice milk are said to taste better.

Noone of them are very nutritious and needed thought.

For my morning smoothie I just took 50+ gram of isolated soy protein, water, two small bananas and cacao. Soy milk are very expensive for what you get (a couple of grams of soy beans, water and maybe some sweetener.)

[Catt Queen]

I'm making my own nut milk at the moment - so far very good results

[mike]

Hey guys

Thanks to all who replied! Been busy with christmas etc!

Have tried a few different milks - we just went and bought a whole load, and tried them as a family. They all take a bit of getting used to.

We ended up sticking with Rice & Easy in the end - my wife sneaks in the occasional soya (creamier taste) - but as we have high cholesterol,
Rice & Easy is supposed to be better for us & more importantly our son likes it!

Mike

[ef27]

Then there's always Hemp Milk, which is very healthy and great protein. The taste is horrid though, it takes alot of will power to finish your cereal, let alone chug a glass.

Almond milk is heavenly however...

[Catt Queen]

Yes I've settled on almond milk after much experimentation - home made