For a drink to serve at snack time, choose a coconut-based plant drink rather than culinary coconut milk, which is intended for use in recipes. If your child needs to avoid milk because of an allergy, check the packaging of the product you buy and agree with the nursery on how it will be handled. A coconut drink is not automatically a substitute for their usual milk either.
If milk needs to be avoided because of an allergy, the ingredients in the product you take to the nursery and the arrangements for your child’s care matter more than the word ‘plant-based’ on its own. The French Ministry of National Education says an individualised care plan (PAI) can set out a special diet and any adjustments needed, including in some early-years settings.
For an occasional snack, be sure to distinguish between a plant-based drink and culinary coconut milk. Compare sugars and other nutritional values on a like-for-like basis, then check how the product you choose should be stored.
For a toddler, a coconut drink should not be treated as a replacement for their usual milk. Manger Bouger distinguishes between growing-up milk and whole milk for this age group, depending on the child’s circumstances. If milk needs to be excluded long term, discuss this with the healthcare professional looking after your child.
First decide whether you need a ready-to-serve drink or an ingredient for a recipe. If you’re preparing a snack without milk, check the label of the specific product and confirm that the nursery can accept and store it appropriately.
Consider it: if you want to serve a drink at snack time, comparing the recipe and nutritional values of each product.
Keep in mind: ‘plant-based’ alone does not guarantee that a product is suitable for a child with a milk allergy, nor does it make the drink a substitute for infant milk.
Consider it: as a measured ingredient in a homemade snack.
Keep in mind: its ingredients and intended use differ from those of a ready-to-serve plant drink. Also check how long it keeps once opened.
| Criteria | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Milk avoidance and childcare arrangements | Read the ingredients, any highlighted allergens and any ‘may contain’ statements on the packaging you buy. Agree with the nursery on the arrangements to follow in the event of an allergy. | When my child needs to avoid milk, I want to take a product to the nursery whose label I’ve checked and whose use I’ve discussed with the staff. Around 42% of consumers would put these childcare arrangements first. |
| Ingredients and age | Compare nutritional information on a like-for-like basis, including the sugars, protein and calcium shown. For a toddler, don’t regularly replace their usual milk with a coconut drink without advice that takes their circumstances into account. | When choosing a drink for a young child, I put its ingredients and place in their usual diet ahead of the coconut flavour. Around 33% of consumers would share this priority. |
| Serving and storage | Distinguish between a ready-to-serve drink and a cooking ingredient. Choose a pack size that suits how long the product will keep and the storage conditions stated on the packaging after opening. | When preparing several snacks, I prefer a pack size we can use within the stated time after opening. Ease of serving and storage would be a priority for around 25% of consumers. |
These similar-sounding names describe different uses. Joybuy’s product listings for Vietcoco culinary coconut milk and Auchan’s listing for Alpro Coco Sans Sucres show different ingredients. A tin intended for recipes is not simply another format of a coconut drink.
For a glass at snack time, look at plant-based drinks intended to be drunk as they are. If you’re making a recipe, measure out the culinary coconut milk as an ingredient.
These claims don’t mean you can skip checking the product you buy. The DGCCRF notes that allergens must be highlighted in the ingredients list of prepacked foods.
Check the packaging again every time you buy the product, and ask the nursery how it manages your child’s care. An individualised care plan (PAI) may be appropriate if an allergy requires specific arrangements.
How long a product keeps after opening depends on the specific product. Auchan’s listings for the coconut drinks in question say to refrigerate them and consume them within five days.
Before choosing a pack size, check the storage instructions on the packaging and plan portions that can be used within the stated time.
An opened carton that sits for longer than this may end up going to waste.
A coconut drink served at snack time is not a nutritional replacement for a child’s usual milk simply because of its name or plant-based origin. Manger Bouger provides separate guidance on the diets of children aged 1 to 3.
If dairy needs to be excluded long term, discuss your child’s diet with the healthcare professional looking after them, rather than deciding to make this substitution based on a drink’s label.
Auchan’s listing for Alpro Coco Sans Sucres describes a coconut-based plant drink in a 1 L carton, with added calcium and vitamins.
Carrefour’s listing describes a 1 L coconut drink made with ingredients including coconut and rice.
These two products are not interchangeable: E.Leclerc lists a VEGE coconut drink and a Bio Village rice and coconut drink, each with a different recipe.
Auchan’s listings distinguish between a standard coconut drink and an organic version with no sugars listed.
The Aldi product described as 200 ml of organic coconut milk is for cooking, not in the same category as a ready-to-serve plant drink.
These products cover two different uses at snack time: plant drinks made with different recipes, and culinary coconut milk to add to a dish. Their inclusion here doesn’t mean they’re suitable for a milk allergy. Always check the packaging of the product you take to the nursery.
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Worth considering if you’re looking for a plant drink with a coconut flavour rather than coconut milk for cooking. The Joybuy listing mentions soya and added calcium. Check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging before taking it to the nursery.
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This drink combines coconut and matcha, so it’s for anyone looking for a flavoured drink rather than a plain coconut drink. Check that the recipe and flavour suit your child and meet the nursery’s requirements.
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Consider this if you’re looking for a coconut-flavoured drink. It’s a flavoured oat-based drink, not coconut milk. Check the label before using it for a snack where a child needs to avoid certain foods.
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This culinary coconut milk is suited to a homemade recipe where you can measure out the amount you need, rather than serving as a ready-to-drink option. Check the storage instructions and packaging if the recipe is for a child who needs to avoid milk.
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This multipack of culinary coconut milk is intended for recipes, not for serving as a coconut drink at snack time. Before choosing this pack size, think about how you’ll use the cartons and check the instructions on each one after opening.
No. The word ‘plant-based’ isn’t enough to determine whether a product is suitable for a child with a milk allergy. The DGCCRF notes that allergens in prepacked foods must be highlighted in the ingredients list. Read the packaging of the product you actually buy and follow the arrangements agreed with the nursery.
Talk to the nursery about the product you’ll provide and any adjustments your child needs. The French Ministry of National Education says an individualised care plan (PAI) can set out a special diet and, if needed, an emergency procedure. This arrangement also applies to settings such as nurseries and day-care centres.
Not automatically. Choosing a drink for snack time is not the same as planning a long-term replacement for a child’s usual milk. Manger Bouger provides dietary guidance specifically for children aged 1 to 3. If milk needs to be excluded long term, discuss the replacement with the healthcare professional looking after your child.
Follow the storage conditions and use-by timeframe given for the product you buy. Auchan’s listings for the coconut drinks in question say to refrigerate them and consume them within five days of opening. Culinary coconut milk may have different instructions.