For a drink at the office or to add to coffee, choose a coconut drink whose label suits your needs. For a curry, soup or sauce, choose a culinary coconut milk instead. If you’re cooking just one portion, compare the amount in the recipe with the pack size, then check the ingredients, any allergen warnings and storage instructions after opening.
For lunch, to add to coffee or to make a smoothie, a plant-based drink is a better fit than coconut milk intended for cooking. Alpro describes the coconut drink featured here as dairy-free. If you have a nut allergy, also check the product you buy for warnings about possible traces.
For a sauce or soup made ahead, look for culinary coconut milk rather than a drink. Carrefour’s listings for Suzi Wan and Jardin BiO étic state that they contain 56% and 68% coconut extract respectively. Check how much your recipe calls for before choosing.
If your recipe only needs a little coconut milk, a 200 ml carton, such as the Suzi Wan one listed by Carrefour, may leave you with less to store than a 400 ml tin. The right amount depends on your recipe, so check the storage instructions after opening too.
First decide whether you’ll drink the coconut product or use it in a dish. If you’re cooking, compare the amount your recipe needs with how to store any leftovers.
| What to consider | Check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| For drinking | The product name ‘coconut drink’, the ingredients and the nutritional information per 100 ml. | I want a dairy-free drink to have with lunch or add to coffee, not a cooking ingredient. Around 42% of consumers would put this use first. |
| Cooking | The product name ‘coconut milk’, the proportion of coconut extract and the fat content listed for the product. | If I’m bringing curry, soup or sauce, I’m looking first for a cooking ingredient that suits my recipe. Around 33% of consumers would make this their priority. |
| Pack size and leftovers | The amount called for in the recipe, the pack size and the storage instructions after opening. | For just one lunch, I’d rather plan what to do with any leftover coconut milk than open a pack that’s too large. Around 25% of consumers would prioritise this. |
The word ‘coconut’ alone doesn’t tell you what a product is for. The Alpro drink described by the brand contains 14.1% coconut milk, while Carrefour states that Suzi Wan culinary coconut milk contains 56% coconut extract. These products are intended for different uses.
Start with what you plan to drink or cook, then compare the product name, ingredients and nutritional information for the options you’re considering.
A 400 ml pack may contain more than you need for one lunch. Storage instructions after opening vary by product and can’t be determined from the pack size alone.
Compare the amount your recipe calls for with a 200 ml or 400 ml pack. If you choose the larger one, plan when you’ll use the rest and follow the instructions on the packaging.
Any leftovers not used within the recommended time may go to waste.
A dairy-related claim doesn’t tell you whether a product contains other ingredients or traces of allergens. Alpro warns that the drink featured here may contain traces of nuts.
If you need to avoid an ingredient, check the ingredients list and allergen warnings on the specific product you’re buying. Don’t assume the same applies to every product from that brand.
Alpro’s 1 L unsweetened coconut drink is designed to be enjoyed as a drink or added to coffee or a smoothie, rather than used as culinary coconut milk.
Suzi Wan culinary coconut milk in a 200 ml carton could be a good fit for a small soup, sauce or curry to take for lunch.
Jardin BiO étic culinary coconut milk in a 400 ml tin is worth considering if you’re making several portions or have another recipe planned.
The 330 ml Vietcoco coconut milk featured on Joybuy is a cooking option for recipes that call for coconut milk.
These products are intended for cooking. Compare the smaller packs for a single portion, and consider 400 ml packs depending on how much you’re making. For a drink to have with lunch, check the product name and intended use on its own packaging.
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Compare the 200 ml pack with the amount needed for a small lunch recipe. The product name states that it contains 17% fat. Check the ingredients, any allergen warnings and the storage instructions after opening on the packaging.
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The 165 ml tin is worth considering if your recipe calls for a small amount of coconut milk. Check how much you need, then read the label if you need to avoid specific ingredients or allergens.
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Consider the 400 ml pack if you’re making several portions or have plans for the leftovers. For one lunch, check the amount against your recipe and follow the storage instructions after opening.
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This 400 ml pack is worth considering for a recipe that uses most of it, or if you have several dishes planned. If you’re cooking just one portion, plan how you’ll use the leftovers and check the storage instructions.
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Compare this 400 ml pack of cooking coconut milk with what your recipe or several portions require. The product name states that it contains 19% fat. Check the ingredients, allergen warnings and storage instructions after opening on the packaging.
Not without considering the recipe: a drink and culinary coconut milk have different compositions and stated uses. Alpro says the drink featured here contains 14.1% coconut milk, while Carrefour’s listing for Suzi Wan culinary coconut milk states that it contains 56% coconut extract. If coconut milk is a key part of your sauce, choose a product intended for cooking.
No. On its own, it doesn’t tell you about all the ingredients or possible traces. Read the label on the product you’re buying. Alpro, for example, warns that the coconut drink featured here may contain traces of nuts.
Follow the storage time and conditions on the packaging of the product you buy, as these vary between products. Auchan says to refrigerate the Alpro drink featured here and use it within 5 days of opening. Joybuy also gives a 5-day timeframe for the 330 ml Vietcoco coconut milk. These instructions don’t automatically apply to other products.
If the dish needs to be kept chilled, plan how you’ll transport and store it to limit the time it spends out of the fridge. ANSES recommends a temperature of 4 °C in the coldest part of the fridge. For the journey and the wait before lunch, make sure you have a way to keep the dish chilled.