To serve a coconut drink at snack time, choose a plant-based drink intended to be consumed as a drink rather than a culinary coconut milk, then check the sugars and ingredients in the specific product. The word ‘mild’ is no substitute for reading the label. Manger Bouger recommends water as a drink and advises limiting sugary drinks; according to Assurance Maladie, a coconut drink should not replace infant formula for a child under one.
If you’re considering a coconut drink for a child, distinguish between ‘no added sugars’ and ‘sugar-free’, and check the ‘of which sugars’ line. Manger Bouger advises limiting sugary drinks and offering a varied snack.
If the ingredients matter to your household, check the calcium, any added vitamins, protein and allergens for each product. These can vary from one coconut drink formula to another.
A carton of plant-based coconut drink and coconut milk intended for recipes are not designed for the same purpose. The stated use and nutritional information will help you decide between a drink to serve and an ingredient for dessert.
For a drink to serve at snack time, first look for a plant-based coconut drink, then compare the ingredients of products intended for this use.
| What matters | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars and taste | Compare ‘sugar-free’ with ‘no added sugars’, then check ‘of which sugars’ and the ingredients per 100 ml. | I’m looking for a coconut flavour for snack time without choosing a recipe with added sugars. Around 33% of consumers would make this their main priority. |
| Place in the diet | Check the calcium, vitamins and protein in the specific product; a coconut drink does not replace infant formula. | If I’m planning to serve this drink to a child, I want to know what place it can have in their diet. For around 27% of consumers, this would be their main concern. |
| How the product is used | Look for ‘plant-based drink’ or the stated culinary use, then compare the nutritional information in the units shown. | I want to pour a drink at snack time, not accidentally buy an ingredient for making a dessert. Choosing the right product for its intended use would come first for around 20% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and storage | Read the allergen and ‘may contain’ information; after opening, follow the temperature and storage period stated on the packaging. | If someone in my household has an allergy or a carton will be used over several days, I check these details first. Around 20% of consumers would make them a priority. |
Carrefour coconut milk intended for cooking contains 76% coconut extract and, according to its Carrefour product page, has 180 kcal and 18 g of fat per 100 g. It is used differently from a carton of plant-based coconut drink.
For a drink to serve at snack time, look for ‘plant-based coconut drink’. Keep culinary coconut milk for recipes where its texture is needed.
Two coconut drinks from the same brand can have different ingredients: Joybuy’s product page for Alpro Barista lists fructose and 3.3 g of sugars per 100 ml, while Carrefour’s page for Alpro No Sugars describes a sugar-free formula.
Choose a variant by checking its ingredients list and the ‘of which sugars’ line, rather than relying on its name or an assumed taste.
For a child under one, Assurance Maladie advises continuing with infant formula. A shop-bought plant-based coconut drink is not a substitute.
If an infant’s diet needs to be adapted, particularly because of an allergy, ask a healthcare professional for advice.
Carrefour’s product page for an Alpro coconut drink warns that it may contain traces of nuts and says to keep it in the fridge for five days after opening, at a maximum of 7 °C. Check these details for the specific product you choose.
Read the allergen information and choose a pack size your household can finish within the period stated on the packaging.
An opened carton may go to waste if you don’t finish it within that time.
The range includes coconut drinks, including No Sugars and Barista variants. Compare their labels separately.
A carton of organic plant-based coconut drink gives you a no-added-sugars formula to compare with other drinks for serving.
The Carrefour coconut milk featured here is a small pack of a cooking ingredient, which is different from a coconut drink for snack time.
Carrefour search results feature Kara coconut milks for cooking, including Fluid and Light variants.
Carrefour search results list Suzi Wan culinary coconut milks in Classic and Light variants.
No, a plant-based coconut drink does not replace infant formula. For a child under one, Assurance Maladie advises continuing with infant formula. If their diet needs to be adapted because of an allergy or another restriction, ask a healthcare professional for advice.
No: a drink with no added sugars may contain naturally occurring sugars. Carrefour’s product page for Carrefour Bio coconut drink says this, while the page for Alpro Coco No Sugars describes a sugar-free formula. Check the ‘of which sugars’ line for the product you’re buying.
They’re intended for different uses: a plant-based coconut drink can be served as a drink, while culinary coconut milk is an ingredient for recipes. Carrefour’s product page for its culinary coconut milk lists 180 kcal and 18 g of fat per 100 g. Check the product category and nutritional information before choosing.
Follow the storage period and temperature stated on the packaging for your product. For the Alpro coconut drink listed by Carrefour, the product page says to keep it in the fridge for five days after opening, at a maximum of 7 °C. Don’t assume this applies to all coconut drinks.