For a recipe prepared while introducing solids through baby-led weaning, choose a coconut plant drink if you need a thin liquid, or a culinary coconut milk if the recipe calls for it. Neither can replace breast milk or infant formula for a child under one: the French National Health Insurance service (Assurance Maladie) advises continuing infant formula until the age of one, and the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (Anses) says plant-based drinks are not suitable as a baby’s main food. Check the ingredients and after-opening instructions on the product you choose.
You’re gradually introducing foods and want to avoid confusing a coconut product with the milk that’s right for your child. According to the French National Health Insurance service, a healthy baby can start weaning between 4 and 6 months, while infant formula should be continued until the age of one.
You’re looking for a coconut ingredient to cook with and need to distinguish a thin plant-based drink, usually sold in a large carton, from culinary coconut milk, which comes in other sizes. The right format depends on the recipe and how much you need.
You want to check the ingredients, highlighted allergens, nutritional information and storage instructions for the exact product. The word ‘coconut’ alone doesn’t tell you what’s in it.
First, distinguish the milk suited to your child’s age from coconut products used in food, then choose a format to suit the recipe. If you’re looking for a ‘filtered’ product, check whether this feature is stated on the packaging rather than assuming it from the name ‘coconut milk’.
| Criterion | What to check | Who it’s for |
|---|---|---|
| Milk feeding | For a child under one, don’t choose a coconut plant drink or culinary coconut milk instead of breast milk or infant formula. | If my child is under one, I want to maintain age-appropriate milk feeding while introducing foods; around 39% of consumers put this need first. |
| Format and use | Read the product name and volume: a thin plant-based drink or coconut milk intended for cooking. Make sure the container size suits the amount required by the recipe. | When cooking a small amount, I’m looking for a container that suits my recipe without confusing a drink with a cooking ingredient; around 38% of consumers put this choice first. |
| Ingredients and storage | Check the ingredients, highlighted allergens and instructions for after opening on the product you’ve chosen. | If an ingredient needs to be avoided or I might leave a container open, I want to be able to read the label carefully; around 23% of consumers prioritise this check. |
A plant-based drink or culinary coconut milk can be used as an ingredient in a dish, but not as a milk feed in place of breast milk or infant formula during the first year. The French National Health Insurance service recommends continuing infant formula until the age of one.
For a child under one, maintain age-appropriate milk feeding as you introduce foods.
A plant-based drink in a carton and culinary coconut milk don’t necessarily serve the same purpose. Carrefour France lists both types of product in its coconut milk search results.
Start with the recipe, then compare the product name and size of products of the same type.
The ingredients in the coconut drinks listed by Auchan vary: some combine coconut with rice or rice syrup, for example. So the product name alone doesn’t tell you whether an ingredient or allergen is absent.
Read the ingredients list for the product you’ve chosen. The French consumer protection authority, DGCCRF, says that allergens present in pre-packed foods must be highlighted on the label.
A recipe may use far less than the volume in the container. Auchan’s product pages for Alpro coconut-rice and Auchan coconut drinks advise keeping them in the fridge and consuming them within five days of opening.
Check the instructions for the product you buy and plan how to use the rest before opening the carton.
These examples help show the difference between plant-based drinks and culinary coconut milks; check the ingredients for each individual product.
Auchan’s product page for the Alpro coconut-rice plant-based drink lists a 1 L carton containing, among other ingredients, coconut milk and rice.
Auchan sells a 1 L carton of coconut plant-based drink, which is different from coconut milk intended for cooking.
Carrefour France’s search results include both coconut plant-based drinks and culinary coconut milks, including Carrefour products.
Carrefour France lists Kara culinary coconut milks with product names including ‘Smooth’, ‘Light’ and ‘Organic’.
Carrefour France’s search results include Suzi Wan culinary coconut milks in small containers, including a ‘Light’ version.
These products are for using coconut milk as a cooking ingredient, not for choosing a plant-based drink or infant formula. Compare the container size with the amount your recipe needs; if filtration is essential, check that this is stated on the exact product.
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The 200 ml container gives you an option for a small recipe. Check the ingredients and after-opening storage instructions on the packaging.
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The 165 ml can is an option to consider for a one-off dish. Read the label for the ingredients and after-opening instructions.
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Consider the 400 ml size in relation to the amount your recipe needs and whether you can use the rest. Check the product’s nutritional information and storage instructions.
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The six 250 ml containers are worth considering if you’re planning several dishes rather than just one small recipe. Check the allergens listed on the packaging for this product.
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This pack of twelve 1 L cartons is suited to cooking that requires several large quantities, rather than a one-off recipe. Before buying, check the total volume you need and the after-opening instructions for each carton.
No, not as a child under one’s main milk feed. The French National Health Insurance service advises continuing infant formula until this age, and Anses says plant-based drinks are not suitable as a baby’s main food because they do not meet infants’ needs.
For a healthy baby, this can begin after they have completed 4 months and should start by 6 months, according to the French National Health Insurance service. Introducing foods doesn’t make a coconut drink a substitute for breast milk or infant formula.
No, the name alone doesn’t tell you what’s in the product. Read the ingredients for the product you’ve chosen: the French consumer protection authority, DGCCRF, says allergens present in pre-packed food must be highlighted on the label.
For the Alpro coconut-rice and Auchan coconut drinks listed by Auchan, the instructions say to refrigerate after opening and consume within five days. Follow the guidance on the product you buy, as it may differ.
Start with the product name to distinguish a plant-based drink from culinary coconut milk. Then check the ingredients, highlighted allergens, nutritional information, container size and storage instructions. This helps you assess the exact product rather than relying on the word ‘coconut’ alone.