To give soup, sauce or savoury porridge a creamy texture, choose UHT culinary coconut milk and compare its ingredients, fat content and pack size. If you mainly want a light base to drink or pour, a coconut plant-based drink serves a different purpose: it won’t give a recipe the same texture.
If you’re making soup, sauce, vegetables or savoury porridge, look for culinary coconut milk with ingredients and fat content suited to the texture you want. Product listings from Auchan and Carrefour show that these characteristics vary between products.
If the ingredients matter to your choice, read the full list. The Kara and Real Thai products listed by Auchan and Carrefour combine coconut extract and water, while the Auchan product listed also contains xanthan and guar gums. A short ingredients list alone isn’t enough to predict the texture or nutritional values.
If you’re mainly looking for a light plant-based drink, check the product description on the packaging. The Alpro coconut drink listed by Carrefour is intended for a different use from concentrated culinary coconut milk.
For a savoury breakfast, first decide whether you want coconut to add texture to a recipe or serve as a drink. Then compare the labels and pack sizes of products suited to that use.
| Criteria | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking texture | The product description says “coconut milk”; check for coconut extract where stated, and the fat content and its unit of measurement. | If I want a sauce that coats the food, I look for a cooking ingredient rather than a light drink. Texture would be the top priority for around 31% of consumers in this group. |
| Pack size and storage | Pack volume and instructions for refrigeration and use after opening. | If I only use a small amount in the morning, I want to be able to use the rest within the time stated on the packaging. Pack size and storage would come before other criteria for around 31% of consumers. |
| Ingredients | The ingredients list and the percentage of coconut extract, where shown on the label. | For a savoury recipe, I want to know whether the product contains just coconut and water, or thickeners too. Ingredients would be the deciding factor for around 23% of consumers. |
| Drink or cooking ingredient | Whether it is described as a “plant-based drink” or “culinary coconut milk”; nutritional information per 100 g or per 100 ml, depending on the product. | If I mainly plan to pour coconut into a cup or want a light base, a sauce’s creaminess matters less to me. A drink would be the main requirement for around 15% of consumers. |
A long-life carton can contain either, but they give different results in a sauce or soup. Carrefour and Auchan listings, for example, distinguish the Alpro drink from coconut milks intended for cooking.
Check the product description before comparing ingredients. Choose according to whether you want a creamy texture or a liquid to drink or pour.
Storage instructions after opening vary between products, even when they can be kept at room temperature before opening. The instructions listed for Kara, Auchan and Vietcoco don’t all give the same time limit.
Estimate how much you’ll need for your next few dishes, then follow the storage time and temperature shown on the pack you buy.
Auchan and Carrefour listings state that Kara Bio, in a 20 cl pack, contains 16 g of fat per 100 ml, while the Real Thai product contains 19 g per 100 ml, even though their listed ingredients are coconut extract and water.
Check both the ingredients list and the nutritional values, then choose an amount that suits your recipe.
The Auchan listing for Racines Bio states that it may solidify below 15 °C without affecting the quality of that particular product. This doesn’t mean you can judge all coconut products in the same way.
Follow the product’s own shaking and storage instructions. Don’t consume it if the packaging is damaged or its appearance or smell gives you cause for concern.
The Auchan listing for Kara Bio culinary coconut milk shows a 20 cl carton, worth considering when a recipe calls for a small amount.
Carrefour lists Real Thai culinary coconut milk in a 1 L pack, suited to recipes that need a larger quantity.
The Auchan product reviewed is culinary coconut milk in a resealable 50 cl carton.
The Alpro coconut product listed by Carrefour is a “no sugars” plant-based drink, so it’s different from culinary coconut milk.
This selection includes culinary coconut milks and coconut cream. Check which product category and volume suit your recipe: coconut cream isn’t simply another name for coconut milk.
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The 200 ml pack suits a savoury recipe that calls for a small amount of culinary coconut milk.
The product name states that it contains 17% fat. Check the storage instructions for this product after opening.
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This coconut cream is suited to savoury recipes where you want a creamy texture, rather than a drinkable liquid.
The product name states that it contains 24% fat and comes in a 200 ml pack. This is coconut cream, not coconut milk.
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This culinary coconut milk may suit a savoury recipe that needs a larger quantity.
The product name states 1 L; check the exact volume and packaging before ordering. Also check the ingredients and after-opening instructions on the pack.
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This 400 ml coconut milk is an option to consider for a savoury coconut-based dish.
If UHT processing or long-life storage before opening is essential to your choice, check for this information on the packaging. Also check the ingredients and after-opening instructions.
When comparing products for your savoury breakfast, use the information on the packaging rather than relying on this search term alone. Check the product description, ingredients, percentage of coconut extract where stated, nutritional values and storage instructions.
Follow the instructions for the specific product. The Kara, Auchan and Vietcoco products mentioned here need to be refrigerated after opening. Their stated time limits differ — 3 days, 48 hours and 24 hours respectively — and shouldn’t be applied to any other product.
Yes, if you’re happy with a lighter sauce; don’t expect it to have the same texture as one made with concentrated culinary coconut milk. Check the drink’s product description and ingredients before adapting your recipe.
Start with the product description, ingredients list and nutritional information. The DGCCRF identifies these as elements of food labelling. For your purchase, also check the pack size and storage instructions printed on the product you choose.