For the new term, choose a coconut drink for breakfast, culinary coconut milk for sauces and a chilled plant-based dessert in individual pots for an after-school snack. If you avoid milk because of an allergy, check the ingredients and allergen information for each product. For school, also follow the arrangements agreed with the school, including an individual healthcare plan (PAI) where one is in place.
If a child needs to avoid milk, a coconut flavour or a ‘lactose-free’ claim is not enough: check the ingredients and allergens for the specific product you buy. The DGCCRF reminds shoppers that allergenic ingredients must be highlighted on the label.
A ready-to-serve coconut drink can be poured over cereal or enjoyed on its own. To compare products, check their nutritional information per 100 ml and review the ingredients of the carton you choose.
For a sauce, curry or homemade dessert, culinary coconut milk serves a different purpose from a drink. The pack size and storage instructions after opening can help you plan how to use up any leftovers.
Best for: Drinking or pouring over cereal at breakfast.
Keep in mind: It does not serve the same purpose as culinary coconut milk in a recipe.
Best for: Making sauces, curries or homemade desserts.
Keep in mind: The amount to use and how long it keeps after opening vary by product.
Best for: A dessert or chilled snack, provided you can keep it refrigerated.
Keep in mind: It is neither a drink nor culinary coconut milk; check its allergen information separately.
| Consideration | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Avoiding milk | Check the ingredients, highlighted allergens and any precautionary statements on the exact pack. | If my child needs to avoid milk, I want to check the specific product I buy rather than rely on the word ‘plant-based’. This would be the top priority for around 40% of consumers. |
| Breakfast | Distinguish a ready-to-serve drink from culinary milk; compare nutritional information on the same basis, per 100 ml. | In the morning, I mainly want a coconut drink that’s ready to serve. Around 30% of consumers would put this format first. |
| Cooking and leftovers | Choose a volume that suits the recipe and check the storage instructions after opening. | When preparing meals in advance, I want to use coconut milk in my recipes without having a large amount left over. Managing prepared food would be a priority for around 30% of consumers. |
The Alpro drink featured by Carrefour France is intended, among other uses, for drinking, while the Kara and Carrefour Bio products are designed for cooking. Their names therefore refer to different uses.
First choose according to what you plan to make, then compare the ingredients and nutritional values of the products you are considering.
The Auchan France product listing for Andros Gourmand & Végétal dessert states that it may contain soya and nuts. Avoiding milk does not, by itself, address other allergens.
Check the allergens and precautionary statements on the pack you buy. If a pupil’s allergy requires adjustments at school, follow the arrangements made with the school.
Instructions vary by product: Auchan France says to use the Kara organic product featured within three days of opening, and its Coco cuisine product within five days.
Choose a volume that suits the recipes you have planned, then follow the refrigeration and use-by instructions for the opened carton.
Any opened product that is not used within the stated timeframe may go to waste.
Anses states that everyday drinks, whether plant-based or animal-based, are not suitable for infants instead of breast milk or age-appropriate infant formula.
For an infant, do not use an everyday coconut drink as a substitute. Seek medical advice if cow’s milk needs to be avoided.
The 1 L carton of plant-based coconut drink featured by Carrefour France is intended for drinking and breakfast, among other uses.
Auchan France lists an organic culinary coconut milk in a 20 cl carton for use in recipes.
The organic culinary coconut milk featured by Carrefour France comes in a 400 ml can.
The UHT Coco cuisine product featured by Auchan France is sold in a pack of three 20 cl cartons for cooking.
Auchan France features a fermented plant-based dessert made with coconut milk in four 100 g pots, which need to be kept chilled.
This selection includes three types of coconut milk for cooking and an Alpro Barista coconut drink to consider for breakfast drinks. If you need to avoid milk, check the ingredients and allergens on each product’s packaging before choosing.
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A 150 ml pack to consider for small amounts of cooking. If you need to avoid milk, check the ingredients and allergens on the pack you buy.
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A 400 ml pack to consider for recipes that need more coconut milk. Plan how you’ll use the rest according to the instructions after opening, and check the allergens for the product you buy.
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This 200 ml UHT carton is suitable for recipes that need a small amount. Before adding it to your meals, check the pack for its fat content, allergens and instructions for use after opening.
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This 1 L carton of Barista coconut drink is intended for drinking rather than recipes that call for culinary coconut milk. If you also need to avoid soya, pay particular attention to the ingredients list and allergens on the pack.
Don’t assume this of a product you haven’t checked: read the ingredients and allergen information on the pack. The ingredients published by Auchan France and Carrefour France for Kara, Auchan Coco cuisine and Carrefour Bio culinary coconut milks list coconut and water, with no milk shown in the stated ingredients.
For drinking or having with cereal, choose a product labelled as a plant-based coconut drink; save culinary coconut milk for recipes that call for it. Check the product name and nutritional information for the one you choose, as these two formats are not interchangeable for every use.
Follow the timeframe and storage instructions on the product you buy. For the products featured by Auchan France, the Kara organic product listing says three days after opening, while Auchan Coco cuisine says five days. Choose a pack size that suits the recipes you have planned.
Choosing a product does not replace the arrangements made with the school for the child concerned. In France, the Ministry of National Education explains that an individual healthcare plan can set out the adjustments needed for a pupil’s education. Also check the ingredients and allergens in the food you bring.
No. An everyday coconut drink is not suitable as a substitute for an infant. Anses states that everyday drinks, whether plant-based or animal-based, cannot replace breast milk or infant formula suited to the child’s age.