Parents cooking vegan family meals
For a curry, sauce or dessert, you’re looking for coconut milk that suits the recipe and want to check that the product you choose is presented as vegan.
Who are these options for?
Parents preparing smaller portions
You want to match the pack size to the amount your recipe needs, then use any leftovers within the stated time after opening.
Parents considering coconut drinks for their baby
You need to distinguish between a drink or cooking ingredient and food for an infant. Anses advises that ordinary drinks are not suitable as a replacement for breast milk or infant formula for a child under one.
What should you check?
First, decide whether the product is for cooking or drinking. If you’re choosing something to feed an infant, distinguishing it from infant formula matters more than the flavour or pack size.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Infant feeding | If the product is intended to feed a child under one, don’t use coconut milk or a plant-based drink instead of breast milk or infant formula. Anses distinguishes these everyday drinks from suitable infant nutrition. | When preparing a baby’s meals, it’s important not to confuse a plant-based ingredient with their usual milk. Around 36% of consumers make this distinction their top priority. |
| Cooking | Check whether it’s culinary coconut milk or a drink, then compare the coconut content and fat per 100 ml of products intended for the same use. | To get the right texture in a curry or family sauce, I need to choose a product designed for cooking rather than a drink. This texture is the main concern for around 29% of consumers. |
| Vegan information | Look for an explicit vegan claim if you need one, then read the ingredients and allergen information. An organic claim is not the same as vegan certification. | If our meal needs to be vegan, I want to be able to check how the product is presented and what it contains. This is the top priority for around 21% of consumers. |
| Pack size and storage | Choose a pack size to suit your recipe and follow the storage time after opening shown on the packaging: the Auchan product pages consulted give 48 hours for its semi-thick coconut milk, three days for Kara Bio and four days for Jardin Bio Étic. | When I’m cooking a small amount, I’d rather use the contents before the storage time runs out. Avoiding leftovers is the top priority for around 14% of consumers. |
Common mix-ups to avoid
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Using a coconut drink instead of culinary coconut milk
These products aren’t interchangeable in a recipe that relies on the texture of culinary coconut milk. The product pages consulted list 8.6% coconut milk in Alpro coconut & rice drink, compared with 64% to 88% coconut extract in the culinary products from Kara Bio, Carrefour Bio and Auchan semi-thick.
For a curry, sauce or dessert, check the product name and ingredients specified by the recipe.
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Assuming “organic” or “coconut” means vegan-certified
A vegan claim on a product listing, such as the one shown for Jardin Bio Étic at Auchan, doesn’t in itself prove that the product has been certified by a third party. Organic, vegan and fair trade claims address different things.
If an explicit vegan claim is essential, check the claim, ingredients list and allergen information on the packaging you buy.
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Choosing a large pack without planning for leftovers
Storage times after opening vary by product: Auchan’s listings, for example, specify 48 hours for its semi-thick coconut milk, three days for Kara Bio and four days for Jardin Bio Étic.
Compare the amount your recipe needs with the pack size, then plan to use any leftovers within the product’s stated storage time.
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Replacing an infant’s milk with coconut milk
Anses advises that ordinary drinks, whether plant-based or animal-based, are not suitable replacements for breast milk or infant formula for a child under one.
Don’t use culinary coconut milk or a coconut drink as a substitute in your baby’s bottle. If you have a specific question about feeding your baby, ask a healthcare professional for advice.
Brands to compare
Carrefour Bio
A 330 ml carton of culinary coconut milk for recipes that call for it.
- Carrefour’s product page lists 76% coconut extract, along with water and guar gum.
- It lists 17 g of fat and 170 kcal per 100 ml. If an explicit vegan claim is essential, check the packaging of the product you buy.
Auchan
Semi-thick culinary coconut milk in a 20 cl pack.
- Auchan’s product page lists 88% coconut extract.
- It lists 24 g of fat per 100 ml and says to refrigerate after opening and use within 48 hours. If vegan presentation is important to you, check the packaging.
Kara
A 20 cl carton of organic culinary coconut milk for smaller recipes.
- Auchan’s listing for this product gives 64% organic coconut extract and water.
- It says to use within three days of opening. Check the packaging if you need an explicit vegan claim.
Jardin Bio Étic
Organic culinary coconut milk in a 22.5 cl can, presented as vegan on its Auchan listing.
- The listing gives 68% coconut extract and shows separate organic, vegan and fair trade information.
- The vegan claim on the product listing isn’t enough to establish third-party certification; check the packaging of the product you buy.
Alpro
A 1 L plant-based coconut & rice drink, which is different from culinary coconut milk.
- Auchan’s product page lists 8.6% coconut milk and provides information about calcium and vitamin B12.
- The listing says “Vegetarian”: if you’re looking for an explicit vegan claim, check the packaging. This drink is not a replacement for infant formula.
Culinary coconut milk on Joybuy
These products are for cooking, with different pack sizes and fat content. Compare the pack size with your recipe and check the ingredients, vegan claims and instructions for use after opening on the packaging. They are not intended to replace milk feeds for an infant.
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Wind Mill, coconut milk in a 165 ml can
The 165 ml pack may suit a recipe that calls for a small amount of culinary coconut milk.
If a vegan claim is important to you, check the packaging of the product you buy.
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Kara, organic UHT coconut cream 200 ml, 24% fat
If your recipe calls for coconut cream, check that this product type and fat content match the ingredients you need.
Coconut cream isn’t automatically interchangeable with coconut milk. Check the ingredients and instructions for use after opening on the packaging, too.
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Kara, organic UHT coconut milk 200 ml, 17% fat
This 200 ml pack may be worth considering for a recipe that needs a small amount of culinary coconut milk.
The product name specifies 17% fat; check the vegan claim and storage instructions after opening on the packaging.
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Valle Del Sole, coconut milk 400 ml, 6% fat
If your recipe uses up to 400 ml of culinary coconut milk, compare this pack size with the amount you need.
The product name specifies 6% fat. Plan to use any leftovers according to the instructions after opening and check the vegan claim on the packaging.
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AROY-D, coconut milk cartons, 12 × 1 L
This multipack may be worth considering if you’re planning several recipes that use coconut milk; it’s more than you’ll need for one small recipe.
Before choosing this pack, check the ingredients, vegan claim and storage life of each carton after opening.
Frequently asked questions
Can I replace my baby’s usual milk with coconut milk?
No, not for feeding a child under one: according to Anses, ordinary plant-based or animal-based drinks are no substitute for breast milk or infant formula. If your baby’s diet needs to be adapted, ask a healthcare professional for advice.
How can I check whether coconut milk is presented as vegan?
Look for an explicit vegan claim on the product you buy, then check its ingredients and allergen information. Jardin Bio Étic’s Auchan listing says “Vegan”, but this claim on its own doesn’t prove third-party certification.
How long can you keep coconut milk after opening?
Follow the storage time and conditions on your product’s packaging: there isn’t one time limit that applies to every product. The Auchan listings consulted specify 48 hours in the fridge for its semi-thick coconut milk, three days for Kara Bio and four days for Jardin Bio Étic.
Is organic coconut milk automatically vegan?
No: “organic” and “vegan” are separate claims. If vegan presentation matters to you, check this separately on the product you buy, along with its ingredients list.