Parents of children under one
If you’re thinking of using a carton of coconut drink instead of your child’s usual milk, it’s essential to understand the difference: according to Anses, ordinary plant-based drinks are not suitable for infants.
Who is this choice for?
Parents of children aged 1 to 3
For a regular breakfast, the key is to make sure your child continues to have a suitable milk drink. Manger Bouger reminds us that children still need to drink milk after the age of one. The information on a coconut drink carton isn’t enough to show that it can replace it.
Families using coconut in an occasional recipe
If you want to cook with coconut without making it your child’s main drink, distinguish between a culinary ingredient and a plant-based drink, and check the ingredients of the product you choose.
What should you look for?
When choosing something for a toddler’s breakfast, start with their age and how you plan to use the product. Then check its product description, ingredients and storage instructions.
| Criteria | What to check | Relevant consumers |
|---|---|---|
| Child’s age | Exact age and intended use: an everyday drink or an occasional ingredient. | If my child is under one, I want to make sure a carton of coconut drink doesn’t replace milk suitable for their age. Around 36% of consumers would prioritise the child’s age. |
| Product type | Whether it’s described as a “plant-based drink” or a “culinary ingredient”, and how the packaging says to use it. | When making a recipe, I don’t want to mistake culinary coconut milk for a drink to serve by the glass. Around 29% of consumers would make this distinction their priority. |
| Ingredients | Ingredient list, any added sugars, and any fortification actually stated on the packaging. | If I’m comparing two coconut drinks, I want to know what each contains beyond a single claim on the front of the pack. Around 21% of consumers would put the ingredients first. |
| Storage | Pack size and the storage instructions for the carton once opened. | If I only use coconut occasionally, I want to be able to finish the carton while following its storage instructions. Around 14% of consumers would prioritise pack size and storage. |
Common pitfalls to avoid
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Assuming a fortified coconut drink is the same as milk suitable for a child
Claims about calcium, vitamin B12 or no added sugars describe certain features of a drink; they don’t show that it’s suitable as a replacement for a toddler’s milk. Anses advises against ordinary drinks for infants, while Manger Bouger highlights the role of milk after the age of one.
Before your child is one, don’t replace breast milk or infant formula with a coconut drink. For children aged 1 to 3, seek advice tailored to your child before making it a regular replacement for milk.
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Mistaking culinary coconut milk for a drink
Auchan product listings include, for example, a UHT coconut cooking preparation and coconut milk intended for recipes. Selling them in cartons doesn’t make them breakfast drinks.
Check the product description and the suggested use on the packaging. Choose a culinary ingredient for the recipe you’re making, not simply because it looks like a carton of drink.
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Assuming it will keep for a long time once opened
For an Alpro coconut drink, the Carrefour product listing says to keep it in the fridge for five days after opening, at a maximum of 7 °C. This instruction applies to that product; it doesn’t set the storage time for other cartons.
Check the instructions on the carton you buy and choose a pack size that suits how often you’ll use it.
If you open a carton that’s too large for your household’s needs, you may not finish it within the stated time.
Brands to compare
Alpro
Coconut plant-based drinks, including options described as unsweetened and containing calcium and vitamin B12.
- The ingredient and nutrition claims make it easier to compare Alpro products with other plant-based drinks.
- These claims don’t show that a coconut drink can replace milk suitable for a toddler.
Carrefour Bio
A coconut plant-based drink in a carton, described by Carrefour as having no added sugars.
- The Carrefour listing includes water, coconut extract, rice starch and pea protein, among other ingredients. This list helps you identify it as a drink rather than a culinary ingredient.
- The claim “no added sugars” isn’t enough to decide whether it should regularly replace milk for a child aged 1 to 3.
Auchan
Small cartons of UHT coconut cooking preparations, including one product with 17% fat, and coconut milk containing 50% coconut extract, according to Auchan’s product listings.
- These product descriptions help you identify ingredients intended for recipes.
- Their composition and culinary use mean they shouldn’t be treated as everyday drinks for toddlers.
E.Leclerc
An E.Leclerc listing for a coconut drink in a carton shows that it contains water, 3.2% coconut extract and 2.9% rice syrup.
- The ingredient list helps distinguish this drink from culinary coconut milk.
- The ingredients in one product don’t represent all coconut drinks or coconut milk sold under other brands.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a coconut drink replace milk for a baby under one?
No. According to Anses, ordinary plant-based drinks aren’t suitable for infants and can’t replace breast milk or suitable infant formula.
How important is milk at breakfast for children aged 1 to 3?
Children still need to drink milk after the age of one, as Manger Bouger reminds us. If you’re considering regularly giving your child a coconut drink instead, seek advice tailored to them rather than relying on a single claim on the carton.
How can you tell culinary coconut milk from a coconut drink?
First, check the product description and suggested use: a culinary ingredient is intended for recipes, while a plant-based drink is presented as a drink. The ingredient list can then help you compare products, without assuming that all cartons of coconut drink have the same recipe.
Does a UHT carton keep for a long time once opened?
Not necessarily. For an Alpro coconut drink, Carrefour advises keeping it in the fridge for five days after opening, at a maximum of 7 °C. Follow the instructions for the product you buy, as they may differ.