If you have a milk protein allergy, avoid crème fraîche and lactose-free creams whose ingredients list milk. Look for a dairy-free alternative, checking for any other allergens too. If you’re lactose intolerant but don’t have a milk allergy, a cream labelled lactose-free may be suitable. For family shopping, choose a texture and pack size you can use after opening, without assuming that a 3 L pack is available.
If you have a milk protein allergy, the priority is to check the ingredients for milk, even on cream labelled lactose-free. You should also check a dairy-free alternative for any other allergens that affect your household.
The words ‘lactose-free’ can help you find a cream for this specific need, but they don’t mean ‘dairy-free’: the Auchan and Elle & Vire products described as lactose-free are still made with milk.
The right quantity depends on the recipes you have planned and how soon you can use the cream after opening. The Carrefour range described includes a 1 L bottle of single cream; check with the shop separately about any larger pack sizes.
Start with the allergen you need to avoid: pack size and texture can’t make up for unsuitable ingredients. Then compare the type of cream, the recipe you’re making and how much your household will use.
| Criteria | What to check | Who it’s for |
|---|---|---|
| Allergen to avoid | Read the ingredients and allergen information on the product you’re buying. If you have a milk protein allergy, avoid any product that lists milk; check for other allergens in an alternative too. | If someone in your household has a milk protein allergy, avoiding that ingredient comes before choosing a recipe. This would be the top priority for around 46 % of affected consumers. |
| Lactose or milk | If you need to avoid lactose, look for the words ‘lactose-free’, then check whether the cream still contains milk. | If I’m cooking with lactose intolerance, I look for a cream suited to that need without mistaking it for a dairy-free product. Around 18 % of affected consumers would put this distinction first. |
| Pack size and storage | Compare the net quantity, use-by date and storage instructions after opening. Check with the shop about any 3 L or ‘6 pint’ pack. | In a large household, I want enough cream for the recipes I’ve planned, without opening more than we can use in time. This would be the main concern for around 18 % of affected consumers. |
| Texture and recipe | Check whether the cream is single or double, then compare its fat content and ingredients to suit your recipe. | For a sauce, topping or baking, I first look for the texture the recipe calls for, once I’ve checked the allergens. Around 18 % of affected consumers would make this their first criterion. |
Auchan’s lactose-free creams described here contain dairy cream. So the label addresses a different need from a milk protein allergy.
If you have a milk allergy, read the ingredients on the specific product before choosing a cream or alternative.
The products described in the Carrefour, Auchan and E.Leclerc listings include smaller packs, such as a 1 L Carrefour bottle. If you’re planning a recipe that needs 3 L in one container, check availability with the shop.
Check the net quantity available before working out how much you’ll need for your recipes.
A large pack is only practical if you can use the cream within the time stated on the packaging after opening. Président recommends keeping its crème fraîche in the fridge and using it soon after opening.
Match the quantity you buy to the recipes you’ve actually planned, and follow the product’s storage instructions.
The products described include everything from Carrefour’s 30 % fat single cream to Auchan and Delisse light double creams with 15 % fat.
First check whether your recipe calls for single or double cream, then look at the ingredients and allergens.
The Président range includes creams with different textures, both fresh and long-life, and a choice of fat contents.
Elle & Vire offers double cream, as well as a product labelled lactose-free.
Carrefour listings include organic double cream and a 1 L bottle of full-fat single cream.
The E.Leclerc listing for Delisse includes a 50 cL pot of light double cream.
The Auchan range described here includes double and single creams, including lactose-free UHT products.
This coconut cream may be worth considering for a recipe that works with this type of ingredient instead of dairy cream. The 200 ml pack isn’t a large-size option. If you have an allergy, check the label and all relevant allergens before buying.
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Worth considering for a recipe that calls for coconut cream, rather than dairy crème fraîche. The stated pack size is 200 ml and the product is described as UHT. If you need to avoid milk or another allergen, check the ingredients, any ‘may contain’ statements and the packaging instructions. Also check the fat content shown on the pack before using it in a recipe.
No. The words ‘lactose-free’ alone aren’t enough: the Auchan lactose-free creams described here contain dairy cream. If you have a milk protein allergy, check the ingredients of the product you choose, as well as any other allergens in a dairy-free alternative.
Read the ingredients list on the packaging of the product you buy. For prepacked foods in the European Union, the European Commission says that allergens used as ingredients must be highlighted in the ingredients list. Also check any other allergen information on the label.
Président recommends keeping its crème fraîche in the fridge and using it soon after opening, within two or three days. Follow the storage instructions and use-by date on the packaging of the cream you buy.