People cooking without dairy
For a curry, sauce or dessert, they want coconut milk for cooking whose ingredients and allergens they can check before adding it to their basket.
Who are these options for?
People who only use coconut milk occasionally
If they need just one or two portions, it makes sense to buy a quantity close to what they need and check the storage instructions for after opening.
People looking for a coconut drink
If they want to drink it or have it at breakfast, they should compare plant-based drinks rather than coconut milk for cooking, which is intended for sauces and dishes.
What should you check before ordering?
First decide whether you need a product for cooking or a drink. Then check the ingredients of the specific product and whether you’ll be able to use the quantity.
| Criteria | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Dairy-free | Read the ingredients and allergen information on the product page, then check the packaging when it arrives. If the information is unclear, don’t assume the product meets your needs. | If I need to avoid dairy, the category name alone isn’t enough to help me choose a product. Around 31% of consumers make this their priority. |
| Use in cooking | Compare the product description, coconut content and fat content per 100 g or per 100 ml, taking care not to confuse the two measures. | When I’m making a sauce or curry, I want a product intended for the recipe rather than a drink. Around 31% of consumers put suitability for the intended use first. |
| Quantity and storage | Check the pack size, whether the container can be resealed and the storage instructions for after opening. | If I don’t often cook with coconut milk, I prefer to plan the quantities for my recipes so I don’t leave any unused. Around 23% of consumers put this need first. |
| Coconut drink | Look for the word “drink” in the product description, and check the quantity and nutritional information for that specific product. | If I’m looking for a coconut drink for breakfast, a concentrated cooking ingredient won’t suit my main purpose. This is the priority for around 15% of consumers. |
Mistakes to avoid
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Substituting a coconut drink for coconut milk for cooking without comparing the product details
Products don’t necessarily have the same coconut content or nutritional values. Carrefour’s and Auchan’s product pages show that Carrefour Sensation coconut milk for cooking contains 85% coconut extract, while the Alpro drink featured by Auchan contains 14.1% coconut milk.
Before swapping products in a recipe, check the product description, ingredients and fat content per 100 g or 100 ml.
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Assuming “lactose-free” means all the ingredients have been checked
If you need to avoid dairy, a single claim on its own isn’t a substitute for reading the ingredients and allergen information for the product you’re ordering.
Check this information on the product page, then check the packaging again when it arrives. For prepacked foods sold in France, the DGCCRF states that allergenic ingredients must be highlighted on the label.
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Ordering a large pack without planning how you’ll use it
How long a product can be used after opening varies: Auchan says its 200 ml coconut milk should be used within 48 hours, while the resealable 330 ml Suzi Wan carton keeps for five days in the fridge.
Choose a quantity that suits the recipes you have planned, and follow the instructions on the packaging you receive.
Brands to consider for different uses
These products have different pack sizes and ingredients. The brand alone won’t tell you whether a product suits your recipe or your need to avoid dairy.
Alpro
The 1 L coconut plant-based drink featured by Auchan is intended for drinking or having at breakfast, rather than as a direct replacement for concentrated coconut milk for cooking.
- Auchan’s product page lists 0 g of sugars and 1.2 g of fat per 100 ml, as well as calcium and vitamins B12 and D2.
- It also lists 14.1% coconut milk and stabilisers. Compare it with other drinks, rather than with high-coconut-content cooking ingredients.
Carrefour Sensation
The 400 ml cooking product featured by Carrefour is worth considering for curries, sauces and desserts.
- Carrefour’s product page lists 85% coconut extract and 18 g of fat per 100 g.
- It also lists guar gum. Check the ingredients of the specific product you add to your basket.
Tables du Monde (E.Leclerc)
The 200 ml cooking carton featured by E.Leclerc offers a quantity you can compare with the amount your recipe needs.
- The ingredients published by E.Leclerc list 63% coconut extract.
- It also lists xanthan gum. Check with your local store or Drive service to see whether you can add this product to your order.
Auchan
Auchan’s 200 ml coconut milk for cooking is a size to consider for a one-off recipe.
- Auchan’s product page lists 50% coconut extract and 18 g of fat per 100 g.
- It lists xanthan and guar gums, and says to use within 48 hours of opening.
Asia Green Garden (ALDI)
The 400 ml coconut milk product featured by ALDI France gives you another pack size to compare.
- The pack size is listed in the product information published by ALDI France.
- Before choosing it for an order where you need to avoid dairy, check the ingredients, allergens and ordering details for the specific product.
Coconut milk for cooking available on Joybuy
These coconut milk products are mainly for cooking, in 200 or 400 ml packs. First choose a size that suits your needs, then check the ingredients, allergens and instructions on the product you receive if you need to avoid dairy.
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Kara Organic Coconut Milk UHT 17% Fat 200ml
The 200 ml pack is worth considering for a recipe that needs a small quantity. The product name specifies a UHT version with 17% fat; check the instructions for after opening on the packaging.
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Valcom organic coconut milk 400 ml
If you’re cooking with a 400 ml pack, plan how you’ll use the quantity you buy and check the storage instructions for after opening.
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Renuka Coconut Milk Light 9% Can 400ml
If you’re comparing coconut milk products for a recipe, check their nutritional values on the same basis before choosing. This is a 400 ml can labelled “Light 9%”; also check its ingredients and instructions for after opening.
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Valle Del Sole Coconut Milk 6% 400ml
If the ingredients matter when choosing a product for your recipe, compare them and the nutritional information with those of the other coconut milk products you’re considering. The product name specifies “6%” and a 400 ml pack; check the packaging to see what the percentage refers to.
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Grace Light Coconut Milk 400ml
If you’re considering this coconut milk for cooking, compare its nutritional information with that of other products rather than relying on the word “Light” alone. It comes in a 400 ml pack; check the packaging for instructions on storage after opening.
Frequently asked questions
Does the name “coconut milk” guarantee that a product is dairy-free?
No. The name alone isn’t enough to confirm that a product meets this need. Read its ingredients and allergen information before ordering, then check the packaging when it arrives. If the information you need is unclear, don’t assume the product is suitable. For prepacked foods sold in France, the DGCCRF states that allergenic ingredients must be highlighted on the label.
Can a coconut drink replace coconut milk for cooking?
Don’t assume it will give you the same result in a recipe: the ingredients in these two categories can be very different. According to their product pages, the Real Thai coconut milk for cooking featured by Carrefour contains 85% coconut extract and 19 g of fat per 100 ml, while the Alpro drink featured by Auchan contains 14.1% coconut milk and 1.2 g of fat per 100 ml. Choose according to how you plan to use it and the ingredients of the specific product.
How long can you keep coconut milk after opening?
Follow the time limit and storage instructions on the packaging for your product, as these vary. For example, Auchan says its 200 ml coconut milk should be used within 48 hours, while the resealable Suzi Wan carton keeps for five days in the fridge.