For preparing curries, sauces or desserts in larger quantities, start with cooking coconut milk that’s labelled ‘gluten-free’ for the exact product you’re buying, then choose cartons that suit the quantities you use. If you’re mainly looking for a drink, a coconut plant-based drink serves a different purpose: its format and ingredients don’t guarantee the same results in cooking. If you’re stocking up for someone with coeliac disease, don’t assume a product is suitable just because its ingredients list contains only coconut and water.
If several units are for someone with coeliac disease, check that the product and pack size you’re buying are labelled ‘gluten-free’. In the European Union, European Commission Regulation 828/2014 sets the limit for this claim at no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten.
To get the result you want in a recipe, distinguish cooking coconut milk from a plant-based drink. The proportion of coconut extract, the volume of each carton and the storage instructions after opening can all help you choose how many units to stock up on.
If you want to drink it or use it in smoothies, look for a coconut drink rather than coconut milk intended for cooking. Check the ingredients of the variety you choose, especially if your stock also needs to meet gluten-free requirements.
Choose this: for curries, sauces or desserts. If you’re stocking up for someone with coeliac disease, first check that the exact product is labelled ‘gluten-free’.
Bear in mind: the proportion of coconut extract and the volume per carton vary between products. Once opened, a carton needs to be used within the stated time.
Choose this: if you’re mainly buying it to drink or use in smoothies.
Bear in mind: its formulation won’t necessarily give you the texture you’d expect from cooking coconut milk. Check the ‘gluten-free’ claim separately for each variety you’re considering.
| Priority | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free claim | Check the ‘gluten-free’ claim for the exact product and pack size, as well as the ingredients list on the pack you’re buying. | If I’m stocking up for someone with coeliac disease, I want to confirm the claim before buying several units; around 36% of consumers make this their top priority. |
| Cooking results | Compare cooking coconut milks by their proportion of coconut extract and their declared fat content per 100 ml or 100 g. | For my curries or desserts, I’m looking for ingredients suited to the recipe rather than a coconut drink; around 29% of consumers put cooking results first. |
| Managing your stock | Check the volume of each unit, the date shown on the pack and the storage instructions after opening. | If my recipes only use a little at a time, I prefer pack sizes I can finish after opening; around 21% of consumers prioritise managing leftovers. |
| Drinking | Check that it’s described as a ‘coconut drink’, and look at the volume and ingredients of the variety you choose. | I mainly plan to drink it or use it in smoothies, rather than as a sauce base; this is the top priority for around 14% of consumers. |
A coconut plant-based drink and cooking coconut milk aren’t used in the same way. For someone with coeliac disease, a short ingredients list alone is no substitute for checking that the product you’re buying is labelled ‘gluten-free’.
Before ordering several units, check the product description, intended use and labelling for the exact pack size.
The number of units doesn’t tell you how much each one contains. Product information published by Carrefour France gives the coconut extract content of different cooking products as 60% for Carrefour Sensation, 74% for AYAM and 85% for Real Thai.
Compare products intended for the same use, then consider each carton’s volume and ingredients in relation to the quantities your recipes require.
How long a product lasts after opening varies. Auchan’s product information for its 200 ml coconut milk says to refrigerate it and use it within 48 hours, while Carrefour France’s information for a 1 L Alpro coconut drink gives a five-day refrigerated storage period. These instructions don’t apply to other products.
Choose pack sizes that suit the way you use the product, and follow the instructions on each pack.
Carrefour sells both cooking coconut milk and coconut drinks. Check the product description and pack size to tell them apart.
The product in question is a 200 ml carton of cooking coconut milk, intended for dishes such as curries and desserts.
The product described by Carrefour France is a 1 L coconut drink, rather than cooking coconut milk.
These two products are designed for different uses: one is coconut milk for cooking, and the other is a 1 L matcha coconut drink. If you’re building a gluten-free stock, check the labelling of the units and the pack size available for each product.
Image unavailable
If you’re making recipes with small amounts of cooking coconut milk, check that the ‘gluten-free’ claim on the product page applies to the units you’re ordering.
200 ml carton; the product description states that it contains 17% fat. After opening, the product information says to refrigerate it and use it within 3 to 4 days.
Before buying in bulk, check how many units are included in the pack.
Image unavailable
For drinking rather than cooking, this variety combines matcha and coconut. Check its ‘gluten-free’ claim and ingredients on the pack you’re buying.
1 L pack. The product information lists soya, so check the label if this ingredient matters to you.
Before stocking up, check how many units are included in each pack and the storage instructions after opening for this particular variety.
Yes, if the product is for someone with coeliac disease: check the claim on the exact product and pack size you’re buying. European Commission Regulation 828/2014 reserves the ‘gluten-free’ claim for foods containing no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten. A short ingredients list is no substitute for this check.
Start by reading the product description and intended use on the pack. The cooking coconut milks featured in Carrefour France’s product information are intended for recipes, whereas the 1 L Alpro product featured by Carrefour France is a coconut drink. Don’t assume they’ll give you the same results in a sauce.
Compare products intended for the same use, looking at the pack size, ingredients and the quantities you’ll need for your recipes or drinks. Also check the date on the units and the storage instructions after opening before deciding how much to stock up on.
Follow the storage time given for the product you’ve bought, as it varies from one product to another. Auchan’s product information for its 200 ml coconut milk says to refrigerate it and use it within 48 hours of opening; Carrefour France’s information for a 1 L Alpro coconut drink gives a refrigerated storage period of five days. These times don’t automatically apply to other varieties.