For a homemade snack, choose coconut milk for cooking. If you want something you can enjoy without any preparation, look for a coconut-based plant-based dessert instead. If the product is for someone with coeliac disease, first check that the exact product is labelled ‘gluten-free’. Being made with coconut alone is not enough to confirm that it’s suitable for a strict gluten-free diet.
You’d like to use coconut milk in a recipe while strictly avoiding gluten. AFDIAG recommends checking the labelling: the ingredients list alone is not enough to rule out the risk of cross-contamination.
You’re planning to make a cream, dessert or another sweet recipe. The coconut milks listed by Carrefour France vary in their coconut content, other ingredients and pack size, so compare the product that best suits your recipe.
You’d prefer a plant-based dessert that needs no preparation. Check the gluten-free labelling and ingredients on the product you choose, and confirm that it’s available at your local shop.
If the snack is for someone with coeliac disease, first check the gluten-free labelling on the exact product. Then decide whether you need an ingredient to cook with or a ready-to-eat dessert, and compare the recipes and pack sizes.
| What to check | Look for | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free labelling | Check that the exact product is labelled ‘gluten-free’. Look for the crossed grain symbol if you’re also looking for certification. | If I need to avoid gluten strictly, I want to check the product before making a snack. Around 36% of consumers would rank this as their top priority. |
| Use and pack size | Tell the difference between coconut milk for recipes and a ready-to-eat plant-based dessert, and check how much the pack contains. | When I’m not planning to cook, I’m looking for a dessert I can eat straight away rather than an ingredient to add to a recipe. Pack size would be the priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and texture | Compare the coconut content and other ingredients. Check the fat per 100 g when this information is available on the packs you’re comparing. | For a homemade dessert, I want to choose a base with ingredients that give me the texture I’m looking for. Ingredients would be the top priority for around 21% of consumers. |
| Local availability | Make sure the exact product is stocked at your chosen shop before planning your snack around it. | If I need a particular product for a snack, I want to know whether I can actually find it near me. Availability would come ahead of the other criteria for around 14% of consumers. |
AFDIAG points out that a product which naturally contains no gluten-containing ingredients may still be exposed to cross-contamination, for example during transport or packaging.
If you need to avoid gluten strictly, read the label on the product you buy and look for the words ‘gluten-free’. The crossed grain symbol indicates additional certification when it appears on the packaging.
The Kara and Suzi Wan coconut milks listed by Carrefour France are cooking ingredients, while the Alpro Complètement Coco Stracciatella plant-based dessert is presented as a snack. They’re designed for different needs and levels of preparation.
Decide whether you want to cook or enjoy your snack straight away, then compare products intended for that purpose. Either way, check the gluten-free labelling separately if needed.
The products below illustrate the difference between coconut milks for cooking and a ready-to-eat dessert. The brand name alone is no substitute for checking the packaging of the product you choose.
Organic coconut milk for cooking in a 200 mL carton, presented for sweet and savoury recipes.
Coconut milk for cooking in a 200 mL carton, suitable for sweet recipes among other uses.
Sterilised coconut milk in a 400 mL tin, to compare as an ingredient for homemade recipes.
The Complètement Coco Stracciatella plant-based dessert is presented as a coconut-based snack, rather than coconut milk for cooking.
No. The absence of wheat from the ingredients list is not enough to confirm that a product is suitable for a strict gluten-free diet. AFDIAG also advises taking the risk of cross-contamination into account. Check the packaging of the exact product for gluten-free labelling.
According to AFDIAG, a product labelled ‘gluten-free’ must contain less than 20 mg of gluten per kilogram. Check that the label applies to the exact product you’re buying. Where present, the crossed grain symbol indicates additional certification described by the association.
Choose coconut milk for cooking if you’re making a recipe, and a plant-based dessert if you want a snack that’s ready to eat. Carrefour France lists Kara and Suzi Wan coconut milks as cooking ingredients, and the Alpro Complètement Coco Stracciatella dessert as a snack. If you have coeliac disease, check the labelling of the product you choose in either case.