Who are these options for?

A small household looking for a simple breakfast

If you want something to go with cereal, coffee or a smoothie, you’re looking for a thin organic coconut drink rather than milk intended for cooking.

Someone who cooks occasionally

For porridge, dessert or a savoury dish, you’ll want the texture of coconut milk for cooking, while choosing a quantity that suits your recipes.

A shopper who pays close attention to labels

You want to compare coconut content, sugars and fat, and check whether a drink has added calcium or vitamins.

What should you look for?

First, decide whether you want to drink the product or use it for cooking. Then check its organic labelling, ingredients and whether your household can use the pack size.

What to consider What to check Who is it for?
Certification and ingredients Look for the EU organic logo, the control code and the agricultural origin. Also read the ingredients and check the coconut content. According to the European Commission, the organic logo requires, among other things, at least 95% organic ingredients. I want to tell the difference between organic certification and a product simply suggesting it is natural, then find out what it contains. Around 42% of consumers make this their top priority.
A breakfast drink Choose a product labelled as a plant-based drink. Compare sugars and fat per 100 ml, then check any added nutrients if they matter to you. For my coffee or cereal, I need a thinner consistency and ingredients I can compare easily. This is a priority for around 33% of consumers.
Cooking texture and pack size For cooking, check the coconut content, the pack size and the storage instructions after opening for the product you choose. I want to make a creamy recipe without opening more coconut milk than I can use. Around 25% of consumers prioritise this combination of texture and pack size.

Common mix-ups to avoid

  • Confusing a coconut drink with coconut milk for cooking

    These products have different ingredients and uses. Product details from Carrefour France and Bjorg list 1.4 to 1.8 g of fat per 100 ml for the coconut drinks in question, compared with 17 g per 100 ml for Carrefour Bio coconut milk for cooking.

    If you want to drink it or add it to cereal, start with plant-based drinks. For a recipe that needs a creamy texture, look at coconut milk for cooking.

  • Assuming that “organic” describes all the ingredients

    Organic certification doesn’t replace the ingredients list or nutritional information. Coconut milk products presented as organic by Carrefour France and Bjorg include guar gum, for example.

    Check the certification, then look separately at the ingredients, coconut content, sugars and fat.

  • Opening a large pack for a single recipe

    In a small household, the amount left over matters just as much as the amount used that day. The Joybuy product details for Valcom coconut milk 400 ml say to refrigerate it after opening and use it within three days.

    Choose a pack size that suits the recipes you have planned, and follow the storage instructions on the product you buy.

  • Assuming all coconut drinks have the same nutritional profile

    Bjorg’s unsweetened coconut drink contains 0.6 g of protein per 100 ml. Whether calcium or vitamins have been added also depends on the product: Carrefour France lists them for its Alpro unsweetened drink.

    If these nutrients affect your choice, compare the relevant lines in the nutritional information on each pack.

Brands to compare

Carrefour Bio

The range lets you compare coconut milk for cooking with a plant-based coconut drink, each intended for a different use.

  • According to Carrefour France product details, the 330 ml cooking product contains 76% coconut extract, while the 1 L drink contains 3.8%.
  • A thin drink isn’t automatically interchangeable with coconut milk for cooking when a recipe calls for a creamy texture.

Jardin Bio Étic

A 400 ml can of coconut milk for cooking to consider for sweet or savoury recipes.

  • The product details published by Carrefour France list 68% coconut extract for this product.
  • If you only need a small amount for a single use, check whether the 400 ml pack suits the recipes you have planned.

Bjorg

The brand offers a thin coconut milk for cooking and a plant-based coconut drink for drinking or blending.

  • Bjorg states that its 200 ml cooking product contains 60% coconut.
  • Its unsweetened coconut drink contains 0.6 g of protein per 100 ml. Check the nutritional information if this matters to your choice.

Alpro

A plant-based coconut drink to compare if you’re looking for added calcium and vitamins rather than a product presented as organic.

  • Carrefour France’s product details for Alpro’s unsweetened drink mention calcium and vitamins B12 and D2.
  • This product isn’t presented as organic in those details. Check the labelling if organic certification is your main priority.

Coconut milk for cooking on Joybuy

These two products are for cooking, so choose a pack size that suits the amount your recipes call for. For a breakfast drink, compare products labelled as plant-based coconut drinks instead. A product name that includes “Organic” doesn’t remove the need to check the organic labelling on the pack.

Kara Organic Coconut Milk UHT 17% Fat, 200 ml

Kara Organic Coconut Milk UHT 17% Fat, 200 ml

The 200 ml pack may suit you if you only need a small amount of coconut milk for cooking.

Before comparing this product, check the organic certification on the pack and the fat content per 100 ml.

View on Joybuy
Valcom Organic Coconut Milk, 400 ml

Valcom Organic Coconut Milk, 400 ml

The 400 ml pack is a better fit if you have several cooking uses planned close together.

Joybuy’s product details say to refrigerate this coconut milk after opening and use it within three days. Check the organic labelling on the pack too.

View on Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

How can I check whether coconut milk is organic?

For a prepacked product presented as organic, look for the EU organic logo, the code of the control body and an indication of the agricultural origin. The European Commission explains that use of the logo is subject to certification and requires, among other things, at least 95% organic ingredients. Read the ingredients list too, so you can choose a product that suits your needs.

Can coconut milk for cooking replace a coconut drink at breakfast?

Not automatically. Coconut milk for cooking can be used in porridge, but its ingredients and texture differ from those of a plant-based drink. For the products compared by Carrefour France and Bjorg, the drinks contain 1.4 to 1.8 g of fat per 100 ml, compared with 17 g per 100 ml for Carrefour Bio coconut milk for cooking. Choose according to how you’ll use it first, then compare the labels of the products you’re considering.

Does “no added sugars” mean “sugar-free”?

No. Carrefour France’s product details for the Carrefour Bio plant-based coconut drink labelled “no added sugars” state that it contains naturally occurring sugars. To find out how much sugar is in the product you choose, check the “of which sugars” line in its nutritional information.

How long can you keep coconut milk after opening?

Follow the instructions for the product you buy. For Valcom coconut milk 400 ml, Joybuy’s product details say to keep it in the fridge and use it within three days of opening. This may not apply to other products.