For cooking meals during the school holidays, choose organic culinary coconut milk; for a drink to serve at breakfast, look for an organic coconut plant-based drink. The culinary products featured by Carrefour, E.Leclerc and Auchan contain between 47 % and 76 % coconut extract, compared with 3.8 % in the Carrefour Bio drink reviewed here. So check the product category first, then look at its organic certification, ingredients and size.
For meals during the school holidays, an organic certification matters more than packaging that simply suggests a natural product. The Ministry of Agriculture says that the EU organic logo, known as the Euro-leaf, and the AB mark identify products from organic farming.
For making a sauce, curry or dessert, look for culinary coconut milk. The products featured by Carrefour, E.Leclerc and Auchan vary in ingredients and size, so it’s worth checking the label of the one you choose.
If you want to drink it or serve it with cereal, look for a coconut plant-based drink rather than assuming culinary coconut milk will do the same job. Carrefour, for example, offers an organic coconut drink in a 1 L carton.
For: preparing meals, sauces or desserts during the school holidays.
Bear in mind: recipes and sizes vary between products; some contain guar gum.
For: serving as a drink or having with cereal at breakfast.
Bear in mind: the 1 L Carrefour Bio drink contains 3.8 % coconut extract and other ingredients. It’s a different product category from culinary coconut milk.
| Criterion | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Organic certification | Look for the Euro-leaf or AB mark on the product. These marks alone don’t tell you where the coconut comes from. | I want to confirm that the product for family meals is organic before comparing recipes. Around 40 % of consumers put this check first. |
| Use and size | Check whether it’s labelled “coconut milk” or “coconut plant-based drink”, then choose a size that suits how you plan to use it. | If I’m cooking with it on some days and serving it as a drink at other times, I need to distinguish between these two categories and avoid buying more than I’ll use. This is the top priority for around 30 % of consumers. |
| Ingredients | For products in the same category, compare the percentage of coconut extract and the ingredients list. Check the nutritional information too, if it matters to your choice. | I’d rather compare recipes based on their ingredients than on the word “coconut” alone on the packaging. Ingredients are the top priority for around 30 % of consumers. |
The Carrefour Bio culinary coconut milk featured here contains 76 % coconut extract, compared with 3.8 % in its 1 L coconut plant-based drink. Their names and ingredients reflect different uses.
Before you buy, think about the recipe or occasion you have in mind, then check the category shown on the packaging.
The culinary products featured by Carrefour, E.Leclerc and Auchan contain between 47 % and 76 % coconut extract. Some contain guar gum, while the Bio Village and KARA ingredients lists include only water and coconut extract.
Compare the coconut content and ingredients of each product, even when both carry an organic label.
Auchan says KARA should be used within three days of opening and Jardin Bio Étic within four days. Both should be kept in the fridge.
Choose a size that suits the recipes you have planned and follow the instructions on the product you buy.
An opened carton you can’t use within the stated time may end up going to waste.
Carrefour sells organic culinary coconut milk in a 400 ml carton and an organic coconut plant-based drink in a 1 L carton under this brand. Check the category before choosing.
E.Leclerc offers Bio Village organic coconut milk in a 200 ml carton, for recipes that need a smaller amount.
Jardin Bio Étic is one of the 400 ml organic culinary coconut milk products featured by Carrefour and Auchan.
Auchan offers KARA organic coconut milk in a 20 cl carton for cooking.
Look for the Euro-leaf or AB mark on the product. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, these marks identify products from organic farming; they don’t tell you where the coconut comes from.
Not necessarily: choose according to the product’s stated use. Carrefour describes its organic coconut milk, which contains 76 % coconut extract, as a culinary product. Its 1 L coconut plant-based drink contains 3.8 % coconut extract and belongs to a different category.
Follow the instructions for the product you buy. Auchan says to refrigerate KARA coconut milk and use it within three days of opening. For Jardin Bio Étic, the stated time is four days in the fridge.
Don’t assume it’ll be available at the store you’ve chosen. For its Bio Village organic coconut milk, E.Leclerc recommends contacting the relevant store. Check both the product and the store before you shop.