For curries, sauces and desserts, choose coconut milk for cooking; a coconut plant-based drink is better suited to drinking. If you use it regularly at home, compare the size of each pack, the ingredients and storage instructions after opening before looking for a quantity close to 2 litres. A multipack of this size isn’t necessarily a single container or the right product for your recipe.
If you use coconut milk in curries, sauces or desserts, several small cartons can cover your recipes without having to open a large container all at once. Compare the volume per pack and the storage instructions before stocking up.
For a recipe that needs a creamy cooking base, distinguish coconut milk from a coconut plant-based drink. Auchan, Eco+ and Bio Village product details list different proportions of coconut extract, so check the specific product you’re considering.
If the ingredients determine your choice, read the ingredients list for each product rather than relying on the word ‘coconut’ alone. Also check the allergens listed on the label and any other claims that matter to you.
First decide whether you’ll use the product for cooking or drinking. Then compare the quantity you want with the number of packs you’ll be able to use after opening.
| Criteria | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Volume and storage | Check the size of each pack, the number of packs in a multipack and the storage instructions after opening. | If I cook often, I want to avoid repeat purchases without opening more coconut milk than I can use; around 33% of consumers make this a priority. |
| Ingredients for your recipe | Compare the stated coconut extract and fat per 100 ml across products in the same cooking category. | For a curry or dessert, I look for ingredients that will give me the texture I want; this is the top priority for around 27% of consumers. |
| Ingredients | Read the ingredients list and check the allergens highlighted on the specific product. | When I shop for vegan food, I prefer to check every ingredient rather than rely on the product name; around 20% of consumers prioritise this check. |
| Drink or cooking ingredient | Check the product description and stated use before substituting one for another. | When I buy coconut milk to drink or cook with, I don’t want to confuse the two uses; around 20% of consumers prioritise this distinction. |
Carrefour lists both coconut milk for cooking and 1 L coconut plant-based drinks. The fact that they both contain the word ‘coconut’ doesn’t mean they’re suitable for the same uses.
For a sauce or curry, check the product description and ingredients before replacing the product in your recipe with a drink.
A ‘2 x 1 litre’ description means two packs, not one 2 L container. On its own, it doesn’t tell you whether the contents are suitable for cooking.
Check the volume of each pack, the product category, its ingredients and storage instructions before choosing a multipack.
Carrefour’s product details list coconut extract levels of 22% for Suzi Wan Light and 50% for Auchan. These front-of-pack claims don’t replace comparing the ingredients of each specific product.
For a particular recipe, check the coconut extract, fat per 100 ml and the ingredients list.
The product details for Auchan coconut milk in a 200 ml carton say to refrigerate it and consume it within 48 hours of opening. This applies to that specific product.
Plan how you’ll use each opened pack and follow the instructions on the product you buy.
Carrefour’s listings make it easy to distinguish coconut products for cooking from coconut plant-based drinks.
Auchan’s 200 ml carton is an example of coconut milk for cooking, with ingredients that you can compare against other products.
These two own-brand ranges offer coconut milk for cooking in 200 ml cartons.
Carrefour lists Alpro’s 1 L coconut product among its plant-based drinks, rather than as a product identified as coconut milk for cooking.
These coconut milk products are for cooking, with pack sizes ranging from 400 ml to 2,9 L. For regular shopping, choose a pack size that suits the recipes you have planned and the storage instructions after opening, rather than automatically going for the largest volume.
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Worth considering if you cook regularly and prefer one 1 L pack to several smaller cartons. This is less than the 2 L you’re looking for, so plan to use it after opening in line with the instructions for the product you buy.
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For regular cooking, compare the stated fat content with that of the other products you’re considering. The pack contains 1 L; follow the storage instructions after opening.
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The 500 ml carton is a good option if you need a smaller quantity for cooking than a 1 L pack. If you cook often, work out how many cartons you’ll need and check their storage instructions after opening.
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The 400 ml pack may suit a smaller recipe better than opening a large container. The storage instructions for this product say to refrigerate it and consume it within 3 days of opening.
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This pack could be an option for cooking in large quantities, provided you can use it all after opening. At 2,9 L, it’s larger than the 2 L you’re looking for. The storage instructions for this product say to refrigerate it and consume it within 3 to 4 days of opening. Check the ingredients list on the label.
Don’t assume they’re interchangeable in a recipe. Carrefour lists coconut products for cooking separately from its 1 L coconut plant-based drinks. Check the product description, ingredients and stated use before substituting one for the other.
Only if every product in the multipack is suitable for your intended use and the pack sizes work for you. ‘2 x 1 litre’ means two containers. Check their category, ingredients and storage instructions rather than assuming these details from the total volume.
Start with the product description, net quantity and ingredients list for each product. The DGCCRF notes that allergens in prepacked foods must be highlighted. Nutritional information can also help you compare fat content on a like-for-like basis, per 100 ml when figures are given by volume.
Follow the storage instructions for the product you buy, as they vary between coconut milk products. The product details for Auchan’s 200 ml carton say to refrigerate it and consume it within 48 hours of opening.