‘We need milk!’ For your coffee and tea, in baking, on cereal, to make a delicious hot chocolate before bed or even just to dunk your favourite bikkie in, the ways we use milk and the reasons we’re always running out are endless. 

No doubt that, even if you’re a cow’s milk lover, walking the aisles of the grocery store you’ve come across a variety of milk (or mylk, as some refer to it) alternatives.  With soy, coconut, rice, oat and almond milk available almost everywhere we wanted to chat a bit about these milk alternatives and why they’ve become so popular.

Plant based milks are no longer a niche product mainly produced for people on a vegan diet or those that are lactose intolerant.  Many people choose plant based milk as they find it’s easier to digest, helps to clear up their skin or just prefer the taste of plant based milks. Many are also lower in calories while still packing in good amounts of calcium and vitamin D.  There’s also a plant based milk taste and texture to suit almost anyone, and many are now formulated especially for coffee so you can still get that delicious froth and creaminess in your morning latte.

With so many benefits it’s hard to imagine why anyone wouldn’t try plant based milk, but it does have some downsides.  Milk alternatives are often much lower in protein than cow’s milk, so you need to ensure you’re getting protein from other food sources if you’re making the switch to non-dairy. Many plant-based milks also taste quite nutty and feel less creamy than cow’s milk which is not to everyone’s liking. They also can contain long lists of ingredients which can irritate the digestion of people with certain conditions (such as IBS), so we recommend reading the labels and seeking advice from a health professional if you’re not sure.

We hope we’ve helped shed some light on milk alternatives today.  Maybe next time you hear ‘We need milk!’ you’ll even reply, ‘What sort?’.

If you’re already enjoying a dairy free diet (or thinking about trying one, after a chat with your doctor, of course), we’ve got the perfect range of dairy-free bikkies to pop on the side.

Happy dunking!