Dairy-Free Milk Guide
Figuring out what non-dairy milk works best for you, your recipes, and your family can often be a time consuming process. This helpful guide to the 5 most common dairy-free milks will walk you through the health benefits, uses, and varieties of popular plant-based milks.
When I first went dairy-free I was completely overwhelmed by the vast amount of dairy-free and vegan products out on the market. After spending hundreds of dollars trying different milk, butter, and cream replacements, I wanted to pass my findings along to you in hopes that you won’t have to try as many different products to get your perfect fit.
Selecting A Dairy-Free Milk
Welcome to the world of dairy-free milk! In this guide I will cover 5 of the most common non-dairy milks on the market. This is by no means an exhaustive list of plant-based milk and I am not stating that one is clearly better than the other. (Although I do have my personal favorite)
I am simply providing you with the information surrounding the top 5 non-dairy milks on the market so you can make an informed choice about what dairy-free milk works best for your personal needs.
Over time, you might find you keep more than one of these varieties of plant milk on hand for various reasons. Personally, we have at least 2 different types of non-dairy milk at a time (oat and coconut) simply because I use them the most for a wide variety of recipes.
For each milk I will cover:
- Reasons you might pick that particular kind of dairy-free milk
- Health benefits of each variety
- Different uses for the vegan milks
- Varieties you might find (different flavors, variations, etc.)
I hope this guide helps to provide you with some insight into the world of non-dairy and vegan milk as you figure out what dairy-free milk works best for you.
Oat Milk
Why Pick Oat Milk?
- Free from lactose, nuts, and soy.
- Available at most grocery stores and online.
- Choose from a variety of flavors.
- You can make your own with just two simple ingredients.
- Available in both refrigerated or unrefrigerated options.
Health Benefits of Oat Milk
- Can be gluten-free (if made with gluten-free oats).
- One cup has about 3 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber.
- Often fortified with calcium and vitamin D making it good for your bones.
Has more calories, carbs, and fiber while also offering less protein than other non-dairy milk varieties on the market.
Uses for Oat Milk
I use oat milk in place of just about everything. Some of the best ways I use oat milk include:
- As cream in a pasta sauce
- Frothed in a latte
- Poured over a bowl of cereal
- In place of non-dairy buttermilk in a biscuit or pancake recipe
Varieties of Oat Milk
I would argue that oat milk rivals cows milk in the versatility and the accessibility. It’s everywhere and can be used in just about anything. Some varieties you might encounter include:
- Plain Unsweetened
- Regular
- Vanilla
- Chocolate
- Full Fat
- Barista Blend
Coconut Milk
Why Pick Coconut Milk?
- Free from lactose and soy.
- Available at most grocery stores and online.
- Choose from a variety of fat levels.
- Available in both refrigerated or canned options.
Health Benefits of Coconut Milk
- One cup contains about 5 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber.
- Provides your full daily recommended value of manganese.
- Great source of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) which may benefit your metabolism.
With about 552 calories per cup, it should be noted that the calorie content of coconut milk is much higher than other non-dairy milk options on the market. If you are following a low-calorie diet, I would not suggest making coconut milk your go-to non-dairy milk.
Uses for Coconut Milk
I like using coconut milk for a number of different purposes. I like the flavor it adds as a heavy cream substitute in both cooking and baking, and the coconut cream (the thick part of the full-fat can) works great in a number of desserts (especially frozen treats)! Some recipes I use coconut milk as a milk replacement include:
- As a “sour cream” in jalapeño corn casserole
- In a cream sauce for this vegan gnocchi with sun dried tomatoes
- All kinds of popsicles from Oreo fudgesicles to vegan cookies and cream
- The creamy chocolate filling of these no-bake mini chocolate tarts
Varieties of Coconut Milk
The varieties of coconut milk differ from other non-dairy milk because they often will change the outcome of a recipe dramatically.
- Full-fat coconut milk, typically sold in 14- ounce cans, works best as a heavy cream replacement.
- Half-fat coconut milk, typically sold in 14- ounce cans, is much thinner than the full fat option.
- Coconut milk drink, sold in cartons in the refrigerated section, works best for a drinking milk replacement or used in a bowl of cereal.
- Coconut cream comes in the full-fat coconut milk can (when separated from the coconut water) or can be purchased already separated from the coconut water.
- Sweetened condensed coconut milk (Amazon affiliate link)
- Evaporated coconut milk (Amazon affiliate link)
Almond Milk
Why Pick Almond Milk?
When I first went dairy-free, almond milk was my go-to replacement for milk. After trial and error with many different recipes I found that it worked better with sweet recipes and didn’t quite hit the mark with savory recipes. This was my experience, you might feel differently.
Some reasons to consider using almond milk as your dairy-free milk replacement include:
- Free from lactose and soy.
- Available at most grocery stores and online.
- Offered in a refrigerated option and a shelf-stable option.
- Many varieties available.
Health Benefits
- Low in calories and carbs.
- Great source of vitamin E.
- Typically enriched with calcium.
With about 40 calories per cup of almond milk, this is one of the lowest calorie non-dairy milk replacement on the market.
Uses for Almond Milk
I tend to use almond milk when baking instead of cooking. Even when I use an unsweetened variety, I feel like it gives savory recipes a sweet nutty flavor.
Some sweet recipes I have used unsweetened almond milk include:
Varieties of Almond Milk
- Unsweetened Almond Milk
- Sweetened Almond Milk
- Vanilla Almond Milk
- Chocolate Almond Milk
- Almond and Coconut Blend Milk
- Barista Blend Almond Milk
Flax Milk
Why Pick Flax Milk?
There are many reasons you might want to turn to a glass of flax milk over the other non-dairy milks on the shelf. Some of these reasons include:
- Dairy-free and lactose free
- Nut-free and soy-free option
- Gluten and glyphosate-free (glyphosate is a widely used herbicide used to control wide leaf weeds and grasses).
- Available at most grocery stores and online.
- Offered in a refrigerated option and a shelf-stable option.
- Neutral flavor makes it easy to add to a number of recipes or just drink plain.
Not every brand of flax milk adheres to these distinctions.
Health Benefits
In addition to being vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free, many flax milk brands contain wonderful health benefits such as:
- High in calcium
- Made with pea protein for added protein per cup
- A boost of fiber (roughly 3 grams per cup)
- Heart health benefits thanks to Omega-3 fatty acids
- Lower calorie option with about 50 calories per cup
Uses for Flax Milk
You can easily use flax milk in many different situations. Some recipes I have used flax milk as the milk replacement include:
- Vanilla Protein Chocolate Chip Pancakes
- Banana Oatmeal Bars with Chocolate Chips
- Vanilla Proffee Latte
Varieties of Flax Milk
- Unsweetened Flax Milk
- Sweetened Flax Milk
- Flax Milk + Protein
- Vanilla Chia and Flax Milk
- Barista Edition Flax Milk
Soy Milk
I would like to begin by saying I do not typically use soy milk as a milk replacement in my home so my experience using soy milk is limited. Here are some reasons you might personally choose soy milk as your non-dairy milk replacement and the added benefits associated with using soy milk.
Why Pick Soy Milk?
Some of the reasons you might want to consider using soy milk as a plant-based milk replacement include:
- You’re looking for a dairy- and nut-free milk option.
- Available at most grocery stores and online.
- Offered in a refrigerated option and a shelf-stable option.
- Also available as a powder.
Health Benefits
- Great source of protein
- Contains vitamins and minerals such as B6, magnesium, folate, and zinc.
- Lower calorie option with about 70 calories per cup.
Varieties of Soy Milk
- Unsweetened Soy Milk
- Sweetened Soy Milk
- Vanilla Soy Milk
- Chocolate Soy Milk
- Soy Milk Powder
- Barista Series Soy Milk
Other Dairy-Free Milks
It seems like there is a new non-dairy milk coming up on the market every day. Personally I have found the ones that work best for me and haven’t branched out much since.
But if none of the vegan milks listed above suit your needs or you are curious about more dairy-free options, here are some you may want to try or consider:
- Rice milk
- Hemp Milk
- Spelt Milk
- Pea Milk
- Pistachio Milk
- Walnut Milk
- Macadamia Nut Milk
- Cashew Milk
- Quinoa Milk
- Banana Milk
- Hazelnut Milk
- Sunflower Milk
Honestly after typing this list up it leads me to wonder what haven’t they “milk-ed” these days?
I hope this guide helped provide you with some helpful information about the nutritional benefits, uses, and types of almond, oat, coconut, flax, and soy milk on the market.
Let me know in the comments below what your favorite non-dairy milk is and if there are any additional uses you have for these plant-based milks.
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Some of the links above contain Amazon affiliate links. These are products and brands I use in my kitchen daily. They pay me a small commission for the referral at no additional cost to you.