Each year our review staff samples hundreds of new dairy-free products. We are constantly scouring the shelves for the latest natural goodies to challenge the myth that dairy-free living is anything less than delicious. This year we had so many new innovations to choose from that it was mind-boggling, but we finally narrowed it down to ten wonderful foods. Oh yes, and our selections are completely unbiased, unsponsored, and personally sampled, so you can bet these are foods we happily spend our own hard-earned money on …

Number 3: So Delicious Coconut Milk Beverage

Turtle Mountain has seriously been on a coconut kick recently, adding coconut milk-based ice creams, yogurts, kefir, and coffee creamers to their dairy-free line-up. But in my opinion, nothing tops their Coconut Milk Beverage for taste and versatility.

You might be thinking, it’s just another milk alternative right? But not so. So Delicious Coconut Milk Beverage fills a gap in the dairy-free food market for an alternative to 2% milk. You know those recipes that need just a little bit of extra fat or richness; the kind that make dairy consumers turn to 2% milk over skim. This is your new dairy-free option. A bit fattier and more neutral in flavor than soymilk, coconut milk beverage proves its versatility, performing beautifully in soups, sauces, puddings, smoothies, and baked goods where you want a thicker result, but not an overload of fat. Plus, it is gluten-free, soy-free, and vegan.

So Delicious Coconut Milk Beverage is sold in the refrigerated section, and though not super cheap, it is comparable in price to the aseptic milk alternatives, and often goes on sale. I have purchased it for as low as $2.00 per half gallon, while it costs $3.99 full price at my local grocery store (in the natural food refrigerator case).

I always purchase the unsweetened variety (which is actually sugar-free, unlike regular milk), as it works wonderfully in savory recipes, and I find added sugars unnecessary in our fruit-sweetened smoothies. But, you can go for the original or vanilla version if you like your milk alternative a touch on the sweet side.

For more information:

• Read our full Coconut Milk Beverage Review
• Visit the Turtle Mountain website

Article and photo by Alisa Fleming, founder of GoDairyFree.org and author of Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook.