I’ve heard of chocolate milk. Everyone has. And strawberry milk, and vanilla milk, and any number of flavoured milks. But maple milk? I can’t say it was an idea that had even occurred to me before this product came into my life. And yet it seems so obvious, in retrospect. Maple syrup + milk. Of course! Seriously: how did I not come up with this idea myself?
I know there’s that old cliche that all Canadians love maple syrup, but isn’t that kind of like saying that all Canadians love kittens and rainbows? What I’m trying to say here is that maple syrup is the best and if you don’t like it there is something intrinsically wrong with your character; you’re damaged goods. Tell me to my face that there’s something better than maple syrup on a pancake, and you and me are going to have to bare knuckle box.
So yeah, I guess you could say that I like maple syrup.
I knew I was probably going to like this milk, though a quick gander at the ingredients reveals no actual maple syrup, which did concern me a bit (it does have “natural maple flavour,” whatever that is). I was afraid there might be off flavours here, or a strange aftertaste; happily, neither was the case.
It tastes good. It has a clean, very pronounced maple syrup flavour. Basically, it tastes exactly how you’d think it would taste, which is definitely a good thing.
It’s very, very sweet, however. I wouldn’t say it’s too sweet, but it’s definitely right on the border. It’s also extremely maple-y, so if you’re one of those maniacs who isn’t crazy about maple syrup, give this one a pass. This isn’t milk with a subtle tinge of maple; it’s a full-out maple syrup assault.
I think my biggest problem here is the same problem I have with all Canadian flavoured milks: it’s only available in one percent. I don’t know who decided that every flavoured milk sold here should be one percent and one percent only, but it makes me sad. Anything lower than two percent is a bit watery for my tastes, and for stuff like chocolate milk, I really think that the richness of whole milk is where it’s at. Sure, it’s not super healthy, but there’s nothing wrong with an occasional (or perhaps not-so-occasional) indulgence, right? Right?? Hey, you’re reading a junk food blog, don’t judge me!
Anyway, it’s a moot point (or moo-t, I should say — again, please don’t judge me) because unless you want to make your own, there’s no choice in the matter.
It’s not like this maple milk has no richness whatsoever, I just wish we had the option. But it’s fine. I’m just glad that it exists. Seriously, why hasn’t this been around for my entire life?
(Nutrition Facts – 1 cup (250ml) – 160 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0.1 grams of trans fat, 15 milligrams of cholesterol, 105 milligrams of sodium, 390 milligrams of potassium, 27 grams of carbohydrates, 25 grams of sugars, and 7 grams of protein.)
Item: Natrel Maple Milk
Purchased Price: $2.49 CAN
Size: 1 Liter
Purchased at: Sobeys
Rating: 8 out of 10
Pros: Strong maple flavour. No weird aftertaste. The ability to consume maple syrup in a new format.
Cons: Only available in thin one percent milk. Might be too sweet for some people. Off-putting absence of maple syrup in the ingredients list.
Do they still make French Toast Crunch….this would be the perfect milk for that. The sweeter the better as far as I am concerned! Yeah, all the flavored milks here in chile are 1%, ultra pasteurized so they are kept on the warm shelves. The most popular is banana….meh….
Yup these are still available on the shelves. 🙂
OH, I completely forgot to mention in the review that I tried this on cereal, and it was disastrous. It’s just way too sweet. It completely overwhelmed the cereal. I tried it with the least sweet cereal I had in my cupboard (Weetabix) and it was still an overpoweringly sweet experience. So I’m pretty sure if you tried it with French Toast Crunch your teeth would explode on contact.
Nice IKEA cup.
Trade you for Beiber.
sounds delicious, and yum to possibilities of maple ice cream & maple whipped cream!
I’ve spent some time in the Czech Republic, and in coffee shops I was offered hot milk with honey and cinnamon, which turned out to be surprisingly delicious. (They didn’t seem to have American-style hot chocolate–just, like, pudding in a mug–and this was their non-coffee-drinker equivalent.) So I wondered: did you try this hot? And if so, how was it?
Am I really the only person who just doesn’t like real maple syrup? I love maple-flavored frosting, I love pancake syrup… I guess I’m a cheap breakfast date.
See the article for a description of your schism.
I want this. Now.
Looks yummy! I find most flavored milks to be just a touch too strongly flavored, so I usually “water” them down…with whole milk. Yes, it’s an extra step, but it creates the perfect texture/flavor mix.