Tag: Non-Dairy

REVIEW: Silk Nextmilk Whole Fat

Jenna 15 Comments

Silk Next Milk Whole Fat Carton

What is Silk Nextmilk?

Silk Nextmilk is a plant-based blend starring oat mik, soy milk, and coconut milk, among other, less pithy ingredients. It comes in both whole fat and 2% reduced fat varieties (this review focuses on the whole fat option). Rather than claiming to faithfully imitate dairy milk, Silk boldly declares that this alternative “tastes so rich and creamy, you won’t miss dairy.” I’m such a milk lover that I might as well be Miss Dairy, so we’ll see about that…

How is it?

Silk Next Milk Whole Fat Compare

I can only describe the process of transferring the Nextmilk from carton to glass as a “glug.” Even before the taste test, it certainly looked rich and creamy. Side-by-side with a glass of dairy milk (Nextmilk on the right), I found that the Nextmilk seemed the teensiest bit darker in color, but the really noticeable aesthetic difference was that the Nextmilk was so thick that after the first swig, a conspicuously cloudy coating clung to the inside of the glass for the rest of my sipping session.

Silk Next Milk Whole Fat Closeup

My first impression of the taste was “mildly nutty,” which is not shocking given the ingredients list. Fittingly, it reminded me of both oat and soy milk. Knowing that there’s coconut in the mix also explains the faint hint of sweetness I detected, but overall it’s more earthy than sweet. Excuse me for being particular about semantics (I’m a textbook editor, it’s literally my job!), but I’d actually change the branding to “texture so rich and creamy,” since I feel like that’s where this Nextmilk really shines. The taste is certainly pleasant, but I was mostly impressed by the smooth consistency, so full and satisfying it even kept my hangry mood at bay between meals.

Anything else you need to know?

The carton proudly proclaims that this milk shares the same six key nutrients found in dairy (Calcium, Vitamin D, Vitamin A, Vitamin B12, Phosphorus, and Riboflavin), and it does all that while being free from not just dairy but also gluten, carrageenan, and artificial color and flavors! In my personal opinion it also makes for a pretty luxurious bowl of cereal.

Conclusion:

While you won’t mistake Nextmilk for its dairy cousin, it’s a plantastic substitute for any number of audiences, no matter if you’re lactose intolerant, vegan, a novelty-seeker, or just craving some velvety texture.

Purchased Price: $5.99
Size: 59 fl oz carton
Purchased at: Foodtown
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup) 110 calories, 8 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 190 milligrams of sodium, 7 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 3 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Limited Edition Good & Gather Plant Based Oatmilk Holiday Nog

Marvo 4 Comments

Good Gather Oatmilk Holiday Nog Carton

What is the Good & Gather Oatmilk Holiday Nog?

It’s a vegan way to get my nog on using my favorite non-dairy milk. It also doesn’t have artificial flavors or synthetic colors. Plus, its carton has all the holiday colors — red, green, white, and brown/tan. Oh, you say brown/tan isn’t a Christmas color? Well, a reindeer’s coat, Christmas tree trunks, and the bikini briefs Santa wears under his suit would highly disagree.

How is it?

Over the years, I’ve tried almost every non-dairy nog that uses either soy, almond, or coconut milks. While they aren’t as heavy as regular eggnog, they also aren’t as tasty. They provide a slight sunken feeling inside that’s similar to what happened when I got a GoBot in my Christmas stocking instead of a Transformer. But this Good & Gather Oatmilk Holiday Nog is tastier than any other non-dairy nog I’ve had.

Good Gather Oatmilk Holiday Nog Glass

With others, their flavors are an easy tell that they’re made with plant-based milk. But with this one, I think it could be handed out at a party and no one will realize it’s made using oatmilk. While the cinnamon and nutmeg flavors are in every sip, its taste isn’t as robust as regular nog, so those folks will probably think it’s cheap eggnog or something.

Although, now that I think about it, after they drink it, they’ll realize something is up because this holiday nog doesn’t make my stomach feel as if I just ate a small meal like a cup of eggnog does.

Anything else you need to know?

Despite giving the carton a quick shake before opening it, the first few pours had clumps. But after shaking it like I’m an excited 8-year-old trying to figure out what I got from Santa before unwrapping it, it poured nicely. The store-brand oatmilk nog has a pleasant creaminess that’s not quite as eggnog level, but it’s definitely not watery.

Conclusion:

Good & Gather’s Oatmilk Holiday Nog is the most enjoyable non-dairy nog that I’ve had. (Note: I haven’t had the chance to try the Chobani Oat Nog yet.) I hope it comes back every year so I can make it a holiday tradition to serve this to guests and tell them it’s eggnog.

Purchased Price: $3.49
Size: 1 quart
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1/2 cup) 70 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 85 milligrams of sodium, 11 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 11 grams of sugar (includes 11 grams of added sugar), and 1 gram of protein.

REVIEW: Chobani Oat Nog

Dustin 13 Comments

Chobani Oat Nog Carton

I am a lifelong eggnog fan. Whether it’s homemade or store-bought, I make a point to consume plenty of it every Christmas season. Upon seeing that Chobani released a new Oat Nog, my curiosity was piqued. Oat milk is my preferred nondairy milk substitute, so it sounded like a promising concept. As Chobani’s Oat Nog is vegan, there’s no egg in the product either.

I poured the Oat Nog into my festive vessel of choice and was dismayed by the consistency. It was much thinner than expected. I’ve had some oat milk varieties in the past that were decently thick and creamy, so I assumed the Oat Nog would be closer to that. Instead, it’s as watery as typical oat milk. Chobani manufactures an extra creamy version of its oat milk, so I don’t know why it couldn’t have aimed for a thickness closer to that.

Chobani Oat Nog Mug

I gave the Oat Nog a deep whiff and was stunned. It smelled exactly like eggnog. I started to feel optimistic again.

I took a sip of the Oat Nog and my taste buds rejoiced. It tasted remarkably close to the real thing. All of the standard, dominant eggnog flavor notes seemed to be there. I’m not sure what type of black magic trickery Chobani pulled off here, but it works quite well.

Chobani Oat Nog Closeup

There is a faint undercurrent of oat milk flavor, but it’s mild. It’s perfectly sweet without being domineering. As time elapsed, I noticed that there was a bit of an aftertaste in my mouth. It was an inoffensive flavor, but it’s one that I frequently notice when having oat milk. It seems like a fair trade-off.

Chobani Oat Nog Spice

I decided to try more of the Oat Nog, but added the all-important nutmeg this time. It brought further cohesion and authenticity to the drink. Unfortunately, no amount of nutmeg can combat the thin consistency of this beverage.

Chobani Oat Nog won’t replace traditional eggnog for me, but I can see myself substituting it on occasion. If you enjoy eggnog, but are avoiding dairy, this is a perfect solution. Likewise, if you find conventional eggnog to be too heavy, this should accommodate nicely. It effortlessly stands on its own, and I’m pleased that it was my first taste of anything nog-related this holiday season.

Purchased Price: $3.49
Size: 32 fl. oz. bottle
Purchased at: Fry’s
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1/2 cup) 90 calories, 4.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 55 milligrams of sodium, 12 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 9 grams of sugars and less than 1 gram of protein.

LATE TO THE PARTY: Just Egg

Marvo 19 Comments

Just Egg Bottle

Late to the Party posts are about first time experiences with products or brands that have been around for a while.

Just Egg, a plant-based egg substitute, is made from mung bean. If this is the first time you’ve ever heard of mung bean, I want to let you know that I was in your shoes back in 2018 when I first read about this product. If you’d like to take up some space in your brain to learn about it, here’s the Wikipedia link.

While I’ve known about Just Egg for years and have wanted to try it for the same amount of time, I just never came across it. That ended while pushing my virtual cart through the aisles of my local Whole Foods via the Amazon website to find out what kinds of dairy-free milk alternatives it offers. (Side note: It’s A LOT.)

Why would I want to try not-eggs? While some people are fascinated with Star Wars, I’m that way with products that attempt to recreate meat and animal products using plants. Yes, you’ll regret asking me what my hobbies are at a party.

Just Egg Ingredients

While an egg is just, well, an egg, Just Egg has (takes a deep breath) water, mung bean protein isolate, expeller-pressed canola oil, dehydrated onion, gellan gum, natural carrot extractives (for color), natural flavors, natural turmeric extractives (for color), potassium citrate, salt, soy lecithin, sugar, tapioca syrup, tetrasodium pyrophosphate, transglutaminase, and nisin (a preservative).

All those ingredients create something that looks and feels like scrambled eggs. You might notice that I didn’t include “tastes” in the previous sentence. I’ll get to that later.

Just Egg Liguid

When it’s poured out of its bottle, it looks like an Egg Beaters product, but grainer. But the magic begins when the product starts to curdle in the pan. The liquid’s pastel yellow color turns into a vibrant yellow, it looks like scrambled eggs, and it has a soft scrambled eggs-like texture.

Just Egg Cooked

Just Egg Soft

While Just Egg can fool my eyes, it cannot fool my taste buds. The instant they got to experience the plant-based egg product, they knew something was up. Its flavor is like vegetables, although seasoned vegetables. But I think the way it looks and feels has my brain thinking it’s an omelet with A LOT of vegetables.

I’m fine with the way it tastes. So much so that if chickens went extinct for some reason, like bird flu or way too many foxes protecting all the chicken coops, I’d be okay with eating Just Egg for the rest of my life.

QUICK REVIEW: Suja Chocolate Organic Plant Protein Milk

Marvo 1 Comment

Suja Chocolate Organic Plant Protein Milk

What is Suja’s Chocolate Organic Plant Protein Milk?

It’s a dairy-free, plant-based chocolate milk that made using flax seeds, peas, and sunflowers. A cup provides 8 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber, 30 percent of your daily calcium.

Suja Chocolate Organic Plant Protein Milk 2

How is it?

Whenever there’s a new chocolate milk on the market — dairy or non-dairy — I like to give it a try, because chocolate milk makes me smile, and I want every one to reach that standard. But Suja’s Chocolate Organic Plant Protein Milk doesn’t. All I can think about is how I want to scratch out the word “chocolate” on the bottle and replace it with “chalkolate.”

As you can probably guess, it’s chalky.

Look, I get it. It probably has to be that way since it’s made with sunflower and flax seeds, which also helps give it four grams of fiber (16 percent of your daily recommended intake) per serving. But its chalkiness makes it seem more like chocolate-flavored medicine than milk.

As for its flavor, it’s okay. It’s similar to other non-dairy chocolate milks. Cacao powder is used to give it its chocolatiness and it’s sweetened with cane sugar and monk fruit. But I’m so used to non-dairy milks being creamy, that its texture takes away from its flavor.

Is there anything else I need to know?

Suja Chocolate Organic Plant Protein Milk Version 2

Is it just me or does the leaf in Suja’s logo look like an angry face or the face of someone who doesn’t like the chalkiness of this non-dairy chocolate milk?

Conclusion:

Suja Chocolate Organic Plant Protein Milk 3

If you’re looking for a non-dairy, nut-free, soy-free, gluten-free, GMO-free, carrageenan-free, and vegan chocolate milk, then the Suja Chocolate Milk is a great option. But, again, I’m looking for chocolate milk that makes me smile, and this doesn’t do it for me.

Purchased Price: $6.79 (on sale – $8.49 reg.)
Size: 48 oz. bottle
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (8 ounces) 120 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 30 milligrams of sodium, 18 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber, 15 grams of sugar, and 8 grams of protein.