Trader Joe's Vanilla Cultured Milk

Raise your hand if you like yogurt. Raise your hand if you like coconut milk. Raise your hand if you make impulsive purchases at the grocery store. I raised my hand for all four of those questions, which is how I bought vanilla cultured coconut milk during a recent visit to Trader Joe's.

Technically not yogurt, this vegan, cultured, milk product is sold in the refrigerated section along with milks and butters. It's a quick and easy breakfast when on a vegan kick and craving a creamy yogurt. Combine it with fruit, chia seeds, or even as a base to make vanilla-flavored overnight oats.

How does the vanilla cultured coconut milk hold up in the Sans Soy test?

Quality: Similar to many generic, vegan products sold at food stores, the packaging is great, but the item itself has much to be desired. After initially opening the vanilla cultured coconut milk (not yogurt!), a layer of liquid is present. Not a big deal when stirred into the rest of the product. If not, a coating of vanilla-flavored fluid with a consistency similar to slime is the initial texture to reach the tongue. After mixing, the rest of the cultured milk is runny and gummy, the result, I suppose, of  tapioca dextrose, organic rice starch, and additional thickeners.

Taste: I enjoyed the floral and fragrant taste of this vegan pudding-yogurt-like cultured milk product. Despite it's name, the coconut flavors are barely noticeable and exist more in subdued undertones. The star of the show is vanilla and sugar, baby! I happen to love vanilla flavor, and the intense notes don't bother me. Yet, this stuff is sweetened with cane sugar, and one 6-ounce tub contains 19 grams
of sugar!

Price: One individual container of vanilla cultured coconut milk is not expensive. I can't state the accurate price because I threw out the receipt; I believe it was no more than $1.25, if less.

Overall grade: C. This vegan yogurt, I mean, vanilla cultured coconut milk did not live up to my expectations. The texture and consistency was too gooey and sticky for my preference. Although I found the vanilla flavor to be lovely, it was saccharine sweet. Palatable when paired with a plain grain, I wouldn't recommend it to a friend.

So Delicious Mint Chocolate Coconut Milk

A colleague of mine is on a vegan kick. She tells me about her latest meat-, dairy-, and egg-free adventures and recipes. The creation and innovation that goes into making some vegan foods amazes me. Although I am not a vegan, I do appreciate the lifestyle and oftentimes find myself eating without any animal products at all. From time to time we, my colleague and I, share vegan treats. To get in the holiday spirit, I bought a nut milk, So Delicious Mint Chocolate Coconut Milk, that was sworn to taste like liquid peppermint patties. The selection of So Delicous products were on sale at the time, and, in addition to the coconut health benefits of fewer calories and fat, it seemed like the perfect nondairy treat for Christmastime. The name sounds impressive, but how did the So Delicious Mint Chocolate Coconut Milk do in the Sans Soy test?

Product: So Delicious Mint Chocolate Coconut Milk

Quality: The milk is thick and even has a beautiful, creamy brown color. Initially, I did not adequately shake up the beverage before pouring which led to a translucent khaki-colored liquid to dispense. However, I shook the carton with more vigor and all clear liquid disappeared. When I sniffed the milk, I scented a peppermint explosion—the smell was strong! I was unsure of what to expect about the texture of the coconut milk, however the liquid was smooth as silk. 

Taste: Peppermint is a powerful component of the coconut milk’s taste, quickly followed by chocolate. The two flavors work well together, creating a harmony without overpowering the other. Added sugars made the milk to be saccharine and syrupy on its own, most likely due to the use of stevia. Yet, the sweetness was excellent when combined with some coffee to make a holiday twist on the traditional mocha drink.

Price: The mint chocolate coconut milk is available in the size of one quart. On sale at my local Whole Foods Market, I paid $2.99 for one carton.

Overall grade: B. The flavored coconut milk did not hit the ball out of the park in my book, but this is due to personal taste bud opinions. The texture was not bad, but not outstanding, either. I recommend giving the bad boy a hardy shake prior to each use. Once opened, the milk turns sour in seven to ten days.