Who is this for?

Care-home catering staff

Plan almond drink for cereals, hot drinks or recipes around the volume needed for service, while checking residents’ care plans and the labels on the packs received.

Residents needing a dairy-free choice

Almond drink may be an option when a resident can have almonds and the product fits their assessed diet and preferences. Calcium fortification is one feature to check, not a substitute for an individual nutrition assessment.

Teams supporting residents at risk of malnutrition

Check the resident’s nutrition plan before offering almond drink in place of another drink. Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care System advises regular assessment and review of care-home residents’ nutritional needs.

What should you check before buying?

Start with the residents who will be served, then check the product label and calculate the quantity needed for the service period.

Priority What to check Your needs
Nutritional fit Compare energy and protein per 100ml with the resident’s nutrition plan. Check whether calcium or vitamins are declared on the current pack. I need a routine dairy-free choice, not a replacement for prescribed nutrition support. Alpro UK lists 14kcal and 0.5g protein per 100ml for its Roasted Almond No Sugars drink.
Almond allergy Check each resident’s allergy plan, the ingredients and any precautionary allergen statement. Make the current product information available to serving staff. Before serving almond drink, I need to know whether the resident can have almonds. GOV.UK identifies almonds as tree nuts in its allergen guidance for food businesses.
Sugars and acceptance Read sugars per 100ml and check the resident’s dietary plan. Where appropriate, ask whether they accept the drink in its intended use. A no-sugars version matters if it fits the individual’s plan; I also need a drink the resident is willing to have with meals or in hot drinks.
Quantity and storage Check the pack volume, storage instructions, use-after-opening guidance and likely turnover. Four UK pints are 2.272L; three 1L cartons provide 3L. I need at least four pints for service without opening more cartons than we expect to use. Tesco Groceries lists several almond drinks in 1L packs.
Current formulation Compare the delivered pack with menu and allergen records whenever the product or supplier changes. I need serving information that reflects the cartons in the kitchen. Tesco Groceries cautions that ingredients, allergens and nutrition information can change when products are reformulated.

What can go wrong?

  • Treating almond drink as a replacement for fortified milk

    Alpro UK lists 14kcal and 0.5g protein per 100ml for its Roasted Almond No Sugars drink. East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust describes full-fat milk fortified with milk powder as part of its guidance for managing malnutrition in nursing homes; the two should not be treated as nutritionally interchangeable.

    Follow the resident’s nutrition plan and seek appropriate clinical or dietetic advice before changing a drink used for nutrition support.

  • Assuming dairy-free means suitable for every allergy

    Almond drink contains almonds. A dairy-free label does not resolve whether it is suitable for a resident with an almond or other relevant allergy.

    Check the individual allergy plan and the current pack, including any precautionary allergen information, before service.

  • Ordering by the phrase ‘four pints’ alone

    Two 1L cartons provide 2L, less than four UK pints (2.272L). Three provide 3L, which exceeds that quantity and needs to be accounted for in storage and expected use.

    Calculate the minimum service volume, then check the actual pack size and opening instructions before placing the order.

  • Relying on an older product listing

    Ingredients, allergens and nutrition information can change when a product is reformulated, as Tesco Groceries cautions on its product information.

    Check the delivered label and update menu and allergen records when the product or formulation changes.

Relevant brands and retailers

Alpro

Alpro UK lists Original and Roasted Almond No Sugars 1L drinks. Check the exact variant rather than transferring its nutrition figures to another Alpro product.

  • For Roasted Almond No Sugars, Alpro UK declares 0g sugars and 120mg calcium per 100ml.
  • The same variant lists 14kcal and 0.5g protein per 100ml; assess its place in the resident’s nutrition plan.

Rude Health

Rude Health lists an organic almond drink and a separate chilled almond drink with calcium.

  • The manufacturer describes its chilled variant as calcium-enriched and suitable for uses including cereal, baking and tea.
  • The organic drink has a different listed recipe; do not assume the two variants have the same fortification or nutrition values.

Plenish

Tesco Groceries lists a Plenish Organic Almond Milk Dairy Alternative Chilled 1L product.

  • Its listed 1L size can be included when calculating a service quantity.
  • Check the current pack for ingredients, fortification, nutrition values and chilled-storage instructions before choosing it for residents.

Tesco

Tesco Groceries lists its Unsweetened Almond Drink 1L alongside branded 1L almond drinks.

  • The listed pack sizes provide a reference for planning a quantity of at least four UK pints.
  • Tesco advises shoppers to read the product label because formulations and allergen information can change.

Joybuy almond-drink option

This 1L almond-drink listing is relevant when planning cartons for care-home service. Check the listing’s pack count before ordering and assess the delivered product against each resident’s care plan.

6 Alpro Almond Drink 1L product listing

6 Alpro Almond Drink 1L

The listed drink is in a 1L format, which can be counted towards a four-UK-pint service quantity. Confirm what the leading ‘6’ means for the number of cartons supplied, and check the delivered label for allergens, nutrition values and storage instructions before use.

View on Joybuy

Common questions

Can almond drink replace fortified milk for a resident at risk of malnutrition?

Do not make that substitution without reviewing the resident’s nutrition plan. Alpro UK lists 14kcal and 0.5g protein per 100ml for its Roasted Almond No Sugars drink, while East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust describes fortified full-fat milk as part of nursing-home malnutrition management. Seek appropriate dietetic advice where a higher-energy or higher-protein approach is required.

Can a resident with an almond allergy have almond drink?

No: almond drink contains the allergen relevant to an almond allergy. For any other recorded allergy, follow the resident’s individual allergy plan and check the current ingredients and precautionary information before serving a product.

How many 1L cartons cover four UK pints?

Three 1L cartons provide 3L, exceeding four UK pints (2.272L); two provide only 2L. Check whether the order is for individual cartons or a multipack, then plan storage and use after opening.

Should every resident be given a no-sugars almond drink?

No. Choose a no-sugars variant when it fits the individual’s assessed diet and preferences, not as a blanket care-home choice. The Care Quality Commission’s Regulation 14 guidance requires providers to meet people’s nutritional and hydration needs, so a sugar declaration must be considered alongside the rest of the resident’s plan.