Who is this for?

Family-dinner planners

If a recipe or drinks plan calls for four UK pints, converting that amount to litres helps you decide how many cartons to buy. Four imperial pints are approximately 2.273L, according to Pro Calculator UK.

Dairy-free households

If almond drink will be used beyond one meal, compare the exact cartons for ingredients and fortification. An unsweetened label or a short ingredient list does not tell you whether calcium and iodine have been added.

Families serving young children

If the drink is being considered as a regular dairy alternative for a child over one, check its calcium and iodine information. Frimley Healthier Together’s NHS guidance distinguishes that use from cooking with plant-based drinks from six months and says they should not be a main milk drink before age one.

What should you check?

Start with the amount needed for dinner, then check the label against the people who will drink it and your plans for any cartons left over.

Priority What to check Your needs
Enough for dinner Four imperial pints are approximately 2.273L, according to Pro Calculator UK. Two 1L cartons provide 2L; three provide 3L. I need at least four pints for the meal, so two 1L cartons will not cover it. I can plan how to use what remains from a third carton.
Pack size Check the total volume, not just the size of each carton. The Alpro packs listed below contain six or eight 1L cartons. Will unopened cartons be useful after dinner? If this is a one-off meal, I would rather choose a quantity closer to what I need.
Fortification Check calcium and iodine on the exact pack. In its child-diet guidance, Frimley Healthier Together advises a calcium-fortified plant drink with at least 120mg calcium per 100ml and iodine; do not infer those amounts from the brand name. Almond drink may be a regular dairy alternative for my child over one, so I need to read its nutrition information rather than assume all cartons are alike.
Sugars and ingredients Read the precise sugars claim and ingredient list. A ‘no sugars’ claim is not the same label statement as ‘no added sugar’; check for ingredients you want to avoid. I want to choose the drink that fits our recipe and ingredient preferences, rather than judging it by ‘unsweetened’ or ‘organic’ alone.
Allergens and age Read the exact pack’s allergen statement: almond is a tree nut. For babies, Frimley Healthier Together’s NHS guidance says plant-based drinks can be used in cooking from six months but not as the main milk drink before age one. If a guest has an almond or relevant nut allergy, almond drink is not the dairy-free option for them. I also need a different main milk drink for a baby under one.
Opened cartons Follow each pack’s refrigeration and use-by-opening instructions. M&S specifies use within three days for its unsweetened drink; the cited Alpro 1L listing specifies refrigeration between 1°C and 7°C and use within five days. Before opening several cartons for dinner, I want to know whether the remainder can be used within each carton’s stated period.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Buying two 1L cartons for a four-pint requirement

    Two litres are less than four imperial pints, which are approximately 2.273L according to Pro Calculator UK. The meal could run short even though you have bought two full cartons.

    For a requirement of at least four UK pints, plan on three 1L cartons or another pack whose stated volume covers the amount.

  • Assuming every almond drink has the same nutrients

    Fortification varies by product. M&S lists calcium and iodine for its unsweetened drink, while Plenish describes its Almond M*lk through a short ingredient list of water, organic almonds and salt.

    If calcium and iodine matter for regular use, check the nutrition information on the exact carton.

  • Assuming dairy-free means suitable for every allergy

    Almond is a tree nut allergen, so an almond drink is not suitable for someone with an almond allergy. Other allergen warnings can differ between products.

    Read the exact pack’s allergen statement and choose a non-nut option for a guest with a relevant allergy.

  • Opening more cartons than the dinner needs

    A 6L or 8L multipack exceeds a four-pint requirement, and instructions for opened cartons vary by product.

    Keep cartons unopened until needed, then refrigerate and use each opened carton as its own label directs.

    Opening surplus cartons can mean discarding drink that is not used within their stated storage period.

Brand and product-line references

These examples show why pack size, ingredients and fortification need checking at product level; a brand name alone does not establish what is in a particular carton.

Alpro

Alpro’s cited No Sugars Long Life pack contains eight 1L cartons, while its cited Almond Drink listing contains six 1L cartons.

  • The No Sugars Long Life listing states calcium and vitamins B2, B12 and D.
  • Either multipack provides considerably more than a single four-pint dinner needs; check the exact variant for ingredients and fortification.

M&S

M&S lists a 1L unsweetened almond drink with calcium, iodine and vitamins D and B12.

  • The product information gives a specific fortification list and states that it contains 2% almonds.
  • M&S instructs shoppers to refrigerate this drink after opening and consume it within three days.

Plenish

Plenish describes its Almond M*lk 8 x 1L multipack as made with water, organic almonds and salt.

  • Plenish states that this product has no added sugar, oils, gums or additives.
  • Check the pack’s nutrition information if calcium or iodine fortification is needed; an 8L pack also requires a plan for use beyond dinner.

Rude Health

Rude Health lists both an organic Almond Drink and a separate chilled Almond Drink with Calcium.

  • The chilled product is explicitly described by Rude Health as calcium-fortified.
  • The cited organic drink lists rice, 1% almonds and sunflower oil; do not assume that its ingredients or fortification match the chilled variant.

Tesco

Tesco Groceries lists a 1L Tesco Unsweetened Almond Drink among its almond-drink choices.

  • A 1L own-label option gives shoppers another carton size to consider when assembling the amount for dinner.
  • Check the individual product page and pack for its current ingredients, allergens and fortification.

Almond drink multipacks on Joybuy

These Alpro multipacks suit a household planning to use unopened 1L cartons beyond the four-pint dinner. Each pack contains more than the amount needed for that meal alone.

Alpro Almond No Sugars Long Life Drink, eight 1L cartons

Alpro Almond No Sugars Long Life Drink 8 x 1L

The 8L pack covers a four-pint dinner if your household will also use the remaining unopened cartons.

Joybuy’s product information describes a long-life almond drink with no added or naturally occurring sugars, calcium and vitamins B2, B12 and D. It contains almond; check the pack’s allergen statement. Check the label for iodine and the calcium amount per 100ml if these are important to your choice.

View on Joybuy
Alpro Almond Drink, six 1L cartons

Alpro Almond Drink 6 x 1L

Six 1L cartons cover the dinner requirement and leave unopened cartons for later use.

Joybuy’s listing identifies calcium, iodine and vitamins B12, D2 and E. Its ingredients include sugar, so do not treat this variant as a no-sugars drink; check the label for sugars and calcium amounts per 100ml if you are comparing those figures. It contains almond, and the product information advises consulting a healthcare professional before introducing it into a child’s diet.

View on Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

How much almond drink is four UK pints?

Four imperial pints are approximately 2.273L, according to Pro Calculator UK. Two 1L cartons fall short; three provide 3L, leaving some drink for another use.

Can I serve almond drink to someone with a nut allergy?

Do not serve almond drink to someone with an almond allergy. Almonds are tree nuts identified in Food Standards Agency allergen guidance; read the exact product’s allergen statement for other relevant warnings and choose a suitable non-nut alternative.

Can almond drink be a baby’s main milk drink?

Not before age one, according to Frimley Healthier Together’s NHS milk-free diet guidance. It says plant-based drinks can be used in cooking from six months; for the child-diet circumstances covered by that guidance, it advises choosing a drink fortified with iodine and at least 120mg calcium per 100ml. Seek professional dietary advice where allergies or other restrictions affect the choice.

What should I do with opened cartons after dinner?

Refrigerate them and follow each carton’s own instructions. M&S says to use its unsweetened almond drink within three days of opening, while the cited Alpro 1L listing specifies refrigeration between 1°C and 7°C and use within five days.