Who is choosing for dinner?

Couples planning a dairy-free dinner

An almond drink might go into a sauce or dessert, accompany the meal chilled, or be served in coffee afterwards. The intended use helps determine which pack details matter most.

Shoppers who want zero sugars in the drink

For a savoury dish or a post-dinner drink, check the sugars figure on the exact variant. An unsweetened name does not necessarily mean its nutrition panel lists 0 g sugars.

Hosts checking guests’ allergies

Dairy-free or vegan suitability does not settle whether an almond drink is suitable for someone with a nut or peanut allergy. Ask the guest and check the exact carton before serving.

What should you check?

Choose for the course you are making, then compare fat and sugars on the same stated quantity and read the preparation and allergen directions on the carton.

Priority What to check Your needs
Fat Read fat per 100 ml for a liquid: GOV.UK gives 1.5 g per 100 ml as the low-fat claim threshold in Great Britain. Do not treat a per-100 g figure as an identical measurement. I want a drink for dinner or dessert that meets the low-fat criterion, rather than relying on an unsweetened or plant-based label.
Sugars Check sugars on the specific variant’s nutrition panel and read its ingredients. Alpro UK lists 0 g per 100 ml for Roasted Almond No Sugars; Tesco lists 0.3 g per 100 ml for its Unsweetened Almond Drink. For a savoury recipe, I want to know what the drink contributes before adding it. If I specifically want a listed zero-sugars option, an unsweetened name alone will not answer that question.
Coffee and heating Check whether the drink is intended for frothing and follow its hot-drink directions. Tesco advises adding its Unsweetened Almond Drink before hot liquid and not mixing it with boiling water to avoid curdling. Is the drink going into a sauce, or do I want a foamed coffee after dinner? Plenish describes its Barista Almond M*lk as foamable, but that description does not establish its fat level.
Allergens Read the exact carton’s allergen and ‘may contain’ statements. The Food Standards Agency identifies almonds as tree nuts; Tesco also warns that its Unsweetened Almond Drink may contain peanuts and other nuts. Before serving a guest, I need to check whether almonds or the pack’s other allergen warnings affect them.
Pack use Check the pack size, storage directions and instructions for use after opening. Choose a quantity that fits the meal and any planned later use. If I only need a little for one course, I want to know how I will use the rest of the carton or multipack.

Buying mistakes to avoid

  • Assuming every unsweetened almond drink is low fat

    ‘Unsweetened’ describes a different consideration from fat content. For liquids in Great Britain, GOV.UK gives the low-fat claim threshold as no more than 1.5 g fat per 100 ml.

    Read the fat figure for the exact variant, using its per-100 ml nutrition information rather than its front-of-pack description alone.

  • Treating a barista label as a nutrition claim

    A coffee-focused description tells you about the product’s intended use, not whether its fat figure meets the low-fat criterion. Plenish describes its Barista Almond M*lk as foamable.

    If you want it for a latte or cappuccino, check that particular carton’s fat and sugars figures as well as its coffee directions.

  • Assuming dairy-free means suitable for every guest

    Almond is a tree nut, and warnings about peanuts or other nuts vary by product. Tesco’s Unsweetened Almond Drink lists almond and warns that it may contain peanuts and other nuts.

    Ask guests about allergies and read the exact pack before serving; do not substitute a dairy-free or vegan description for that check.

  • Overlooking hot-drink and storage directions

    Preparation can affect the finished drink: Tesco warns against mixing its Unsweetened Almond Drink with boiling water to avoid curdling. Opened-carton directions also matter when only a small amount is needed for dinner.

    Follow the carton’s heating, refrigeration and after-opening instructions, and choose a pack size you expect to use within its stated period.

Brand and product-line references

These examples show why the exact almond-drink variant matters; a brand name alone does not establish its nutrition or suitability for the meal.

Alpro

Alpro lists both Almond Original and Roasted Almond No Sugars drinks.

  • Alpro UK lists 1.1 g fat and 0 g sugars per 100 ml for Roasted Almond No Sugars.
  • Its Almond Original lists 2.4 g sugars per 100 ml, so check which variant you are buying.

Tesco

Tesco’s own-label Unsweetened Almond Drink is a chilled 1 L option.

  • Tesco lists 1.1 g fat and 0.3 g sugars per 100 ml.
  • The product contains almond, may contain peanuts and other nuts, and should not be mixed with boiling water according to Tesco’s directions.

M&S

M&S Plant Kitchen Unsweetened Almond Drink is described for drinking, cereal and smoothies.

  • M&S lists 0.9 g fat and 0.2 g sugars per 100 g; this is a per-100 g panel, not a per-100 ml figure.
  • M&S states that this drink is not suitable for people with nut or peanut allergy.

Rude Health

Rude Health describes its No Sugars Organic Almond Drink as containing spring water, organic almonds, organic carob seed flour and sea salt.

  • A Joybuy listing for the named drink gives 1.5 g fat and 0 g sugars per 100 ml.
  • At the low-fat threshold given by GOV.UK for liquids in Great Britain, the fat figure is worth confirming on the carton you purchase.

Plenish

Plenish offers an everyday Almond M*lk and a separate Barista Almond M*lk intended for coffee.

  • Plenish lists almonds, spring water and salt for its everyday drink and describes its barista variant as foamable.
  • If low fat is essential, check the barista variant’s own per-100 ml nutrition panel rather than relying on its coffee description.

Joybuy almond drink option

This Alpro no-sugars long-life almond drink comes as an 8 x 1 L pack for drinks alongside dinner or afterwards. Check its own nutrition panel against your low-fat requirement.

Alpro Almond No Sugars Long Life Drink, 8 x 1 L pack

Alpro Almond No Sugars Long Life Drink 8 x 1 L

For a drink alongside dinner or coffee afterwards, check this variant’s per-100 ml fat and sugars figures on the carton. The 8 x 1 L pack needs enough space and planned uses for the remaining cartons. It contains almond, so check guests’ allergies before serving.

View on Joybuy

Questions before serving

What counts as low fat for an almond drink?

GOV.UK gives no more than 1.5 g fat per 100 ml as the low-fat claim threshold for liquids in Great Britain. Check the exact variant’s nutrition panel: being dairy-free or unsweetened does not, by itself, tell you its fat content.

Does unsweetened mean zero sugars?

No. Tesco lists 0.3 g sugars per 100 ml for its Unsweetened Almond Drink, while M&S lists 0.2 g per 100 g for its unsweetened drink. Alpro UK lists 0 g per 100 ml for Roasted Almond No Sugars. Compare the specific products’ panels without treating per-100 g and per-100 ml figures as the same basis.

Can I use almond drink in coffee after dinner?

Yes, but follow the chosen product’s preparation directions. Tesco advises adding its Unsweetened Almond Drink before hot liquid and avoiding boiling water to reduce curdling. Plenish describes its Barista Almond M*lk as foamable; if low fat matters too, check that variant’s nutrition panel separately.

Is a dairy-free almond drink suitable for a guest with a nut allergy?

Do not assume so. The Food Standards Agency identifies almonds as tree nuts. Tesco warns that its Unsweetened Almond Drink may also contain peanuts and other nuts, while M&S states that its unsweetened drink is not suitable for people with nut or peanut allergy. Ask the guest and check the exact carton before serving.

What should I do with an opened carton?

Follow that carton’s refrigeration and after-opening directions rather than applying another product’s instructions. If the dinner recipe uses only a little, check the pack size and plan how you will use the remainder within its stated period.