If low fat is the priority, compare the fat figure per 100ml: Department of Health and Social Care guidance sets 1.5g per 100ml as the limit for a liquid making a low-fat claim. For a fussy eater, try the flavour in a familiar meal before buying a multipack; if the drink will regularly replace dairy for a child, check calcium and iodine fortification, energy and protein rather than choosing by fat content alone.
If almond drink goes into cereal, smoothies or cooking, consider whether its flavour is accepted and whether it is replacing dairy regularly. Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust advises checking calcium and iodine fortification, energy and protein when a child cannot consume dairy.
Compare the fat figure per 100ml for drinks used in cereal, hot drinks or recipes. Department of Health and Social Care guidance gives a limit of 1.5g fat per 100ml for a liquid making a low-fat claim.
A short list or an unsweetened option may suit the flavour you want in a meal. Check fortification separately if the drink will replace dairy: a short ingredient list does not establish its calcium or iodine content.
Decide whether the drink is for occasional recipes or will regularly replace dairy for a child, then compare the relevant parts of each carton.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fat content | Compare fat per 100ml. Department of Health and Social Care guidance sets no more than 1.5g per 100ml for a liquid making a low-fat claim; the Sainsbury's listings state 1.1g per 100ml for Alpro Almond No Sugars and 1.4g per 100ml for Sainsbury's Unsweetened Almond Drink. | I'm looking for a low-fat drink to use in meals, rather than assuming that every unsweetened almond drink meets the same criterion. |
| Replacing dairy | Check added calcium and iodine, then compare energy and protein. Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust advises fortified substitutes when a child cannot consume dairy and suggests looking for 120mg calcium per 100ml. | If this will regularly replace dairy for a child, I need to consider more than the lowest fat figure. |
| Flavour and ingredients | Read the ingredients and sugar information for the exact drink. Try a small amount in a familiar recipe before committing to a multipack; a brand's flavour description cannot predict an individual child's response. | A familiar cereal, porridge or smoothie gives me a way to see whether the flavour and texture are accepted. |
| Allergens | Check the current carton for almonds and any peanut or other-nut warnings. The Food Standards Agency identifies almonds as tree nuts, while warnings about other nuts differ between products. | Where nut allergy is a concern, I need the allergen wording for the exact drink, not just a dairy-free label. |
Fat content does not establish a drink's protein, energy or micronutrient content. Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust notes that some dairy substitutes are low in protein or energy.
If a child will use the drink regularly instead of dairy, compare fortification and the wider diet rather than selecting solely by fat, sugar or calories.
A simple or organic ingredient list does not establish calcium or iodine content. NHS parent guidance notes that some organic dairy alternatives do not have vitamins and minerals added.
Check the nutrition and ingredient information for the nutrients you need, particularly when the drink replaces dairy.
Almond is a tree-nut allergen. Individual drinks can also carry warnings about peanuts or other nuts, as the M&S and Sainsbury's product information illustrates.
Read the allergen and precautionary wording on the current pack for the exact product.
Descriptions such as creamy or nutty cannot tell you whether a particular fussy eater will accept the drink in a meal.
Try a single carton in a familiar food before choosing a larger pack.
A rejected multipack may leave several cartons unused.
These product-line examples show why the current nutrition and allergen information matters more than a brand name alone.
Almond No Sugars is a long-life option listed by Sainsbury's for cereal, smoothies and drinks.
No Sugars Organic Almond Drink has a short ingredient list for shoppers who prefer that formulation.
Its Almond M*lk is an organic option with a short ingredient list for cereal and recipes.
Tesco Unsweetened Almond Drink is an own-label option with added micronutrients in its product description.
Its Unsweetened Almond Drink combines a stated per-100ml fat figure with listed calcium and iodine.
Its Unsweetened Almond Drink lists fat and sugar values alongside added micronutrients.
This Alpro multipack is an option for meals using almond drink; consider its pack size carefully if the flavour has not yet been tried.
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For cereal or recipes, consider whether this 8 x 1L multipack is appropriate before its flavour has been tried. Joybuy describes the drink as having no sugars and containing calcium; if it will regularly replace dairy for a child, check the current carton for iodine, energy and protein as well.
For a liquid making a low-fat claim, Department of Health and Social Care guidance published in 2011 gives a limit of 1.5g fat per 100ml. Compare the per-100ml nutrition figure rather than assuming that plant-based or unsweetened means low fat.
Low fat alone does not make it a suitable main alternative. Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust advises calcium and iodine fortification when a child cannot consume dairy and notes that some substitutes are low in protein or energy. Sainsbury's specifically labels its Unsweetened Almond Drink as unsuitable as a main milk alternative for children under three; check the exact product and seek professional advice for a child with a restricted diet.
Not for someone with an almond allergy. The Food Standards Agency identifies almonds as tree nuts, and individual cartons may also warn about peanuts or other nuts. Read the current allergen wording for the exact drink.
Try a small amount in a familiar cereal, porridge or smoothie before buying a multipack. A brand's flavour description cannot establish whether a particular child will accept it, so also check that the carton suits the drink's intended nutritional role.