For a picnic without reliable refrigeration, look for an almond drink whose carton allows cool, dry storage before opening, and plan how to keep it chilled once opened. Compare fat and sugars using each label’s stated per-100g or per-100ml values; if the drink will also replace dairy regularly, check its fortification and protein, and ask about nut allergies before sharing it.
If you cannot refrigerate drinks on the journey, check whether the carton permits cool, dry storage before opening. Marks & Spencer gives that instruction for its Unsweetened Almond Drink; its opened carton needs refrigeration.
Read both nutrition lines rather than treating “unsweetened” and “no sugars” as the same choice. Marks & Spencer lists 0.9g fat and 0.2g sugars per 100g for its Unsweetened Almond Drink; Alpro UK lists 1.1g fat and 0g sugars per 100ml for Almond Roasted No Sugars.
If this will be a regular dairy alternative, check the carton for calcium, iodine, vitamins and protein as well as fat and sugars. Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Children’s Nutrition and Dietetics advises checking fortification when choosing plant-based drinks in its guidance on children with cow’s milk allergy.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fat and sugars | Read both values on the current carton. Marks & Spencer lists 0.9g fat and 0.2g sugars per 100g; Alpro UK lists 1.1g fat and 0g sugars per 100ml. The stated units differ, so do not treat these figures as a like-for-like fat ranking. | I care about the fat figure, but I also want to know whether the drink contains sugars. I’ll compare each label on its stated basis. |
| Picnic storage | Check storage instructions before and after opening. Marks & Spencer says its Unsweetened Almond Drink can be stored cool and dry unopened, then must be refrigerated at 0°C to +5°C and consumed within 3 days. | There is no dependable fridge on the journey, so I want a carton I can carry unopened and a way to keep it at its required temperature after opening. |
| Regular use | Compare calcium, iodine, vitamins and protein on the carton, not fat alone. Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Children’s Nutrition and Dietetics recommends checking added nutrients when selecting a plant-based drink in its guidance on children with cow’s milk allergy. | If almond drink will replace dairy more often than at this picnic, I want to consider its wider nutrition label too. |
| Allergies | Read the exact ingredients and allergen statements before serving. GOV.UK guidance says regulated allergens in prepacked food and drink must be clearly labelled in the ingredients list; Rude Health’s No Sugars Organic Almond Drink also carries a possible trace-nut warning. | I’m sharing drinks with guests, so I need to ask about almond and other relevant allergies rather than assuming dairy-free means suitable for everyone. |
Fat and sugars are separate label values. Alpro UK lists 0g sugars and 1.1g fat per 100ml for Almond Roasted No Sugars; Marks & Spencer lists 0.2g sugars and 0.9g fat per 100g for its Unsweetened Almond Drink.
Check both lines and their units on the cartons you are considering.
Permission to store a carton unopened does not extend to its opened contents. Marks & Spencer instructs shoppers to refrigerate its Unsweetened Almond Drink at 0°C to +5°C after opening and use it within 3 days.
Bring it unopened, then follow the carton’s refrigeration instructions once it has been opened.
An almond drink can be dairy-free while still being unsuitable for a guest with an almond allergy. Some labels also carry warnings about other nuts.
Ask guests about relevant allergies, check the exact carton and bring a suitable alternative where needed.
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Children’s Nutrition and Dietetics notes in its cow’s milk allergy guidance that nut-based drinks often contain less energy and protein. Fortification also deserves attention when a plant-based drink is used regularly.
Compare protein, calcium, iodine and vitamins on the current label alongside fat and sugars.
M&S Unsweetened Almond Drink has a stated fat figure and instructions for carrying it unopened.
Alpro Almond Roasted No Sugars is an almond drink with a long-life option.
Rude Health lists separate Organic Almond Drink and No Sugars Organic Almond Drink recipes.
Plenish lists an organic Almond M*lk made with water, organic almonds and salt.
Sainsbury's lists a chilled Unsweetened Almond Drink, making its storage instructions particularly important for a picnic.
This long-life Alpro multipack is an option to consider if you plan to take unopened almond drink to a picnic; check whether eight 1L cartons suit your plans.
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The long-life format is relevant if you intend to carry the cartons unopened to a picnic. This listing is for eight 1L cartons; check the pack’s storage directions before and after opening, and ask about almond allergies before sharing.
You can carry a carton unopened if its label permits storage without refrigeration. Marks & Spencer says to store its Unsweetened Almond Drink in a cool, dry place before opening; afterwards, it requires refrigeration at 0°C to +5°C and use within 3 days.
Marks & Spencer lists 0.9g fat and 0.2g sugars per 100g for its Unsweetened Almond Drink. Alpro UK lists 1.1g fat and 0g sugars per 100ml for Almond Roasted No Sugars. Because one label uses 100g and the other 100ml, do not present the figures as a like-for-like fat ranking.
No: sugars and fat are separate values. Alpro UK lists 0g sugars and 1.1g fat per 100ml for Almond Roasted No Sugars, so check both lines on the product you intend to buy.
Do not serve an almond drink to someone with an almond allergy. Ask about relevant allergies and read the exact carton’s ingredients and warnings; GOV.UK guidance requires regulated allergens in prepacked drinks to be clearly labelled in the ingredients list.
Check protein and the listed calcium, iodine and vitamins as well as fat and sugars. Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Children’s Nutrition and Dietetics advises checking added nutrients in its plant-based drink guidance for children with cow’s milk allergy; the needs of a single picnic drink and a regular replacement are different.