Families making snacks at home
Several 1L cartons can suit breakfasts, cereal and snack preparation during the holidays if the household will use each carton within its stated period after opening.
Who needs which format?
Families using almond drink instead of dairy
Compare the exact product’s calcium, iodine and vitamin declarations and its age guidance. Sainsbury’s says its Unsweetened Almond Drink can form part of a balanced diet from age 1, but is not suitable as a main milk alternative for children under 3.
Families packing food for school or a holiday club
Almonds are tree nuts, according to the Food Standards Agency. Check the child’s allergies and the setting’s policy before packing an almond drink; Haringey Council advises parents to check school rules on nuts.
What should you check before buying?
Start with where the drink will be used, then compare the exact carton or can for allergens, ingredients and storage instructions.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Allergens and setting | Read the almond and other allergen statements. Check the school or holiday club’s policy before packing a drink containing almonds. | If my child has a nut allergy, an almond drink is not suitable. For a packed lunch, I also need to know whether the setting permits it. |
| Fortification and age | Compare calcium, iodine, vitamin D and vitamin B12 declarations on the exact product. Read any age-specific guidance, particularly for use as a main milk alternative. | When my child regularly has this instead of dairy, I want to know what the drink contains rather than assuming all almond drinks have the same added nutrients. |
| Sugars and recipe | Compare sugars per 100ml and read the ingredients; “no added sugar” is not the same statement as “no sugars”. Alpro UK lists 0g sugars per 100ml for Roasted Almond No Sugars, while Sainsbury’s lists 4.7g per 100ml for Rude Health Almond Drink. | I want to compare what is in the drink, not choose by a front-of-pack phrase alone. |
| Pack size and storage | Check the number and size of the units, whether they are cartons or individual servings, and the instructions after opening. Plenish Drinks lists its Almond M*lk Multipack as eight 1L cartons. | For snacks at home, I can use larger cartons; for an outing, I need to check whether the individual unit is practical to carry and will be used. |
What could trip you up?
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Assuming dairy-free means suitable for every child or school
Almonds are tree nuts, as defined by the Food Standards Agency. A dairy-free label does not make an almond drink suitable for a child with a nut allergy or settle a setting’s nut policy.
Read the allergen statement and check the specific school or holiday club’s policy before buying for packed lunches.
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Buying large cartons for individual lunchboxes
Plenish Drinks lists its multipack as eight 1L cartons. That format can work for home preparation, but each carton is much larger than an individual serving.
If you need a drink to carry, check the size and packaging of each unit rather than relying on the word “multipack”.
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Reading “no added sugar” as “no sugars”
Sainsbury’s lists 4.7g sugars per 100ml for Rude Health Almond Drink, whose recipe includes rice. Alpro UK lists 0g sugars per 100ml for its Roasted Almond No Sugars drink.
Compare the nutrition panels per 100ml and the ingredient lists on the exact products.
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Treating all almond drinks as nutritionally interchangeable
Alpro UK lists added calcium, iodine and vitamins for its Roasted Almond No Sugars drink, while Plenish Drinks describes its multipack recipe as water, organic almonds and salt. Sainsbury’s also gives a specific under-3 restriction for using its own-label drink as a main milk alternative.
For regular use instead of dairy, compare added nutrients and follow the age guidance on the exact carton.
How do the brand options differ?
Alpro
Alpro UK lists Roasted Almond No Sugars as a 1L drink with added calcium, iodine, vitamin D and vitamin B12.
- Its product information gives 0g sugars, 120mg calcium and 22.5µg iodine per 100ml.
- The cited 1L product is not an individual lunchbox portion and still contains almonds.
Plenish
Plenish Drinks lists an Almond M*lk Multipack containing eight 1L cartons for household use.
- Plenish describes the recipe as water, organic almonds and salt.
- These are 1L cartons, not individual servings. Check the nutrient declaration if added calcium, iodine or vitamins matter to your choice.
Rude Health
Rude Health’s Almond Drink uses an organic almond-and-rice recipe; the producer describes it as suitable as part of a balanced diet for adults and children aged 5 and over.
- The almond-and-rice recipe offers a distinct ingredient choice from drinks made without rice.
- Sainsbury’s lists 4.7g sugars per 100ml and says the product may contain traces of other nuts.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s Unsweetened Almond Drink is a chilled 1L option whose product information lists calcium and iodine.
- Sainsbury’s declares 120mg calcium and 22.5µg iodine per 100ml.
- Sainsbury’s says to use it within three days of opening and not to use it as a main milk alternative for children under 3.
M&S
M&S describes its Unsweetened Almond Drink as enriched with calcium, iodine, vitamin D and vitamin B12.
- The added nutrients are stated in M&S’s product information.
- M&S says this product is not suitable for people with nut or peanut allergies.
Joybuy almond-drink options
These options include 1L-carton multipacks for snacks prepared at home and a multipack of individual cans to assess for outings. Check child suitability and any school or club rules before choosing a drink to pack.
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Alpro Almond No Sugars Long Life Drink 8 x 1L
Eight 1L cartons are a format for keeping at home, not individual lunchbox servings.
This drink contains almonds. Check the child’s allergies and any school or club policy; if iodine or age guidance matters, read the exact carton label.
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Cooling Hydration Lulu Almond Juice 20 x 240ml
The twenty individual 240ml cans offer a portioned format; check whether cans are suitable for the intended outing or permitted by the school or club.
The listing describes added sugar and the drink contains almonds. Read the can’s nutrition and age information before choosing it for a child.
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Alpro Almond Drink 6 x 1L
Six 1L cartons suit keeping almond drink at home for holiday snack preparation rather than packing individual servings.
Check the exact carton’s sugars, added nutrients, allergen statement and child-use guidance before buying it for regular use instead of dairy.
Questions about almond drinks for children
Can I put an almond drink in a school lunchbox?
Check the specific school’s policy first, and do not pack an almond drink for a child with a nut allergy. The Food Standards Agency identifies almonds as tree nuts, and Haringey Council advises parents to check school rules before including nuts in packed lunches.
Does “no added sugar” mean an almond drink has no sugars?
No. Compare the nutrition panels per 100ml: Alpro UK lists 0g sugars for Roasted Almond No Sugars, whereas Sainsbury’s lists 4.7g for Rude Health Almond Drink, which contains rice.
What should I check if a child regularly has almond drink instead of dairy?
Compare calcium, iodine and vitamin declarations and follow the exact product’s age guidance. For example, Sainsbury’s says its Unsweetened Almond Drink is not suitable as a main milk alternative for children under 3; that statement should not be assumed to describe every almond drink.
How long can I keep an opened carton?
Follow the instructions for that carton. Sainsbury’s says to use its Unsweetened Almond Drink within three days of opening, while its listing for chilled Plenish 1L Almond Drink says to refrigerate it at 0–6°C and consume it within four days.