Picnickers packing dairy-free drinks
If you want a drink to take along unopened, distinguish a long-life coconut drink carton from canned coconut milk bought for cooking. Check the carton’s storage instructions before packing it.
Who is this for?
Shoppers comparing sugar labels
If you want coconut flavour in a cold drink, cereal or smoothie, compare the sugars figure per 100ml. “No sugars”, “no added sugar” and “unsweetened” do not all tell you that the total sugars figure is zero.
Households using a regular dairy alternative
If coconut drink is more than an occasional picnic choice, check the exact product’s fortification and nutrition label. NHS guidance includes unsweetened, calcium-fortified plant alternatives in the dairy-and-alternatives food group; coconut drinks should not be assumed to have identical nutrient content.
What should you check?
Start with the intended use and unopened storage instructions, then compare the label details that matter to you.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Product type | Look for “coconut drink” or “milk alternative”; check whether it is long life or UHT, and confirm the pack format and volume. Waitrose & Partners lists carton drinks separately from 400ml canned coconut milk. | I want a drink for the picnic, not a can bought for a cooking recipe. |
| Sugars | Compare total sugars per 100ml, not just the front-of-pack phrase. Alpro UK lists 0g per 100ml for Coconut No Sugars and 1.9g per 100ml for Coconut Original, which it describes as having no added sugars. | If I want zero total sugars, I need the nutrition figure to say 0g per 100ml; “no added sugar” alone does not establish that. |
| Fortification | Check whether the exact carton is unsweetened and declares added calcium; read its other nutrient values rather than assuming all coconut drinks match. NHS guidance includes unsweetened, calcium-fortified plant alternatives in the dairy-and-alternatives food group. | I use this regularly instead of dairy, so its stated nutrients matter as well as its flavour. |
| Picnic storage | Read the instructions for unopened storage and for use after opening. Follow any refrigeration directions; Food Standards Agency picnic guidance for England, Northern Ireland and Wales highlights keeping picnic food chilled. | I can carry an unopened long-life carton, but I need a way to keep the drink cool once it is opened. |
Picnic shopping mistakes to avoid
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Buying a cooking can when you wanted a drink
A search for coconut milk can show both canned cooking products and carton milk alternatives; a 400ml can is not a like-for-like picnic drink carton.
Filter for coconut drink, milk alternative, long life or UHT, then check the pack format and volume.
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Reading “no added sugar” as “no sugars”
Alpro UK lists 0g sugars per 100ml for Coconut No Sugars, but 1.9g per 100ml for Coconut Original despite its no-added-sugars description.
If zero total sugars is your criterion, check the per-100ml nutrition panel on the exact variant.
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Assuming every coconut drink has the same nutrients
Fortification varies by product, so a carton chosen for an occasional picnic drink may not meet the same requirements as one used regularly in place of dairy.
Check whether the particular drink is unsweetened and calcium-fortified, along with any other nutrients relevant to your choice.
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Treating “long life” as an after-opening instruction
Unopened storage and after-opening storage are different. Food Standards Agency picnic guidance for England, Northern Ireland and Wales highlights keeping picnic food chilled.
Follow the carton’s directions after opening and use a cool bag or cool box for drinks that need chilling.
Brands and retailer ranges
Alpro
Alpro offers coconut drink variants whose sugar figures differ.
- Alpro UK lists 0g sugars per 100ml and calcium for Coconut No Sugars.
- Alpro Coconut Original lists 1.9g sugars per 100ml; check the variant rather than applying one label to the whole range.
Koko
Koko offers unsweetened and original coconut milk alternatives.
- Koko describes its Unsweetened No Sugar Milk as suitable for hot and cold drinks and cooking.
- Koko Original has a different ingredient list, including concentrated apple juice; compare the exact variant.
Tesco
Tesco lists own-label and branded coconut drinks, including long-life and chilled entries.
- Its listed range includes Tesco Long Life Coconut Original alongside Alpro and Koko drinks.
- Check each listing’s storage format rather than assuming every coconut-drink result is long life.
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's lists an own-label Sweetened Long Life Coconut Drink and branded coconut alternatives.
- The own-label listing explicitly identifies a long-life drink format.
- Its sweetened variant is not automatically the right choice if you are looking for an unsweetened drink.
M&S
M&S describes its Creamy Coconut Drink as enriched with calcium, iodine, vitamin B12 and vitamin D.
- The stated fortification gives shoppers specific nutrients to check on the pack.
- Confirm the pack’s unopened storage instructions before choosing it for a journey without refrigeration.
Waitrose
Waitrose & Partners lists long-life coconut drinks in its milk-alternatives range and canned coconut milk separately.
- Its listings include Plenish Organic Unsweetened Long Life Coconut Drink.
- Check the individual format: a canned coconut milk listing is not the same product type as a carton drink.
Joybuy coconut drink option
This 8 x 1L long-life coconut drink pack is an option if you need several cartons for picnic drinks or coffees.
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Alpro Barista Coconut Long Life Drink, 8 x 1L
The long-life format suits a picnic where several cartons are needed, though an 8 x 1L pack may be more than one outing requires. This is not the no-sugars variant: check its nutrition and allergen labels against your requirements, and follow the pack’s storage instructions after opening.
Common questions
Is carton coconut drink the same as canned coconut milk?
No. For picnic drinks or cereal, look for a coconut drink or milk-alternative carton. Waitrose & Partners lists these separately from 400ml canned coconut milk, which is a cooking format to choose when your recipe calls for it.
What makes a long-life carton useful for a picnic?
A long-life drink can be a convenient choice to carry unopened when its pack instructions permit storage without refrigeration. Check those instructions before you go; they do not replace the directions for storing the drink after opening.
Do “no sugars”, “no added sugar” and “unsweetened” mean the same thing?
No. Compare the exact claim with total sugars per 100ml: Alpro UK lists 0g for Coconut No Sugars, while Coconut Original lists 1.9g per 100ml despite being described as having no added sugars. Do not assume “unsweetened” establishes a zero total-sugars figure either.
Should I check fortification if coconut drink replaces dairy regularly?
Yes. NHS guidance includes unsweetened, calcium-fortified plant alternatives in the dairy-and-alternatives food group, but nutrient declarations vary by product. Check calcium and any other nutrients relevant to your choice on the specific carton.
How should I handle an opened carton at a picnic?
Follow its after-opening storage instructions and keep it cool if the label requires refrigeration. Food Standards Agency picnic guidance for England, Northern Ireland and Wales highlights chilling picnic food; an unopened carton’s long-life label does not describe how to store it once opened.