For a light late-night supper, compare total fat, saturates and serving size rather than relying on a carton’s ‘light’ or ‘no sugars’ wording. Among the checked drinks labelled per 100ml, Waitrose & Partners lists the lowest total fat and energy for chilled Alpro Soya Light, at 1.2g fat and 22 kcal; Alpro No Sugars Long Life offers cupboard storage before opening, but its checked carton has a higher total-fat figure. Keep M&S’s figures, stated per 100g, on their own labelled basis when comparing.
A small soya drink or a modest serving with cereal may suit someone who does not want a heavy meal near bedtime. Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust advises a light meal 2–3 hours before bed; it does not identify soya drink as a sleep aid.
If you want a soya alternative to dairy milk, compare the exact carton’s sugars, total fat, saturates, protein and listed fortification. ‘Light’ and ‘no sugars’ describe different features and do not settle the whole comparison.
A long-life drink can be useful for an occasional late supper when storage before opening matters. The checked Alpro No Sugars Long Life carton can be stored at ambient temperature before opening, according to Waitrose & Partners, but needs refrigeration after opening.
Start with the serving you expect to pour, then compare nutrition panels on the same stated basis and check how you will store the opened carton.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fat and portion | Compare energy, total fat and saturates per 100ml, then consider how much you will pour. Waitrose & Partners lists 22 kcal, 1.2g fat and 0.2g saturates per 100ml for Alpro Soya Light; Sainsbury’s lists 26 kcal, 1.3g and 0.2g for its Unsweetened Soya Drink. | I’m having a small supper and want to compare the fat in the drink as well as the size of my serving. |
| Sugars | Read the sugars line alongside the fat figures. Waitrose & Partners lists 0g sugars per 100ml for both checked Alpro drinks, although their total-fat figures differ. | I’d like an unsweetened or no-sugars carton, but I don’t want to mistake that wording for a total-fat comparison. |
| Protein and fortification | Check protein and the named vitamins and minerals on the exact carton. The checked Waitrose & Partners pages list 2.0g protein per 100ml for Alpro Soya Light and 3.3g for Alpro No Sugars Long Life; Sainsbury’s lists calcium and iodine for its unsweetened drink. | If the drink forms part of my supper, I want to know what that particular carton provides rather than assuming all soya drinks have the same recipe. |
| Storage | Check whether an unopened carton needs chilling and follow its instructions after opening. The checked Sainsbury’s and M&S cartons say to use within three days of opening; the checked Alpro cartons say five days. | I may only use a little at a time, so the carton needs to fit how quickly I can finish it. |
| Allergens | Check the current ingredients and allergy statements for the exact product. Soya itself is an allergen; the checked M&S Unsweetened Soya Drink page also says that product is unsuitable for people with nut or peanut allergy. | I need to check more than whether a drink is dairy-free if anyone drinking it has an allergy. |
Waitrose & Partners lists 0g sugars per 100ml for both checked Alpro drinks, but 1.9g fat for Alpro No Sugars Long Life and 1.2g for Alpro Soya Light.
Compare sugars, total fat, saturates and energy together, using the same labelled quantity.
Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust advises eating a light meal 2–3 hours before bed rather than going to bed overly full.
Consider the amount you pour and what you add to it, rather than judging the supper by the drink alone.
Soya is an allergen, and the checked M&S Unsweetened Soya Drink page states that its product is unsuitable for people with nut or peanut allergy.
Avoid soya drink if you have a soya allergy, and read the current carton’s ingredients and suitability statements for any other relevant allergy.
The checked Sainsbury’s and M&S products specify use within three days of opening, while the checked Alpro products specify five days.
Choose a carton you can finish within its stated period and follow its refrigeration instructions after opening.
The checked range includes a chilled Soya Light drink and a No Sugars long-life drink, giving shoppers different storage and nutrition-label options.
Its checked chilled Unsweetened Soya Drink offers an own-label carton with calcium and iodine listed on the product page.
The checked Unsweetened Soya Drink lists calcium, iodine, vitamin D and vitamin B12, with its nutrition figures stated per 100g.
Tesco Groceries lists both long-life and chilled own-label unsweetened soya drinks in its soya-drinks category.
This long-life, no-sugars option is for shoppers considering cupboard storage before opening; compare its current carton label if minimising total fat is the deciding factor.
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For a cupboard-stocked late supper, the long-life format can be stored before opening. Refrigerate an opened carton and use it within five days; check its current total-fat figure when comparing it with other drinks. Contains soya.
Among the checked drinks labelled per 100ml, Alpro Soya Light has the lowest stated total fat at 1.2g per 100ml, according to Waitrose & Partners. M&S states its separate product’s figures per 100g, so do not treat those as directly interchangeable per-100ml figures.
No. Waitrose & Partners lists 0g sugars per 100ml for both checked Alpro drinks, but 1.9g fat for Alpro No Sugars Long Life and 1.2g for Alpro Soya Light. Read both lines on the exact carton.
Do not choose a soya drink on the assumption that it helps you sleep. Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust advises a light meal 2–3 hours before bed; if the drink is part of supper, consider the portion and any additions.
No. A soya drink contains the ingredient relevant to a soya allergy. Check the current carton for its ingredients and any additional allergy or suitability statements, particularly when choosing a different product or recipe.
Follow the instructions on your carton. The checked Sainsbury’s and M&S drinks specify use within three days of opening; the checked Alpro Soya Light and Alpro No Sugars Long Life drinks specify refrigeration and use within five days.