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| An essential to your holiday parties this year! |
Years ago when I visited Italy, in the dead of summer, my friends offered me a drink that resembled milk. I was so surprised; I absolutely did not want a big glass of milk in the heat! Turns out, it was ice cold almond milk. And guess what? It was incredibly refreshing! Since that trip, I like having almond milk every now and then as a sweet reminder of my time in Europe.
There are quite a lot of non-dairy drinks out there claiming to taste great and give you the same benefits as whole milk. I’ve tried a lot (a lot!) and most of the time, I am either unsatisfied, don’t love the taste, or lose an interest before I finish the carton. So when Earth’s Own contacted me to do a review on their Almond Fresh beverages, I took it as an opportunity to see what they had to offer.
First up is the original, Almond Fresh beverage. I’m not a fan of vanilla so I tried the original, unsweetened variety. I was pleasantly surprised and actually liked it! It’s perfect for breakfast with cereal and fruit, and also tastes great in smoothies. Although I do not taste the graininess of almond, the beverage does separate when added to coffee or tea, which visibly turned me off. But if you can get passed that (which I should, really) I’m sure it is a good substitute in hot beverages as well. All in all, for taste and health value, I think this is a great choice for a dairy substitute beverage. (For a sweet pick-me-up, I love the Almond Fresh chocolate flavoured beverage!)
Added benefit for toddlers
When my kids were sick with a stomach flu, we were advised to remove all dairy from their diet. It wasn’t nearly as difficult thanks to the Almond Fresh original beverage for their cereals! Because my kids are used to whole milk, giving them a drink straight up of Almond Fresh was…unappreciated by them. But, when I added it to their cereal, or smoothies, they were none the wiser and enjoyed every bit of it!
Almonds can lower cholesterol as part of a diet low in saturated fat.
An excellent source of calcium and vitamin D
Almonds are one of the leading food sources of vitamin E, which supports immunity and healthy skin.
Coconut, take me away
A newer addition to the Almond Fresh roster is Almond Fresh Coconut Milk, which I actually look out for in my grocery store. There is something about coconut milk that takes me away in my mind to a beach with sun and sand….the coconut milk is great on its own, in cereals and even baked goods, and is a sure winner for a pineapple/coconut smoothie reminiscent of a tropical drink by the ocean!
Final verdict
So all in all, the Almond Fresh line of beverages by Earth’s Own has quickly turned into my favourite dairy substitute beverage of choice. Having a carton in your home is great for children who come for a visit and are lactose intolerant or have allergies. Granted, there are concerns for nut allergies, but this is a winner in the taste department for those who can have almonds and coconut. It’s also a refreshing alternative even for those, like me, who love milk. And the beverages are also an interesting way of adding another flavour to your baking. I’m looking forward to trying a few baking recipes this holiday with the Almond Fresh coconut milk. I’ll let you know how they turn out!
As you can see from my photo above, there is a fantastic new Almond Fresh beverage just in time for the holidays called Noel Nog. THIS is a beverage to have in the house this New Year’s Eve. Perfect for kids that cannot partake in adult drinks, and can easily be spiked for the adults as well. No eggs, no milk and oh, so good….!
For a list of ingredients in each beverage, click here. On the Almond Fresh site you will also find interesting tidbits and recipes. And be sure to visit the Facebook site for new ideas and promotions.
Disclaimer: I was compensated for this review. All opinions written, as always, are my own.