The Definitive Ranking of Non-Cow's Milk

Ok, it turns out this actually isn't going to be a ranking -- more of a list and reviews. So henceforth, this shall be known as The Definitive Review of Non-Cow's Milk.

There are a lot of milks out there, my friend. And a lot of reasons for drinking them. So whether you're in it for the fun or an allergy, I hope I can save you some time, money and frustration along the way!

That being said, this is all pretty subjective. Ok, entirely subjective. And based on my taste buds alone. So to clarify, first - I love the taste of cow's milk and will absolutely rejoin my dairy brethren once Julia is off my milk. But in the meantime:

Yes!

Rice Milk
There are two kinds and they are VERY different:
Refrigerated Rice Milk
Delicious. This is what I use in cereal and dunk my rice cookies into. The plain one is ok, but vanilla is very tasty. My only complaint is how thin and runny it is - it doesn't cook/bake well because it's like white water. But it tastes great and doesn't bother the baby, so, yes.
Shelf-Stable Rice Milk
I've noticed that different brands have very different flavors, so do try a few before giving up. But it is inferior to refrigerated rice milk. I buy it when the store runs out of the good stuff, but even then I'd almost rather not bother. 

Oat Milk
Shelf-Stable Aisle
I didn't know this stuff existed! And it's delicious. But it's not made from gluten-free oats and Julia can't even tolerate those, so this was a fail for us. Also, it's high in sugar, or at least the one we had was.

Flax Milk
Refrigerated Aisle
My store sells two kinds, unsweetened and vanilla. I normally would opt for the vanilla, but in this case the only brand my store carries, Good Karma, contains the dangerous thickening additive carrageenan. Carrageenan causes inflammation and bowel problems. It's not pretty, so do yourself a favor and avoid it (pro tip: it's in a lot of dairy products). The unsweetened flax milk does not contain it. The taste is kind of bitter, so I added vanilla extract to mine to try and make it into vanilla flax milk. I think it started bothering Julia, so I dropped it. It's more nutritious than rice milk, so I'd like to give it another go, but the flavor is not neutral and would take some getting used to. 

Hemp Milk
Shelf-Stable Aisle
Nope. I couldn't do it. I thought it was gross, and it bothered Julia. It's nutritious stuff, but - no.

There's a reason she's so happy!

Goat
Refrigerated Aisle
Yes. A thousand times, yes. Sweet nectar of the gods. Naturally easy to digest, goat milk is pure deliciousness. It does not have that tangy flavor that goat cheese has - it's smooth and dreamy. Julia can tolerate it in small amounts with a few days off in between. It's nutritious and keeps me fuller longer than rice milk.

Soy Milk
Shelf-Stable/Refrigerated Aisles
I only tried one before figuring out Julia was allergic to soy, so my review here isn't thorough at all. If you like the taste of soy milk and allergies aren't the issue, enjoy. Do consider choosing organic though because soy is one of those products that is without a doubt genetically modified, unless it's labeled organic. And if you're having it every day, it's worth the switch.

Coconut
I loved coconut milk. Coconuts make so many lovely non-dairy products - they would make going dairy free a much smoother transition. But coconuts bother Julia a lot. So we don't have any around here anymore. It's nutritious and delicious - do give it a shot. But watch out for carrageenan in some brands.

Almond/Nut
I haven't tried them all, but I did like Almond Breeze before learning it bothered Julia. There are several brands to try, and just like with rice milk, the refrigerated ones were tastier than the shelf-stable varieties. There's even almond coconut milk, combining two delicious milks into one. I'd happily go back to almond milk. Or cashew milk. Give it a try.

I miss you!