Milk Substitutes and Coupon

What makes a good milk substitute? That depends on the point-of-view! For my kids it was taste. For me it was no casein. (Casein is the protein that is hard to digest in about half of the autistic population.) Obviously, I had to find a substitute that met both requirements. Cost was a consideration, but it was not a priority.

Be warned, if you're trying something new, spewing becomes a new sport in the kitchen. Have several bowls and towels on hand. Since I had four boys trying samples, those towels were used quickly. Also, do not stand in front any child who is trying samples. If it doesn't agree with the child, you do not want to be on the receiving end of that reflux. Bowl or no bowl. Icky.

I first asked dietitians what to look for, and they only suggested that the "milk" be fortified if possible as milk is the main source for calcium. Off to the store...

There are several options. The first one NOT to make is goat milk. It has the same problem as milk from a cow. Milk from any mammal is a no-no. I found this strange as I had nursed all of my kids with no problem. Evidently, this inability to digest casein is a "developmental" issue, like autism is a "developmental" disability.

We tried potato milk, rice milk, soy milk, and almond milk. Potato milk was acceptable, but it was extremely expensive. Rice milk was rejected unanimously by all four boys. Remember spewing? Soy milk was acceptable by one boy, and the rest of the kids didn't care for it. However, they kept the soy milk down.

The almond milk was the winner. All four boys liked it. The almond milk came in different flavors, and the chocolate was the favorite. The vanilla flavor was the second, and the original flavor was third.

I use all three types of milk for different needs. I use the original milk in cooking and baking. The boys love the vanilla flavored milk in cereal. The boys drink the chocolate, straight out of the container, if I'm not looking.

The cost varies from store to store. Typically, Trader Joe's and Sprouts are the cheapest. Regular grocery stores might carry them in the health food section, in the baking section, or elsewhere. I have not found any logic as to where grocery stores carry milk substitutes.

The almond milk comes in a box and is not necessarily in the "milk" section. Recently, some stores have started to carry the cold version, and they look like other milk containers. I usually have some of the "boxed" milk as they can last up to six months. They do not need to be refrigerated like "normal" milk. Each flavor also comes in an unsweetened version. I don't buy those because they will not be consumed. That is simply my boys' taste preferences. I think having those unsweetened options could help those kids who have to be on a low-sugar or no-sugar diet.

The only down side to almond milk is that it is made from almonds, so check allergies.

http://www.bluediamond.com/

The website has a $.50 coupon promotion. The brand name that we use is Almond Breeze.

I have not received any compensation for putting their website on my blog. This is solely my boys' preference that I'm sharing.