Tis the season friends! If you haven’t been living under a rock for the past decade, you will notice that there is an abundance of non-dairy milks now available including almond, rice, cashew, coconut and soy. Lucky for us, many of these companies that produce these specialty milks have come out with holiday nog…
Yes that’s right! We are kicking off our 1st holiday edition blog post by telling you which non-dairy nog is worth your hard earned money.
By definition, eggnog is a specialty drink made up of beaten eggs, cream and optional alcohol. Something that you may not have known is that eggnog can be made without dairy and eggs despite the anti vegan-friendly name.
We have searched far and wide throughout Buffalo to locate any and all vegan eggnog brands so that we could test out these dairy-free delicacies and formulate an honest review. We are beyond grateful and lucky to live in an area and time period where there are so many vegan eggnogs available to us. It really puts us in the Christmas spirit to say the least!
On a more scientific note, the average eggnog contains a shocking 190 calories per 1/2 cup, ringing in 9 grams of fat. In comparison, the dairy/egg free brands contain half the amount of calories and no more than 1.5 grams of fat. So if you’re a regular nog drinker, it might not hurt to check out a healthier, lower calorie option to save on those dreaded holiday pounds. We have also included the nutrition facts for each brand below.
Listed for your viewing, are our personal ratings of each (1 being the best and 7 being well…the not-so best). Please know that this is our personal preference and everyone’s will be different based upon human’s varying palates and spice tolerance. As as bonus, we also note which one mixes the best with rum to bring you some extra holiday cheer.
#1a. Almond Breeze Almondmilk Nog
(Alex’s Favorite)
Consistency: The thickest – just how we like it
Flavor: Perfect. I, Brittany, have never been the biggest fan of eggnog but this instantly made me a fan. The spices were not overly done but it had just the right amount to give it that festive feel. Very impressed! On the other hand, Alex, has always loved eggnog back in the day and feels that they hit the traditional taste and consistency right on the head making it our number one choice.
Nutrition Facts: Serving size: 1/2 cup Calories: 70 Fat: 1.5g Carbs: 14g Protein: 1g
Where to Find: Wegmans, Tops, Whole Foods, Publix
*Mixes well with rum
#1b. So Delicious Coconutmilk Holiday Nog
(Brittany’s Favorite)
Consistency: Very thick
Flavor: There is a strong coconut/tropical flavor but it somehow fits just right. This would be great blended together with ice and a little rum!
Nutrition Facts: Serving size: 1/2 cup Calories: 90 Fat: 2g Carbs: 15g Protein: 0g
Where to find: Whole Foods, Lexington Co-op, Target
*Mixes well with rum
#2. Trader Joe’s Almond Nog
Consistency: Thin/Thick
Flavor: The flavor did not give us the “eggnog” experience as it lacked those special spices but it did have a nice vanilla, smooth flavor. We think that this would be delicious warmed up on the stove top. A nutty taste was definitely present. In the ingredient list, the only flavoring listed is pumpkin which we found interesting.
Nutrition Facts: Serving size: 1/2 cup Calories: 50 Fat: 1.5g Carbs: 9g Protein: 1g
Where to find: Trader Joe’s
#3. Rice Dream Rice Nog
Consistency: Thin
Flavor: This is a brownish color compared to the others. A strong nog flavor is noted, but not too strong. The aftertaste is a bit strange. It’s also carb heavy compared to the others.
Nutrition Facts: Serving size: 1/2 cup Calories: 80 Fat: 1g Carbs: 16g Protein: 1g
Where to find: Whole Foods
#4. Friendly Farms Almond Nog
Consistency: Thinner
Flavor: Very light nutmeg/ginger flavoring. This was almost too bland for our liking leaving us in a ‘meh’ state.
Nutrition Facts: Serving size: 1/2 cup Calories: 50 Fat: 1.5g Carbs: 9g Protein: 1g
Where to find: Aldi’s
#5. Silk Nog Original
Consistency: The thinnest
Flavor: The flavor was there but the extreme thinness turned us off completely. If it was thicker, this one would be ranked a lot higher on the board. It also had a chalky after taste which we didn’t find present in any of the other brands.
Nutrition Facts: Serving size: 1/2 cup Calories: 80 Fat: 1.5g Carbs: 13g Protein: 3g
Where to find: Wegmans
#6. Califia Farms Holiday Almondmilk Nog
Consistency: Medium
Flavor: Unfortunately, this drink was so strong that we weren’t able to drink it. It’s unfortunate because Califia Farms always nails it. If the spices were toned down, this drink would’ve been a lot better. It had a strong bitter aftertaste that didn’t sit right with us.
Nutrition Facts: Serving size: 1/2 cup Calories: 50 Fat: 1.5g Carbs: 9g Protein: 1g
Where to find: Wegmans, Target, Whole Foods, Lexington Co-op
It’s said that change is the spice of life so if you want to spice up your holidays, these would be great conversation starters for any party or family get together! So whether you’re vegan, dairy-free or looking to try something new, these preferred seasonal drinks are where it’s at! We hope that our reviews will help direct you to your right nog of choice!
Thanks for doing the taste testing for us!! I have purchased the So Delicious in the past, so as soon as it came out I grabbed 2! Then last week I was at TJ’s and grabbed one of theirs. Now I’m not as anxious to try it after reading you review!! Oh well, that’s what fresh grated nutmeg is for, right!!
Hi Mary! So Delicious is truly so delicious! The TJ’s was still good just had a more vanilla taste but I bet it would taste amazing if you added the fresh grated nutmeg, thanks for that idea. Happy Holidays!