Going vegetarian doesn't mean that you have to give up the things that you love. You can still have your bowl of morning cereal or granola, cream in your coffee, or glass of milk with your meals. There are many alternatives to traditional cow's milk that are perfectly kosher with a vegetarian or vegan diet. Here, we take a look at some of the most common alternatives, and their benefits and drawbacks.
Soy milk is readily available at any supermarket, and is just as nutritionally sound as cow's milk or other dairy products. The taste, while not quite the same as cow's milk, is delicious in its own right. Yu can get soy milk in plain or chocolate varieties, and use it just as you would any other milk. Pour it over cereal, use it in your coffee, or simply drink it straight from the glass. Another benefit of soy milk is that it is much cheaper than cow's milk.
Almond Milk
Almond milk, or milk made from other nuts, is creamy and delicious. It's nutty flavor is perfect with cereals, in smoothies, or in baked goods like banana nut muffins or pumpkin cakes. This is a little more difficult to find than soy milk, but is still available at many large supermarket chains, health food stores, and whole food grocers. It can also be ordered from various health food websites. Almond milk is a little more pricey than the other milk alternatives, but it makes up for that steep price with a magnificent flavor and consistency.
Rice Milk
Rice milk is thinner and sweeter than both almond and soy milk; almost translucent. Its sweet nature makes it inappropriate for savory dishes, like creamed or mashed potatoes, but perfect for desserts and baked sweetbreads. Rice milk also holds less nutritional value than other substitutes, offering less protein.
Any of the above milk alternatives can be used in baking and cooking, though some are more suited for certain purposes than others. If you're uncomfortable trying these alternatives in recipes that call for cow's milk, there are many cookbooks and websites that offer recipes calling for these specific types of milk.
Try a milk alternative... you may be surprised. There have been many people who tried a vegetarian diet and decided that it was not for them, but continued to drink soy, almond, or rice milk for their flavor and consistency.
Flavored and regular milk substitutes are readily available in grocery stores. There are a number of quality cheese substitutes as well.