The benefits of making your own plant milk

Most people know plant-based milks are better for the environment—except for one thing. The packaging is really hard, if not impossible, to recycle. So what's the better option? Make your own. (Instructions below: It's easy!) (Photo Source: Kenny Eliason)

More people are opting for plant-based milk over dairy these days and concerns about the environment are among the top reasons. When compared to dairy milk, plant-based milks do better in terms of global greenhouse emissions, water used, and land required – they’re simply more efficient to produce.

And people are responding. Sales of plant-based products reached $7.4 billion in 2021, according to The Good Food Institute’s annual State of the Industry Report, and a sizable portion of those sales, around 35 percent, came from plant-based milk alone. While plant-based milk represents only 16 percent of total retail milk sales in 2021, this reflects a four percent increase from 2020, and a whopping 33 percent increase over three years.

So why are so many people giving plant milks a shot and what might it mean for the environment if more people cut back on dairy?

A study by the University of Oxford looks at the environmental impact of producing dairy milk compared to various non-dairy milks. It found that one glass of dairy milk generates almost three times the emissions as most non-dairy milks. While almond milk has been criticized for its water-intensive footprint, it still performs better than dairy. (Photo Source: BBC News)

The reasons people are making the switch vary. Many are drinking plant-based milk for health reasons, such as lactose intolerance, which affects around 75 percent of the world’s population. Plant milks also tend to be lower in calories and saturated fat, and many are fortified with calcium, vitamins A, D and E, making its nutritional profile similar to cow’s milk. But many more individuals are also citing their concern for the health of the planet.

Livestock production accounts for 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions and two-thirds of that is generated by cattle alone. Raising dairy cattle also requires lots of land and freshwater, and byproducts of dairy production, like manure, can contaminate nearby water sources.

Producing plant-based milks beats dairy on most environmental measures. But there’s one way that many fail. Most shelf-stable, non-dairy milks come packaged in Tetra Paks, a paper-based carton that’s also a common way to package soups, broth and juice. While the recycling symbol on Tetra Paks might seem reassuring, it’s deceiving.

Tetra Pak cartons are a common way to package non-dairy milks. While a majority of the carton is made of paper, the rest contains layers of aluminum and polyethylene which have to properly stripped before recycling. (Photo Source: One Green Planet)

Most of a Tetra Pak is paper, which makes up around 75 percent of its mass. It’s the other twenty five percent that is the problem; it’s composed of a layer of aluminum foil and low density polyethylene (LDPE). Even though these materials serve an important function by protecting the contents, the additional layers make it challenging to properly recycle at waste facilities.

“While the recycling symbol on Tetra Paks might seem reassuring, it’s deceiving.”

It's usually up to individuals to check their zip code to see if their local recycling program accepts them. Even then recycling centers, like San Francisco’s Recology, go to great lengths to recycle the cartons. Recology has to ship its cartons in large bales all the way to Mexico to be processed and stripped before being recycled, a lengthy journey for one single household waste item.

One satisfying solution to this problem? Make your own dairy-free milk. It’s not that hard! All you’ll need is a blender and a cloth to strain your milk, plus a good place to store it.

Make your own plant-based milk

Tools

Blender
nut milk bag, cheesecloth or kitchen towel to strain
measuring cups and spoons
air tight container to store

Almond Milk

Ingredients:

1 cup almonds, soaked for 4-6 hours or overnight
4 cups filtered water (use 3 or 3 1/2 cups for a thicker consistency)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon honey, maple syrup or sweetener of choice
Optional: 2-3 tablespoons cacao powder for a chocolate version

Preparation:

Combine almonds and water in a medium bowl and let sit for 4-6 hours or overnight in the fridge.
Strain the excess water and rinse your almonds.
In a blender add soaked almonds, filtered water, vanilla, and sweetener of choice on high for 1-2 minutes or until smooth.
Strain the mixture using a nut-milk bag, cheesecloth or dish towel. You’ll need to squeeze the bag or dish towel with your hands to ensure all the liquid comes out. After extracting all the liquid, you’ll be left with almond pulp. You can compost or save this almond pulp to use in other recipes.
Add the almond milk to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to five days. Homemade almond milk will separate naturally since it has no stabilizers or emulsifiers so make sure to give it a good shake before serving.

Oat Milk

Ingredients:

1 cup rolled oats
4 cups water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon honey, maple syrup or sweetener of choice
Optional: 2-3 tablespoons cacao powder for a chocolate version

Preparation:

Combine oats, water, vanilla and sweetener in a blender and pulse on high speed for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Strain the mixture through a nut milk bag, cheesecloth or kitchen towel. Use your hands to squeeze out any excess liquid from the oats.
Transfer the oat milk to an airtight container (see recommendations below) and store in the fridge for 4-5 days. Feel free to add more sweetener to taste.

STORE YOUR MILK

Use an airtight container to store your milk for up to four days in the fridge. We recommend using airtight containers already on hand, like mason jars or empty food jars. I store my almond milk in an empty Strauss Family Creamery milk jar. If you plan on making your own milk often, you can buy reusable glass milk jars like these on Amazon or visit your local hardware or home goods store.