Store-Bought Almond Milk Is Full of Gums—I Found Something Better
There is nothing wrong with cow’s milk. It’s full of protein, calcium, b12, and iodine—and it can absolutely be a part of a well-balanced diet. But I just don’t like it, and never have.
When I was introduced to nut milk, I finally had something other than water to mix into my smoothies and protein shakes. I’d buy gallons of it at the grocery store, lug it the eight blocks back to my apartment, and up the three flights of stairs. But when you’re a daily smoothie, latte, and protein shake kind of person, those cartons don’t last you very long. Not to mention, the cost is at least double to triple a gallon of milk—a very expensive dietary choice, indeed.
I went through a phase of making my own almond milk. I’d soak almonds overnight, blend them with filtered water in my Vitamix, and then strain the mixture through a cheesecloth into a jug to use for the next few days. But this process became so cumbersome, that I found myself stocking up on cartons of grocery store almond milk once again.
I must have complained about this process a few times because I was recently targeted with an Instagram ad for Almond Cow, a nut milk–making machine that claimed to take the annoyance out of the process. No blender, no cheesecloth, no mess. I of course had to give it a go. Here’s my review of the Almond Cow Nut Machine.
What’s Good About the Almond Cow Nut Machine?
High-Quality Nut Milk in Seconds
The typical process for making your own nut milk at home is so tedious that I only did it a grand total of three times before I gave up. The whole process takes nearly 12 hours because you have to soak your nuts overnight before blending and straining them. Forget to soak your nuts overnight, and you’re out of luck for tomorrow’s smoothie.
The Almond Cow Nut Machine condenses that 12+ hour prep time into one glorious minute.
How to Use the Almond Cow Nut Machine
All you have to do: Fill the container up to the MIN line with filtered water. Then add your nut or grain of choice (it works with any nut, coconut, rice, and oats) to the container basket, throw in a pitted date or two (if you want a slight, natural sweetness), a pinch of salt (a natural preservative and flavor enhancer), and attach it to the blender. Plug the device in, then press the button on the top. It’ll go through a series of three blends, grinding up whatever’s in the basket and mixing it with the water. When it’s done, you pop off the top to reveal five to six cups of fresh nut milk. All the nut grounds are stored safely in the basket, so there’s no need to strain them. Pour the fresh milk into a jug, and place it in your fridge for three to five days. You can toss the nut grounds, or save them to use as extra protein in smoothies, oatmeal, or chia pudding.
No Gums or Fillers
One of the perks to making your own nut milk at home is that you’re not ingesting tons of gums that are typically in store-bought milk. These gums are used to prevent separation and add thickness, but they can often cause digestive upset. I don’t love the idea of consuming a thickening agent every day, so I often look for gum-free options in the supermarket. The only one I’ve come across is from MALK, which only uses three to five whole ingredients in its nut and oat milks. This also means that I’m shelling out $7 for 28 fl. oz. or about two to four servings.
What’s Not Good About the Almond Cow Nut Machine?
Homemade Nut Milk Is Different Than Store Bought
Due to the void of gums and fillers previously mentioned, homemade nut milk needs a really good shake before every use. The nut sediment collects on the bottom of the container, while the water remains at the top. I store my milk in a clear glass jug (also available from the brand) so I can see the separation and shake it until it’s combined. The void of gums also means that the shelf life is significantly shorter than store-bought nut milk.
Cost
I have to address the obvious: the Amond Cow Nut Machine is bougie. It’s so expensive, it doesn’t make much sense to buy it unless you’re a die-hard plant-based milk stan and you can fully commit to making your own milk at home—forever. At $245, it costs about as much as 49 half gallons of store-bought nut milk. If you only drink one half-gallon per week, the cost of the Almond Cow is basically a year’s worth of nut milk.
Then you also have to consider the price of the nuts/grains. Nuts are not cheap, though oats and rice are more so. The brand does sell giant 3lb bags of almonds, cashews, coconut shreds, and oats in a variety pack for $70, and this should last quite some time—you only need 1 cup of nuts/grains per jug. If you really want to go nuts (lol), the brand also offers 30-pound boxes of each for $116 to $233.
The Bottom Line
The Almond Cow Nut Machine makes plant-based milk in seconds—no mess, no straining, and minimal cleanup required. If you want to scrub your diet of gums and fillers, but don’t want to deal with the annoyance of soaking, blending, and straining your own nuts, then it’s a great, healthy option. However, the cost is steep, so unless you drink more than a half-gallon of nut milk per week, it’s an added expense that feels more like a luxury than a necessity. I’m personally never going back.
