This article is part of a series of sustainability themed articles we're running to observe Earth Day 2024 and promote more sustainable practices. Check out all of our Sustainability Week 2024 content.
I’ve been using oat and almond milk instead of dairy for the best part of five years. This is partially for health reasons, but also to do my part in reducing the demand for dairy milk – which I still do drink occasionally because of its nutritional benefits.
However, despite its association with the eco conscious, the plant milk industry isn’t without its flaws. Store-bought nut milk still undergoes some heavy processing –including additives to thicken, emulsify, and stabilize the milk – and, more importantly, it still bears its own ecological footprint.
The supply chain still produces waste byproducts and relies on non-reusable packaging. Some base ingredients such as almonds and coconuts are being farmed at scale, which can have a significant environmental impact (as reported in The Guardian).
So, when I stumbled upon gadgets that allow you to make plant milk at home, I was excited at the prospect of cutting out single-use plastic and reducing my carbon footprint of the products currently available in stores.
I reached out to Milky Plant and asked if I could give its plant milk maker a go – and it’s been the best decision I've made for both my wallet and doing my bits for the environment. Read on to discover how to make the most out of your new milk maker.
An-udder option
The Milky Plant is a plant-based milk maker that whizzes everything from nuts to grains and legumes with water to make fresh, simple milk – all in less than three minutes.
If you’ve had any prior experience making your own plant-based milk, then you’ll appreciate that pretty impressive turnaround. The Milky Plant does away with having to pre-soak the nuts or grapple with a cheesecloth as you try to strain out as much of the grain as possible.
As of writing, the Milky Plant costs $254 / £199 / AU$397 as part of its anniversary sale, but typically it will set you back $432 / £340 / AU$673– which is no small fee. However, it does pay for itself over time; buying the raw ingredients is a fraction of the price of store-bought milk.
The Milky Plant is just one of many plant milk makers now hitting the market to help non-dairy milk drinkers enjoy a more eco- and cost-conscious alternative to store-bought products. Models include the ChefWave Milkmade or even the more general-use Breville/Sage 3x Bluicer.
How to make oatally delicious plant milk
One of the few drawbacks of DIY plant milk is that it can be a little watery, but there are plenty of ways to make creamier, delicious milk at home.
My best tip is to add xanthan gum or arrowroot starch, which serves as an emulsifier to make the milk creamier and to prevent separation, but unsweetened shredded coconut will also do a fine job. Depending on which machine you go for, you might want to consider experimenting with using cold or hot water; but make sure the device can take it.
My Milky Plant does a pretty impressive job of reducing nuts down to size, but you can always use a mini blender to whizz nuts into a finer paste before adding them to your machine. You could also continue to soak the nuts beforehand – which might defeat the purpose somewhat, but you’re still benefitting from a far easier straining and cleanup process.
Once you’ve mastered making and thickening your milk, you can start experimenting with flavors. Milky Plant offers a host of recipe suggestions; but the only limit is your imagination. I’ve tried everything from adding maple syrup and vanilla extract to cocoa for chocolate milk, and I even threw in some coffee syrup to make my own mock eggnog – because it’s never too early in the year for some festive spirit.
If you’re worried about the nutritional value of your plant milk, there are plenty of ways to add back in some of the goodness you’ll find in dairy milk. Milky Plant actually offers a plant-based mixing powder (UK-exclusive) called Fortify Me, which currently costs £25 for one 200g bag (20 servings) or £21.25 (15% off), if you subscribe and save.
I’m still only at the start of my plant milk-making journey, but so far, I’ve had a blast experimenting with different combinations and even trying different base ingredients – who knew hemp milk was so tasty?
It might not be the most impactful thing I, or anyone, can do to help save the planet, but if you use a lot of plant milk at home, it’s a great way to contribute to the cause and save yourself some money.
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