Milk substitute Product: Wholesome Goodness Almond Drink

As soon as I walked in the grocery section of the local WalMart Supercenter, a four way display caught my attention. Every item on this display was from Wholesome Goodness. The first item I bought was a one quart box of Almond Drink.

I expected it to look and taste like sweetened milk and be runny, yet slightly thick and white. I honestly expected it to be a lot like soy milk, which I have tasted before, especially since the picture on the box looks like a glass of milk. Another scenario I thought about was that it might taste like either an instant breakfast drink or something like liquified Ovaltine or possibly like a nutritional supplement like Ensure or Sustacal. For $2.28 a quart, I felt it was worth trying.

On my first sip, I definitely encountered a very nutty flavor. Since it was called Almond Drink, I supposed I should have expected that, but it was likely the intensity of the nutty flavor that surprised me. The sweetness I had expected was only slightly noticeable to me. It was sweet, but not as sugary as what I was expecting. Again, the nuttiness was the dominant taste.

Another surprise was what it lacked, and that is not neccesarily a bad thing either. I did not taste any fat in this drink at all.

It looked a lot like skim milk, yet it was more exciting than skim milk. I usually drink 2% milk and skim milk tastes very watery to me. This Almond Drink was somewhat like a slightly flavored skim milk.

It was a pleasant drinking experience and I noticed no aftertaste.

Wholesome Goodness Almond Drink is High in Calcium and Vitamin D (35% and 20% USRDA Value according to product's label) A one cup serving also provides 25% USRDA of Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) and 15% USRDA B12. It also contains 700 mg Omega 6 and 70 mg Omega 3 Fatty Acids.

A serving size is 8 fluid oz, (1 cup or 240 ml) and has 60 calories. By comparison, skim milk has 80 calories, 2% milk has 120 and whole milk has 150 calories per 8 oz serving.

It is NOT a significant source of protein at just 1 gram per serving.

The main ingredients are filtered water, organic cane sugar and almonds. It is Gluten free, lactose free and cholesterol free.

It is a product of Canada. The package is a small paper box and is recyclable in some areas. The product had a shelf life of more than a year, but once opened, it is advised to be used within 7 to 10 days.

I am glad I tried this product and I intend to try some other Wholesome Goodness products as well.

The fact that the product is healthy and tasty are two good reasons to buy it. The fact that it is slightly expensive when compared with milk is a reason to decide if the taste and nutrition are worth the price.