"The taste of milk conflicts with the taste of the cereal, whereas water does not. While still getting the same texture, water does not ruin the taste of cereal.
1. Whole Milk. Though too thick for some, whole milk is a cereal staple. Obviously the more traditional choice, whole milk is perfect when your body is craving some calcium.
Coconut milk is also a great dairy free option for cereals, oatmeals, and even coffee creamer. Many traditional curries and Thai soups call for canned coconut milk, and it can also be used in baked goods.
Oat milk. Oat milk has a mild, creamy flavor that makes it good for cereals, hot beverages, and drinking on its own.
Note: The delicious refrigerated coconut milk sold in cartons is best reserved for cereal and drinks — it's not as thick and rich as the canned type typically called for when cooking or baking.
Well, these food scientists finally did the experiments to find out. Turns out that milk, due to its fat content, coats the cereal and keeps it from getting soggy as quickly as it does in pure water.
It all comes down to personal preference. If you do not enjoy it with milk, eat it with something else you like. Some people even prefer eating dry cereal. You can eat cereal with water or almost any other milk substitute.
Soy milk typically has a mild and creamy flavour, but this can vary between brands. It's typically sweeter than other milk alternatives. If you want dairy free milk that tastes like milk, this is probably your best option.
Greek yogurt can substitute milk, sour cream and heavy cream. Milk: If you're short on milk, half and half or light cream, Greek yogurt can be used to make up for the difference. If your recipe calls for one cup of milk, use three-quarter cup of milk and one-quarter cup of Greek yogurt instead.
Plant milks are mass-produced fluids made from plant extracts and water. They are made to replace dairy milks as beverages and as cooking ingredients. Plant milks are particularly important to consumers who suffer from cow's milk allergies, lactose intolerances or hypercholesterolemia.
Mixing Weetabix with water for your baby might be tempting if you're weaning your baby milk-free either because of milk allergy or by choice. However, making solids up with water isn't good. Babies have small tummies but high calorie and nutrient requirements. We don't want to bulk their food with water.
Water. In an absolute pinch, water can sometimes be used as a substitute in a recipe that calls for milk…but you might experience some changes in flavor and texture. (Think: Less creamy, less fluffy and less rich.)
Milk goes in before cereal is added to keep the cereal from getting soggy and—horror—keeps the milk free of soggy cereal crumbs.
You absolutely can. It is very enjoyable that way. There are so many ways you can eat it -dry, sprinkled on fruit, oatmeal, like a trail mix. Just try to make it healthy - and there are so many healthier choices out there now, that aren't just straight artificial colors and sugars.
1. Smoothies. One of the most obvious choices for a milk-less breakfast is the crowd-pleaser smoothie. Choose your ingredients wisely and top it up with your favourite cereals.
Even as breakfast cereals became less like wheat rocks and more like granola—the immediate successor to granula—and corn flakes, they were still dry, which meant milk stuck around as a useful tool to soften them up.
Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, circa 1937.
Soy milk is the cheapest of the plant-based options—it costs anywhere from $1 to $3 for a half-gallon—and is the easiest to find in any grocery store, since it's been on the market the longest. The major downside is that soy milk doesn't respond well to heat, curdling at high temperatures.
Almond milk is much higher calcium (188 mg) and potassium (220 mg), but also higher in sodium (63 g) compared to coconut milk. Coconut milk is much lower in sodium (13 mg), but also very low in calcium (16 mg) and potassium (50 mg) compared to almond milk.