Foods - Non-Dairy Milk - Rice Milk

Rice milk is one of the most popular non-dairy milks. It has a refreshing, sweet, flavour and this heat stable milk is often used as a dairy alternative in baking recipes. Rice milk is most commonly used as a breakfast cereal alternative and makes for a great fruit shake or breakfast smoothie. It is ideal for use with bread, cookie, muffin, pancake, waffle, and sweet dessert recipes. Rice milk's sweet flavour may make it unsuitable for delicate cream sauces and soups, mashed potatoes, quiches, and some casseroles. Try oat milk instead (see above).

Some brands of rice milk are gluten free -- be sure to check the label and note whether the brown rice syrup has been converted with barley, which contains gluten, or a gluten-free natural enzyme.

Rice milk often contains the following ingredients: filtered water, brown rice syrup (sweetener), rice starch or brown rice (often organic), and sea salt. You may also find safflower or canola oil, pea protein, carageenan (sea vegetable), guar gum (stabilizer and thickener derived from legume seeds), and xantham gum (stabilizer and thickener derived from fermented corn sugar).

Rice milk is available in aseptic boxes about 1 litre in size. 250mL "juice boxes" are also available and make for a healthy addition to your child's lunchbox. Common flavours include original/natural, vanilla, chocolate/cocoa, and carob and are available in both sizes. Most brands are fortified with calcium, vitamins A, D, B₂, B₁₂ and zinc. The sealed box often has a shelf life of over one year and does not require refrigeration when sealed. Once opened, rice milk lasts approximately ten to fourteen days.