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I really enjoy making homemade almond milk, yet I don’t always have time to do it. I’ve bought so many brands over the years, and decided it’s time to compare them and decide which ones are truly the best. With the help of my awesome friends, I compiled an in-depth review on the best almond milk brands you can buy.
The amount of almond milk brands in grocery stores have exploded the past decade. As we buy more plant-based products, grocery stores continue to add more products. I can’t help but smile as I watch the almond milk, cashew milk and oat milks push cow’s milk out more and more.
Rating System for Almond Milk Brands
As you’ll see from the scoresheet below, almond milk is not all the same. Many brands add fillers, gum, fortify with vitamins, and alter taste with “natural flavors” to modify the true flavor. Our blind taste test helped us focus on flavor without a bias. We also dug into the actual ingredients and nutritional panel to decide what was really going on, too.
Here’s the main factors I used to rank the best store-bought almond milk brands:
- Ingredients: Just because the branding looks clean, attractive and healthy, it doesn’t mean the ingredients tell the same story. We compared ingredient lists and raised flags when gums and super long ingredients were listed.
- Taste: Does it have a pleasing and rich flavor that is appropriate for almond milk? Blind taste-testing was a game-changer when it came to comparing the taste of a variety of milk. Some were bitter, others were sweet. And some were just funky. We took all this into account when rating each brand.
- Texture: Is its smooth or gritty? Does the texture change with each sip?
- Packing: Eco-friendly packaging also gave certain brands a boost. If a brand used recyclable materials or had B-Corp status then they got bonus points.
With the scoring system, you can see how almond milk brands stack up when tested side by side. We focused on unsweetened and unflavored varieties, which I recommend using all the time. We rated them based on quality of ingredients, taste, texture and sustainable packaging.
Best Almond Milk Brands Results
Making the switch to a plant-based diet can be exciting— and almond milk is a versatile and delicious addition. With so many great brands available, you’re sure to find one you love. Yet to save you some money and time, I’ve compiled the top 10 brands you can buy and feel good about.
Elmhurst Milked Almonds
score: 88/100 | cost: $6.49
Elmhurst only uses almonds and water – no weird gums or thickeners – and their special way of making it (something called HydroRelease) makes it super creamy and flavorful without any extra stuff. Plus, they use a ton of almonds, so it’s actually nutritious and tastes way richer than other brands.
Thrive Market Organic Almond
score: 87/100 | cost: $3.39
Made with simple, organic ingredients at a fraction of the cost. Plus, it’s super creamy and has a naturally delicious almond flavor without any added sugars or weird stuff. Since it’s from Thrive Market, you can get it delivered right to your door, which is super convenient.
Three Trees Organic Almond
score: 86/100 | cost: $7.49
They use just a few simple, organic ingredients, and you can really taste the difference – it’s so pure and subtly sweet. The texture is amazing too, really creamy and not watery like some other brands. It’s a bit pricier, but if you’re looking for a high-quality, clean, and incredibly tasty almond milk, Three Trees is totally worth it.
Silk Organic Almond
score: 85/100 | cost: $5.49
This is a great everyday option, made with organic almonds and has a smooth, creamy texture that works perfectly in everything from coffee to smoothies. It’s widely available in most grocery stores, making it super convenient to pick up. While it might not be as “clean” ingredient-wise as some smaller brands, it’s still a good organic choice that’s consistently good and readily accessible.
365 Organic Original Almond
score: 84/100 | cost: $3.29
This is a great organic milk that has a nice, mild almond flavor that works well in just about anything – cereal, coffee, baking, you name it. While it might not be as fancy as some other brands, it’s a solid, reliable option that’s easy on the wallet, especially if you’re already shopping at Whole Foods.
Good & Gather Unsweetened Almond Milk
score: 82/100 | cost: $2.59
Good & Gather Unsweetened Almond Milk is a decent, budget-friendly option if you’re shopping at Target. It’s not the most flavorful or creamy almond milk out there – it’s a bit thinner and the almond taste is pretty mild – but it works fine for things like smoothies or cereal.
Sprouts Organic Original Almond
score: 81/100 | cost: $3.99
Sprouts Organic Original Almond Milk is a pretty solid, middle-of-the-road option. It’s organic, which is a plus, and it’s usually reasonably priced, especially if you catch it on sale at Sprouts. The flavor is not great, but the texture is okay. It’s a good, high-quality choice for everyday use in things like coffee or smoothies, but it’s not going to blow you away with its flavor or creaminess.
Better Goods Almondmilk Original
score: 80/100 | cost: $2.44
Better Goods Almondmilk Original is a decent, no-frills almond milk option. It’s the affordable Walmart option. It’s a pretty basic almond milk – the flavor is mild, and the texture is okay, not super creamy but not watery either. It works fine for everyday uses like adding to cereal or using in recipes, but it’s not going to be the star of the show.
Pacific Foods Organic Almond
score: 80/100 | cost: $2.59
Pacific Foods Organic Almond Milk is a decent, widely available option, but the flavor is not there. I wouldn’t drink this alone– ever. On the plus side, it’s organic and you can find it in most grocery stores, making it convenient. The texture is okay, though sometimes it can be a bit thin.
Califia Farms Almondmilk
score: 79/100 | cost: $3.97
I’m sorry– I know many people love Califia BUT it’s not exactly top-tier almond milk when it comes to taste. The taste and texture can be a little thin and slightly off putting. It’ll work for basic uses like smoothies or baked goods, but if you’re looking for a rich and creamy almond milk with a legit almond flavor, there are better options out there.
Common Questions
The healthiest almond milks on the market are the ones with the most limited ingredient list. Elmhurst and Three Trees really stand out with their super clean ingredients.There are several brands that contain just almonds and water without any extra gums or fillers. Make sure to always read the nutrition label so you know exactly what ingredients are in your preferred brand.
As with any food, you can have too much of a good thing! Almond milk is not a great source of protein and can be filled with lots of gums and other additives to help with the flavor and texture. In recent years, the public has been made increasingly aware of the farming and processing practices of almonds and there has been much discussion and debate on the amount of water and pesticides used. If this is a concern for you, definitely do your homework to determine which milk brand most closely aligns with your beliefs.
Based on our blind review of 22 brands, we determined that Silk Almond Unsweetened milk is the best tasting one on the market. Yes— it beat everyone with taste. It doesn’t not have the highest-quality ingredient list yet we all gave it highest marks for flavor and texture.
If your favorite almond milk brand didn’t make our top 10, let me know in the comments below. We tested 22 brands we could find in Tampa Bay grocery stores and online. We highlighted the top-rated in this report. Yet I’m sure there are more out there and I’d love to give them a chance to make the Top 10 Best Almond Milk Brands List!
More Plant-Based Milk Brands
Now that you know which almond milk brands to buy, why not expand your horizons with these additional plant-based milk buying guides:
If you’re interested in plant-based recipes (and exclusive content), sign up for my weekly recipe newsletter.
Can you list where the different brands can be found?
This is where we shopped (some stores carried multiple brands so you can get more of them there): Costco (Silk), Whole Foods (365, Malk, So Delicious), Sprouts, Trader Joes, Walmart (almond Breeze, Great Value), Target (Good & Gather), Aldi (Friendly Farms), Publix (Calafia, Elmhurst, Silk, Almond Breeze)
Thanks for this. I’m surprised you didn’t include Thrive Market.
You’re welcome, Brett! Glad you found this helpful. Jen loves Thrive Market but I believe she didn’t include it since it’s an online store and she was focusing on the brick and mortar grocery stores in her area. She did mention the possibility of doing a similar review for all the shelf-stable almond milks and I think the products that can be purchased online would fall into that category. So stay tuned!
I found Califia Farms to be the best tasting, in my opinion, out of all the almond milks I’ve tried. I love that you guys did a blind taste test and I’m excited to try the Elmhurst brand.
Thanks for weighing in, Sommer! Glad you enjoyed this report. If you can’t find Elmhurst at your local grocery store, you can actually order it online (it doesn’t have to be refrigerated, even though they sell it in the refrigerated section). Come back and let us know what you think of Elmhurst after you give it a try!
Very much appreciate your research. Will now read labels even more carefully, eg I did not know the difference between the gums. Some of the tested brands are not available in Toronto, but I have seen So delicious (we enjoy the coconut milk beverage) and have actually bought 365.
Thanks, Dieta, glad this could help you! Are there any not on this list that you’ve tried in Canada? Once you give some new ones a try, come back and let us know what you think of them.
So I can assume that the dark green leaf is the best but can you break down the other colors so I have an easier time comparing.
Ellen, of course! Here’s the rating system (from highest rating to lowest): dark green, light green, yellow, orange, red.
Thanks for this study. Always nice to have an unbiased opinion. Would love to see this for the shelf stable brands as well.
Suzanne, glad you found this helpful! Thanks for your feedback, we hope to do more of these so I’ll make sure to pass on your comment to the entire Rawkstar Team!
I love Simple Green Smoothies and I have followed you for a long time so I say this with love, but why leave out the protein when comparing to milk? I do think it’s an important distinction. Milk has a good amount of protein while almond milk has next to none, so it’s not necessarily a perfect replacement if you’re looking to have that extra protein.
Michelle, that is a good point but if we’re talking about smoothies specifically, we prefer to use fruits and veggies with higher protein content (e.g., avocado, kiwi, spinach) as well as plant-based protein powders, so the protein content of our liquid base is less important. We believe dairy can do more harm than good, which is why we prefer to always reach for a plant-based milk over cow’s milk.
I was shocked that my brand ranked so poorly. I use Almond Breeze but def will try out your top three suggestions. Great share.
I felt the same about my preferred brand, Trader Joe’s. So glad you found this article helpful! After you try out some new ones, come back and let us know what you think of them.
This is such a helpful article!!! Thank you so much for putting it together! I’ve always loved New Barn Almond milk but I can’t find it in my Whole Foods anymore so I switched to the So delicious almond with cashew milk. Now I’m so curious about Elmhurst! Thanks again!
Thanks, Kavli! So glad you found the article helpful. Once you give it a try, let us know what you think of Elmhurst!
What a giganticWASTE OF TIME! Not all these brands are available me nation wide. For my money, Silk is the best because taste is number one. Unless you have lived on another planet, these nut juices have been around long enough for people to know what the want.
Hi Paula! So sorry you feel this way. Jen did clarify that they searched grocery stores near her hometown of Central Florida (so she’s aware not all almond milks on her list may be available to folks in other areas). However, many of them are! We understand that everyone has their own preferences and if Silk is the one for you, then it’s great you know that! The truth is, there are many people who are new to plant-based milks. There are even folks who have been drinking almond milk for years but who are open to learning more and trying new brands to see if they like another one better. I’m actually one of those people, so they do exist! We hope to do more reports like this and hopefully we’ll be able to expand where we can pull products from for the testing. Until then, rawk on!
Hey SGS team,
I think this was a winner. I appreciate the side by side comparison. I have many of these options readily available, but often wonder if it really makes a difference in taste. I typically buy the Kirkland brand organic unsweetened vanilla flavor. While you did not have it in the mix of taste testing, your reviews gave me things to look for on the label.
I’d love to see you do this with coconut milk or maybe frozen fruits?
Thanks for sharing this good info!
Pam, we’re glad we could help you! Thank you for your feedback, this was our first Rawkstar Report and Simple Green Smoothiesopes to do more so I’ll pass on your suggestions!
Hey Pam! I was always curious if there would really be a difference in taste. When we did the blind taste test it was SUPER obvious and kinda blew us away at how different they could all be. I think coconut milk sounds like a good one to do too! Thanks for the suggestion.
Excellent Article thank you!
I’m glad you enjoyed it! We had fun doing the research. 🙂
Appreciate the review. I like to make my own almond milk but sometimes need a quick fix (haven’t soaked the almonds yet…). Thanks for doing my homework for me
I hear ya— nothing beats homemade. I just got an Almond Cow and did a demo of it on YouTube and it’s been amazing at making homemade almond milk in just minutes. You might like that as an option too. Here’s the demo if you wanna watch it:
Thank you so much for doing this! It was very eye opening for sure. I try to eat at clean as I can so now I am going to check my label of the one I use. I am in Michigan and the brand I use (Simple Truth) wasn’t on your list. I am going to see if I can find the Elmhurst in my area.
Simple Truth is a Kroger brand, I believe and we don’t have it down here in Florida. Wish we did! I would be curious how the taste + texture compares to the list. You’ll have to try Elmhurst and compare it to Simple Truth and let me know!
Can you buy Elmhurst Almond Milk in Colorado? Where did you buy the Elmhurst and the So Delicious Organic Almond Milk? Thank you. Great blog post!!
You can order Elmhurst online too through their website ). Yet you can also prob find it at Whole Foods. They sell it at my local grocery store, which is called Publix. You might find it at yours. I feel like Colorado will have it (and so much more!).
I used to buy Califia Farms exclusively, but I found their quality control has gone down the tubes. I switched to oat milk in a different brand that’s how bad I found it to be. I’m interested to see how Elmhurst is, if I can find it.
Hey Beth— I was buying Califia too and it was crazy to realize it compared with the others with this taste test. You can order Emnlhurst online too (It doesn’t have to be refrigerated, even though they sell it in the refrigerated section).
Beth, let us know what you think after you try Elmhurst!