Long before I had any dairy reservations, I was intrigued by unsweetened almond milk because it had a lot less calories than skim milk.
For example, Silk Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk has 30 calories vs 90 calories per cup in skim milk. These days, skim is OUT and whole is in, so your smartest dairy alternative (2% or whole) still has 125-150 calories.
When doing the math in college, I realized I could use these saved calories on dessert or beer! Now, I use them on nut butter… plus dessert and wine instead of beer.
Here is how going dairy free for a day could theoretically, reduce up to 775 calories from your daily diet.
I love using the various Silk varieties to achieve different flavor profiles from their cashewmilk at breakfast to coconutmilk in dinner recipes.
Morning Latte – 125 calories saved
Some coffee shops now carry dairy free almond or coconut milks but often they are sweetened with sugar. I make my own caffeinated beverages at home with my espresso machine or french press adding in my own Silk Unsweetened Vanilla Cashewmilk. The frother makes the milk nice and fluffy for an authentic coffee shop experience, shaving off 100 calories effectively for a 1 cup beverage. Make it a double and you could be saving 250 calories. This obviously will also save you money!
Smoothie Time – 250 calories saved
I add in 16 oz of almond milk to my smoothies. I like them large and filling. I love using Silk Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk as it makes protein powder and plain milk taste creamy even without a blender or added ingredients. My go to move however is to replace the calories saved from the milk with omega-3 rich avocado which makes any smoothie deliciously creamy.
Creamy Soups – 300+ calories saved
Who doesn’t love a good comfort soup recipe? Use a dairy free swap that is unflavored and unsweetened like in this Broccoli Soup that tastes like it has more calories than it does. Typical creamy soups are loaded with fat from cream and cheese. Using potato, cauliflower, beans and/or dairy free milk allows you to still enjoy a thicker soup base without the extra calories. I also love using it for cream based curry dishes!
Breakfast Treats – 25-100 calories saved
I use dairy free nut milks in most of my breakfasts recipes, including winners like overnight oats, protein pancakes, muffins and french toast. Although some of the calories saved in these recipes can be minimal, allowing people with dairy allergies or sensitivities to enjoy them makes it worth it. They taste just as good with the easy swap.
So theoretically, if you swap regular milk for non dairy nut milk (unsweetened) in your coffee and breakfast, post workout smoothie and lunch soup, you are saving yourself 775 calories without losing any flavor.
I don’t count calories and I don’t eat “fat free” products unless they are naturally made that way, like an apple. But if I can reduce the number of calories I eat without sacrificing nutrition, I’m happy to take the short cut and enjoy a little extra chocolate, nut butter or glass of wine guilt free. 🙂
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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.
