How to Make Nut Milks at Home: Clean and Zero-Waste Alternatives

As more people adopt plant-based diets, nut milks have become a popular alternative to dairy milk. However, commercial nut milks aren’t without environmental drawbacks, and many people are discovering the advantages of making these milks at home. Not only does homemade nut milk reduce waste and additives, but it’s also better for the planet and our bodies. Here’s why and how you can make delicious, zero-waste nut milk at home.

The Environmental Cost of Store-Bought Nut Milk

While plant-based milks like almond, cashew, and oat milk require fewer resources than traditional dairy milk, they still have environmental impacts, particularly if they’re store-bought. Here are a few reasons why commercial nut milks aren’t as eco-friendly as they might seem.

Packaging Waste Commercial nut milks are often sold in cartons lined with plastic, which are difficult to recycle. These cartons add to landfills, where plastics can take hundreds of years to break down.

Transportation Emissions Many nut milks are transported over long distances, which increases carbon emissions. For example, almonds are mostly grown in California and then shipped worldwide, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions along the entire supply chain.

Water Usage Growing nuts, especially almonds, requires substantial water. According to the California Almond Board, it takes around 1.1 gallons of water to grow a single almond. This is problematic when commercial demand is high, straining water resources, especially in drought-prone areas like California.

Added Ingredients Store-bought nut milks often contain preservatives, stabilizers, and added sugars to improve shelf life and flavor. These additives aren’t just unnecessary; they can also reduce the nutritional value and purity of the product.

The Environmental Cost of Dairy Milk

When compared to plant-based alternatives, dairy milk has a significant environmental footprint. Producing dairy milk requires far more resources and has a greater impact on the environment due to the following:

High Greenhouse Gas Emissions Cows produce methane, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes heavily to climate change. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), dairy production accounts for approximately 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Resource-Intensive Producing one liter of dairy milk requires an estimated 1,050 liters (277 gallons) of water, which includes water used to grow the cows' feed, drink, and sustain the livestock.

Ethical Concerns Dairy production often involves animal welfare issues, as cows are frequently kept in confined spaces and subject to conditions that are not conducive to their well-being.

Benefits of Making Nut Milk at Home

Switching to homemade nut milk offers a range of benefits for the environment, your health, and your wallet. Here’s why you might consider making the change:

Less Waste By making nut milk at home, you eliminate the need for single-use cartons and plastic-lined packaging. Additionally, nut pulp left over from the milk-making process can be repurposed for other recipes, like baking or making energy bites, resulting in zero waste.

Control Over Ingredients Homemade nut milk contains only the ingredients you choose to add, allowing you to skip preservatives, stabilizers, and sugars. This leads to a cleaner, healthier milk alternative.

Reduced Carbon Footprint When you buy nuts in bulk from a local provider and make milk at home, you significantly reduce transportation emissions. Local, bulk purchasing often minimizes packaging as well, which further decreases your overall environmental footprint.

Fresh Taste and Customization Freshly made nut milk tends to taste creamier and fresher than the commercial versions. You can customize it to your liking by adding a hint of vanilla, a touch of sea salt, or a natural sweetener, which is harder to control with store-bought options.

How to Make Nut Milk at Home: A Simple Recipe

Making nut milk at home is surprisingly easy and requires just a few basic ingredients and tools. Here’s a simple recipe to get you started:

Ingredients

• 1 cup of raw nuts (such as almonds, cashews, or hazelnuts)

• 4 cups of filtered water (plus more for soaking)

• Optional: a pinch of salt, vanilla extract, or a sweetener like maple syrup or dates

Instructions

1. Soak the Nuts Place the nuts in a bowl, cover them with water, and let them soak for at least 6-8 hours or overnight. Soaking softens the nuts, making them easier to blend and improving the texture of the milk.

   
   

2. Drain and Rinse Drain and rinse the soaked nuts thoroughly to remove any enzyme inhibitors that may have been released during soaking.

3. Blend with Fresh Water In a high-speed blender, combine the soaked nuts with 4 cups of fresh water. Blend on high for about 1-2 minutes until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

4. Strain Pour the blended mixture through a nut milk bag, cheesecloth, or fine-mesh strainer into a bowl. Squeeze or press to extract as much milk as possible.

5. Store and Enjoy Transfer your fresh nut milk to a clean jar or bottle, and store it in the fridge. It should keep for 3-4 days. Be sure to shake well before each use, as homemade nut milk can naturally separate.

   
   

Using the Leftover Nut Pulp

Instead of throwing away the leftover nut pulp, you can dry it out and use it as a flour substitute in baking or mix it into smoothies, oatmeal, or homemade energy bars. This way, you can achieve a completely zero-waste process!

Final Thoughts: A Sustainable Step Forward

Making your own nut milk at home is an easy, sustainable alternative to buying commercial options. While nut and oat milks are more environmentally friendly than dairy, the impacts of packaging, additives, and transportation emissions from store-bought options can undermine some of the environmental benefits. By making nut milk at home, you’re supporting a cleaner, more eco-friendly food system while enjoying a fresh, healthy alternative that’s free of unnecessary additives.

As plant-based living continues to grow in popularity, adopting sustainable habits like homemade nut milks allows us to lessen our impact on the planet while fostering a healthier lifestyle..