Economical Coconut Milk: Mix Your Own

To water down a 13.5 oz can of coconut milk (Classic full fat) to the same amount of fat per cup as the So Delicious Coconut Milk Beverage, I would have to add enough water to 13.5 oz to make 13.33 cups. (There are 8 cups in the half gallon of So Delicious. There is more fat in a single can of coconut milk than in the half gallon of So Delicious).

In my taste test, I didn't want to water it down that much. I added enough water to a can in order to make a half gallon of beverage.

Benefits of Mix-Your-Own:
-Half the price. Compare $1.55/can or $3.59/half gal. Beverage
-More fat, MCFAs (Medium Chain Fatty Acids) in the can as compared to the half gal. beverage
-No added vitamins or minerals in the can.
-No sugar in the can (You can add sweetener of your choice).

Benefits of boxed Beverage:
-Tastes sweeter due to added cane juice
-Thicker mouth feel due to added carrageenan
-Convenience: no mixing or opening a can.
-Convenience: May find it readily available in the refrigerator section at the store.
-Added vitamins, similar to that of commercial cow's milk

Could try adding xantham or guar gum to mix-your-own.

I had to explore the price and taste of these products since I consume a lot of coconut milk. But for me, I like the canned better and it takes up less space in my fridge since I do not mix it with water ahead of time. I use what I want I want in my morning smoothie and just add water. I do not want the additional calcium and sugar of the boxed Beverage. Finally, price wins out too, as it is twice the price for the boxed Beverage. I'm sticking with the canned as much as possible. I order mine by the 12-can case from UNFI through my local food buying club (co-op). Even if paying a higher price per can at the grocer, the canned would still be less expensive.

My next step is to get a hold of some of the boxed coconut cream and try mixing that with water. I haven't had it before, but a friend tells me it works great and is much less expensive. I'm guessing it's comparable to using a can of coconut milk. In the past I've noticed that the price comparison between coconut milk and coconut oil works out comparably when comparing servings based on fat (the most important nutrient in these coconut products such as milk, oil, and cream). I keep coconut oil for cooking, but for consuming straight (as a supplemental or as whole food, depending on how you look at it) I prefer coconut milk, as it provides much more mouth satisfaction in smoothies, drinks, etc.