JOI Non Dairy Milk Review: Adding Joy To My Morning Routine

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I go to sleep dreaming about my morning cup of coffee – it’s the only thing I require to be absolutely perfect during the course of my day. I’m not one of those cool people who drink their coffee black, but I’m sensitive to dairy so I depend on non-dairy creamers that can stand up to a steaming cup of coffee and make it dreamily creamy.

While I’ve long been open to whatever new plant-based creamer is hot on the market, I’m almost always disappointed. Too many brands claim their consistency is indistinguishable from that of cow’s milk – and they are often flat out lying. Tragedy has unfolded before my eyes time and again – and it takes the form of those awful congealed clumps that no amount of stirring will remedy. 

JOI, a brand that has reinvented the way we use and consume plant-based milk, promises something different. A hopeless romantic and coffee creamer dreamer, I of course had to give it a try.

Concentrating On The Good Stuff

Seven years ago, JOI’s founders decided they’d had enough. Most plant-based milk is made of mostly just water and created far too much waste. What if they could package and sell plant-based concentrates that – upon being blended with water – made delicious and sustainable non-dairy milk, with a consistency its consumers could easily manipulate? 

That’s exactly what they did.

Currently, JOI offers three nut milk bases – organic Almond Milk, Cashew Milk, and Hazelnut Creamer (all $19.99) – plus an organic Oat Milk Powder ($15.99). When you look at the ingredient list on each, you’ll notice three things. The first is that there’s only one ingredient (a maximum of five in the hazelnut option) and second, you can easily pronounce all of these ingredients. The third and best thing is that JOI doesn’t rely on additives — you won’t find a preservative, oil, or added granule of sugar in any of these alt milk bases. Simply add a cup of water to one tablespoon of your base of choice and voila! A better plant milk awaits. 

Putting The “Nut” In “Nutrition”

Did you know that unless a nut has been “activated,” its nutrients can’t fully be absorbed? The enzyme inhibitors and phytic acid in nuts make it difficult for our digestive systems to break them down. JOI uses steam pasteurization to blanch the nuts it uses in all its nut-based products so that our bodies don’t have to work harder than they should to enJOI all the good stuff: seven grams of protein, four grams of fiber, and sixteen grams of healthy fat in each serving of the almond paste.

What makes JOI’s nut and oat bases so healthy for you is also precisely what makes them more affordable than other plant-based milk options. Because there are zero oils or preservatives taking up extra space in the packaging, you’re able to get as many as seven quarts of non-dairy milk from the nut concentrates in the glass jars and a gallon of oat milk from one compostable pouch of oat milk powder. The bases can keep for months (though you should check each product’s exact expiration date) and any amount of milk you make can keep for up to seven days inside your refrigerator.

Just Add Water

First things first: you’ll need a blender. At first, I took JOI’s “just add water” tagline too literally and tried to blend the almond paste and water in a cup myself, relying on the limits of my human speed. Don’t do that. Instead, follow JOI’s recommended water-to-JOI ratio, put the ingredients in a blender, and in a matter of seconds you’ll have a velvety milk substitute that you can use in more ways than you can imagine. 

JOI’s website has dozens of recipes to play with, from savory to sweet, whimsical to practical, and I can’t adequately express how revolutionary it feels to be able to change the thickness of this plant-based milk by simply adding water or taking it away. Plus, if you pour some freshly blended milk into your coffee, you’ll find that it has a luxurious, frothy texture that can really elevate your morning cup.

Go Nuts

I can honestly say I’m a fan of JOI, not only because the brand’s products are more customizable than any other nut or oat milk I’ve encountered on the market, but also because I know exactly what I’m consuming – and it’s 100% good for me. And, of course, because using JOI’s plant-based milk means I’ll never have to suffer through a disappointing cup of coffee ever again.

5 more reasons to love JOI

1. Join the club: JOI’s Milk Club is a really fun way to earn points and savings towards JOI products, and who doesn’t like getting a birthday gift from their favorite non-dairy brand?

2. Better for the planet: JOI is working to be Net Zero by the end of 2022 and has already saved over 2.5 million non-recyclable cartons from ending up in landfills (this number keeps going up).

3. Always on the go?: Try out JOI’s 16-ounce portable blender if you like having fresh milk everywhere and anywhere.

4. Reusing is better than recycling: JOI’s glass jars can be collected and used to store all your plant-based recipes, like JOI’s overnight oats or chia pudding.

5. Don’t know where to start?: Take JOI’s quiz to find out which base and quantity best fits your dietary and consumption needs.

Go nuts and try JOI for yourself here!