Nothing shouts “The holidays are here!” quite like the arrival of eggnog. I love the creamy decadence, the taste of tradition, the once-a-yearness of it all.

But folks who are vegan or lactose intolerant have been out of luck…until now. Not only does Whole Foods Market® sell organic traditional eggnog, but there are also some great non-dairy nog options to suit your tastes. And all of our nogs are free of any artificial sweeteners, colors, flavors or preservatives.

I was curious to know how these non-dairy nogs stacked up to the familiar classic eggnog. So, with the help of some co-workers, we put together an unofficial, informal blind taste test here in the office breakroom (alcohol-free, of course). Here are the results:

Earth Balance Organic Soymilk Nog

  • Lactose and dairy free
  • Verified by the Non-GMO Project
  • Made with soybeans grown in the US

Here’s what our tasters said:

  • “Surprisingly creamy for non-dairy.”
  • “Not overly sweet or thick, like nogs can be. “
  • “Very nutmeg-y and not too rich, which is nice.”
  • “Not too thick or ‘spicy’ but still creamy.”

So Delicious Dairy Free Nog Coconut Milk Beverage

From our tasting panel:

  • “Coconut-cream pie in a glass.”
  • “Not like eggnog, but good. Coconut-y.”
  • “Yummy! Tastes like delicious melted ice cream!”
  • “The best yummiest non-dairy drink! “

Organic Valley Organic Eggnog

  • A traditional recipe using organic milk, cream, eggs, vanilla and nutmeg
  • Ultra-pasteurized

Taster comments:

  • “Love it! Tastes just like classic eggnog.”
  • “Very light, tastes like it could be low fat. I like it, but want a bit more nutmeg.”
  • “Nice and creamy, but still kind of light. Not too spicy.”
  • “Just like my mom used to make it. Nice balance of flavors.”

Looking for a non-dairy drink for the holidays that’s not a nog? We have that covered, too! Try the So Delicious Mint Chocolate Coconut Milk Beverage or Westsoy’s Chocolate Peppermint Stick Soy Beverage.

And, for the perfect holiday brunch or Christmas morning breakfast, put together Baked Eggnog French Toast in the evening and simply bake it in the morning.

Do you have any nog traditions – homemade, from a carton, non-dairy or otherwise?