We Tried the New Dairy-Free Reddi-Wip—Here’s What We Thought
Here’s how Reddi-wip’s dairy-free whipped cream really tastes.
If you’ve seen Reddi-wip’s new dairy-free whipped creams popping up all over the internet, you’re probably just as curious as we were to give ‘em a try. The two new varieties—made from almond milk and coconut milk, respectively—are both gluten-free and dairy-free (but not vegan...more on that later).
The 6-ounce cans came out in late May at Publix, Hy-Vee, and Wakefern for a suggested retail price of $3.99. But look out, because the products will be distributed around the nation throughout the summer, according to Amy Morgan, brand communications manager at Conagra.
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The whipped toppings contain no artificial sweeteners or artificial preservatives and boast only 10 calories per two tablespoons, compared to their dairy whipped cream counterpart which contains 15 calories. The dairy-free varieties do not contain any saturated fat and only .5g of total fat. Compare that to the dairy variety, which contains 1g fat and .5g saturated fat per serving. Both the dairy and non-dairy whipped toppings contain less than 1g of sugar per serving.
Our only concern nutritionally is the inclusion of mono- and diglycerides in the canned creams. The additives come from chemically splitting fats to keep water and oil from separating. These often come from hydrogenated fats, which sometimes have trace amounts of trans unsaturated fatty acids (and potentially animal products), according to the Environmental Working Group. Despite this, the Center for Science in the Public Interest classifies the chemicals as safe to consume, and indicates they are often used in baked goods, peanut butter, margarine, and candies.
So what’s with the sudden dairy-free addition to Reddi-wip’s line of products? Ryan Clark, president of the Refrigerated and Frozen division at Conagra Brands, said in a press release, "We've seen tremendous growth in non-dairy, plant-based foods due to consumers' dietary restrictions and changing taste preferences.” He added, “This is an exciting innovation for Reddi-wip that addresses this broader consumer demand and the requests we've received from consumers asking us to bring a non-dairy variety to market."
As for the taste? We are big (and I mean big) fans of the coconut milk whipped cream. The texture is nearly indistinguishable from traditional dairy-based whipped creams, and the flavor is definitely coconut-forward. Staffers who tried the topping exclaimed it would be delicious with fresh fruit, mixed into coffee, or on a slice of tropical pie.
One staffer described the coconut whipped topping as, “creamy, smooth, and sweet. So tasty with a strong coconut flavor, but not overpowering.” Another added, “there’s a super rich mouthfeel and sweet coconutty flavor.” We’ll definitely be grabbing a few cans once they hit a national market.
As for the almond milk whipped cream, tasters were a little less thrilled. Though the texture with still creamy and and fluffy, the flavor was slightly off-putting. Ingredient wise, the almond milk is followed by coconut cream, leaving a very strong coconut flavor and a light almond aftertaste. One taster said, “I taste a lot of coconut in this, which is unexpected. But I don’t hate it at all.”
So, unless you’re really into the slightly bitter flavor of almond milk, it may be worth opting for the coconut-only version. But either way, we’re big fans of these dairy-free alternatives and can’t wait to try them on all of our summer pies and fruit salads.