What Are Nonfat Dry Milk Vegan Substitutes

Mar 31, 2011 | By Kat Long

Vegan chefs often adapt conventional recipes to be free of all animal-derived products. Nondairy powdered milk products, available in health stores and from online retailers, replace dairy-derived nonfat dry milk in vegan baked treats, dairy dishes and beverages. Vegan nonfat dry "milks" are made from grains and contain no animal ingredients, yet seamlessly replace regular nonfat dry milk in recipes without any noticeable change in flavor, consistency or color.

Soy Milk Powder

Nonfat dry soy milk is simply dehydrated soy milk and acts just like regular nonfat dry milk in any dish. When adapting recipes, use the same amount of unflavored powdered soy milk as you would regular nonfat dry milk. Just add water to reconstitute dry soy milk into liquid beverage form. Soy milk powder is lactose-, cholesterol-, casein- and fat-free, and contains about as much protein as regular milk. Manufacturers often add calcium to soy milk to increase its nutrients.

Rice Milk Powder

Another dehydrated grain-based "milk" in powdered form, rice milk is usually made from brown rice and may be sweetened with sugar, flavored or unsweetened. Powdered rice milk is cholesterol-, lactose-, soy-, gluten- and fat-free, and does not contain as much protein or calcium as dairy nonfat dry milk. Add rice milk powder to recipes as you would regular nonfat dry milk.

Potato Milk Powder

While not as widely available in health food stores as soy milk or rice milk powders, potato milk powder is worth seeking out for vegans with soy or gluten allergies. Potato milk powder, either plain or flavored, is casein-, cholesterol- and fat-free. Use an equal amount of potato milk powder as regular nonfat dry milk in vegan recipes.

Activated Barley Powder

Sometimes called barley milk or simply barley powder, activated barley powder is made from the presprouted grain. Activated barley powder works best as a supplement mixed into fruit juice or vegan smoothie rather than in baked goods due to its high fiber content. It contains gluten, so it is not suitable for gluten-sensitive vegans.