Many people love eggnog and many people hate it. It’s rich, creamy, and made with eggs as its name implies.
But, does it also have another ingredient that some people may wish to avoid? The ingredient we are talking about is dairy. You’ll find the answer below in our discussion about the ingredients in eggnog.
Does Eggnog Contain Dairy?
As a refresher or for people who do not know, dairy products are made from the milk of mammals such as cows, goats, and sheep. These products include milk, cream, butter, cheese, and yogurt, among others.
Dairy is a common ingredient in eggnog. In fact, milk and cream are typically the most predominant ingredients in it.
To provide evidence to back this statement, you can reference the table below which reflects a selection of eggnog products. As you can see, all of the eggnogs featured below have two or more dairy ingredients.
| Eggnog Brand | Dairy (Yes or No)? | Ingredients |
|---|---|---|
| Borden – Classic Eggnog | Yes | Milk, Cream, Sugar, Nonfat Milk, Egg Yolks, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Nutmeg, Guar Gum, Carrageenan, Annatto and Turmeric (Colors), Mono and Diglycerides. |
| C.F. Burger – Old Fashioned Eggnog | Yes | Milk, Sugar, Cream, Nonfat Dry Milk, Corn Syrup, Egg Yolks, Guar Gum, Mono & Diglycerides, Sodium Phosphates, Carrageenan, Natural & Artificial Flavors, Sodium Citrate, Magnesium Oxide, Annatto And Turmeric Color, Citric Acid, Nutmeg, Caramel, Color, Potassium Sorbate, And Sodium Benzoate As Preservatives |
| Hiland – Old Fashioned Egg Nog | Yes | Milk, Cream, Sugar, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Egg Yolks, Whey, Nonfat Milk, Stabilizer (Guar Gum, Gelatin, Carrageenan, Cellulose Gum, Gum Acacia), Natural And Artificial Flavors, Nutmeg Oil, Salt And Annatto-turmeric Extract (For Color). |
| Hood – Golden Eggnog | Yes | Milk, Cream, Sugar, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Egg Yolks, Fat Free Milk, Natural & Artificial Flavors, Guar Gum, Salt, Carrageenan, Mono & Diglycerides, Spice, Yellow 5 & 6 And Red 40. |
| Kroger – Rich & Creamy Low Fat Eggnog | Yes | Pasteurized Homogenized Skim Milk and Cream, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Sugar, Egg Base (Egg Yolk, Sugar, Guar Gum, Carrageenan, Salt, Artificial Flavor), Spices, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Annatto and Turmeric Extracts (For Color), Vitamin A Palmitate |
| McArthur Dairy | Yes | Milk, Cream, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Sugar, Egg Yolk Solids, Nonfat Milk, Whey, Corn Starch, Guar Gum, Salt, Nutmeg, Carrageenan, Natural And Artificial Flavor, Turmeric And Annatto (Colors). |
| Oak Farms | Yes | Milk, Cream, Sugar, Corn Syrup, Pasteurized Egg Yolks, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Contains 2% or Less: Whey, Nonfat Milk, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Nutmeg, Annatto and Turmeric (for Color), Guar Gum, Carrageenan, Mono and Diglycerides, Yellow 5, Yellow 6. |
| Southern Comfort – Traditional Egg Nog | Yes | Milk, Cream, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Sugar, Corn Syrup, Egg Yolks, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Spice, Fat Free Milk, Carrageenan, Guar Gum, Mono and Diglycerides, Annatto and Turmeric (For Color), Salt, Disodium Phosphate. |
| T.G. Lee | Yes | Milk, Cream, Sugar, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Egg Yolk, Corn Syrup, Nonfat Milk, Natural & Artificial Flavoring, Potassium Sorbate (Preservative), Artificial Color, Spice And Coloring (Contains Turmeric), Dextrose, Guar Gum, Carrageenan, Salt. |
| Turkey Hill | Yes | Milk, Sugar, Cream, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Egg Yolks, Nonfat Milk, Whey, Dextrose, Natural And Artificial Flavors, Nutmeg, Guar Gum, Carrageenan, Annatto And Turmeric For Color |
If you are unsure whether the eggnog you are purchasing contains dairy and this information is meaningful to you, it is best to check the label. The ingredients on the label will be the most accurate and will allow you to make an appropriate buying decision.
Many manufacturers will clearly label their products as “dairy-free” or “vegan” if they do not contain any dairy ingredients. When in doubt, you may wish to avoid the product or you can contact the manufacturer with questions.
Dairy-Free Eggnog
There has been an explosion in the demand for dairy alternatives in recent years. For every major dairy product, there is a dairy alternative for it readily available at major grocery stores. This includes dairy-free eggnog located in many dairy sections when the holiday season rolls around.
Below are some of the popular dairy-free eggnog options you might consider if regular nog doesn’t fit your diet. We indicate the type of plant-based milk used in them in case you’re looking for a specific kind.
Dairy-Free Eggnog Brands
- Silk – Original Nog (Soymilk)
- Califia Farms – Holiday Nog (Almondmilk)
- So Delicious – Holiday Nog (Coconutmilk)
- Earth’s Own – Oat Nog (Oatmilk)
Lactose-Free Eggnog
Lactaid makes a lactose-free eggnog for people who are lactose intolerant or sensitive to dairy. It is made with real dairy, however, the dairy (milk & cream) is lactose-free.
Lactaid products are made with a lactase enzyme added to them. This enzyme breaks down the natural sugar in milk known as lactose. The result is lactose-free dairy that can be tolerated by people who are lactose intolerant.
