We’re always looking for new products and resources. When we find something that you – our readers – might be interested in, we love to share!
A recent find is JOI, which classifies itself as a nutbase. What’s a nutbase you ask? It’s simply a nut concentrate that can be mixed with water to create plant-based milk. JOI currently has four products – almond, organic almond, cashew and an almond/cashew blend.
The product is a thick paste that comes in a 15 oz (or 8 lb!) container. It’s shelf-stable, even after being opened. No refrigeration necessary. You simply scoop some paste, blend with water and you’ve got yourself nut milk.
The instructions say to add 1-2 tablespoons of JOI to 1 cup of cold water in a blender. After blending for 30 seconds, you have your nut milk. We found that 1 tablespoon is enough to reach a milky consistency. Typically we’re using milk to top granola, make Nice Cream or in baking. If you’re wanting to simply drink the milk on it’s own, you may prefer using 2 tablespoons, which offers a creamier texture.
Does getting the blender out each time you need nut milk sounds like too much work? No problem – you can make a big batch! For example, blend 4 tablespoons of JOI and 4 cups of water. Store this big batch in the fridge for a week but you will need to give it a shake before pouring (it will separate slightly).
Important note: While I wish I could tell you to skip the blender and simply stir or whisk, the final product is simply not as good. Even shaking it vigorously in a jar with a lid doesn’t quite get the milk where it needs to be. With stirring or shaking, it’s hard to get the JOI to completely dissolve AND it separates very quickly. I would resort to hand mixing only if necessary – like if you’re taking your JOI camping (which is a great use-case)!
A big plus with JOI is that there’s just one ingredient – NUTS! ?? Store-bought almond and cashew milk are made of nuts and water, but they also contain a pretty long list of additives for texture, to prevent separating and make it last longer. Unless you’re soaking, blending and straining your nut milk from raw nuts, these additives are nearly impossible to avoid. Big win for JOI!
Finally, the cost. Here’s the math:
JOI: 15 oz for $19.99 = 27 cups = 74 cents/cup
Generic, unsweetened almond milk at my local grocery: 1/2 gallon for $2.99 = 8 cups = 37 cents/cup
JOI is about twice as expensive as generic almond milk. However, the gap gets smaller when you’re purchasing non-generic options or cashew milk (like Silk, Oatly, etc.) See those price and nutrition comparisons below..
Let’s wrap things up with the pros and cons:
Pros:
- ONE ingredient, no additives or preservatives
- Travel friendly, no refrigeration necessary
- Long shelf-life
- Won’t run out quickly, one container makes 27 servings!
- Taste and consistency very similar to other plant-based milk options
Cons:
- More expensive than store-bought
- Must blend before using
If you’re wanting to try it out for yourself, click HERE to order from the JOI website. ? This link will give you 10% off your order (*affiliate link).
*We are a participant in the JOI Affiliate Program, designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to the JOI website. We use all products and ingredients that we link to and recommend them because we believe they are a good choice for you.
What about adding the nut base straight to hot coffee/tea instead of adding milk? Any chance the hot liquid is enough to dissolve the paste without needing to blend it?
Great question! When trying this with hot tea I found that it didn’t dissolve completely. It seems that blending into milk before using is the best bet!
Do they ship to Canada???
Yes, they do!
They ship to Canada, but it is $70 for shipping + duty.
Thanks for the info, Trish! I believe Canadian residents can order Joi through Switch Grocery (https://www.switchgrocery.com/) and shipping varies. When I put in a few different addresses within Canada shipping came out to $9.99. Hope this helps!
the first container I had bought was nice; but I had noticed when using for baking I had to double the spoons or more to get a creamy texture; then I purchased two more; started to notice that the milk was not being blended; I have a high power blender and even after I did it for almost a minute (it states only 30 seconds) I had to use a nut bug and a cheese cloth to get rid of the gruanules or pieces that did not blend; ordered another batch and it was worse. I am back to buying organic almond milk at the store or I will make it. this was a good concept, but it was a nightmare for me.
Hi Kungaa. I’m sorry to hear you were let down with the quality. I haven’t noticed this, but will start paying more attention when I’m using it. I typically use it for cooking and baking exclusively, rarely for drinking, so the granules haven’t been a problem. Since it’s made up of 100% almond (or cashews), the final product won’t be quite as perfect as the store-bought plant milks because those have additives that keep them from separating and keep them shelf stable. It all comes down to what you prefer!
I’m curious about mixing with a Blender Bottle or similar? Has anyone tried mixing that way?
Great question! While a blender bottle can work in a pinch, to get the creamiest consistency, an electric blender is definitely best. When trying a blender bottle we noticed that some of the JOI stuck to the shaker ball. This isn’t an issue in an electric blender.