Are acai bowls dairy free? Sometimes. There’s no hard and fast rule because it depends on where you purchase your smoothie bowls. Let’s take a deeper look at this.

It’s very common to find dairy products at shops that sell smoothies and smoothie bowls. However, we’re living in great times and most of these places have vegan options (dairy free) available as well. However, it’s important to manage your expectations, call ahead, and communicate effectively. I’ve found that about 30% of people with food allergies, including those on a dairy-free diet, cannot consume food made on shared equipment (cross contact/contamination) with what they’re allergic to.

If you’re in that 30% group, and you’d like to purchase acai smoothie bowls when you’re out, look for a plant-based or vegan shop where there won’t be any milk on site. Alternatively, ask if the shop has a dedicated set of dairy free equipment they can use when making your smoothie bowl.

What’s Usually in an Acai Bowl?

When purchasing acai bowls, these are the usual ingredients. A lot of recipes online will call for similar ingredients:

• Acai Berries and/or Acai Powder
• Milk and/or Yogurt
• Additional Frozen Fruit
• Toppings Such as Fresh Fruit or Granola

These days, most places serving smoothies and smoothie bowls offer a range of non-dairy milks including almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk, and oat milk. What’s important to note is that most commercial plant-based milk is made on shared equipment with dairy. Again, if you’re in the 30% group, you need to call ahead before purchasing from a commercial shop.

Many shops allow you to add a range of toppings or mix-ins. Some of those include:

• Almond Butter (and sometimes peanut butter or other nut/seed/legume butters)
• Bee Pollen
• Chia Seeds
• Coconut Flakes or Coconut Shreds
• Hemp Seeds
• Protein Powder

What is an Acai Berry?

There’s a good reason acai berries are popular given their numerous health benefits, so let’s take a closer look at these awesome berries. Acai berries are mainly grown in South America and come from the acai palm tree (one of many types of palm trees). Interestingly, hearts of palm, a type of vegetable that’s relatively popular, comes from the same tree.

The fresh berries look similar to grapes, and have a very deep, rich purple color. These purple berries have a large seed in the middle, and are actually drupes, not botanical berries. You won’t find fresh berries in grocery stores since they have a short shelf-life. Instead, you’ll see a range of acai-based products sold such as freeze dried, frozen purée, and acai powder.

One of the top health benefits if you ask me is that acai berries are packed with antioxidants. This means that they help neutralize free radicals in the body and help prevent cell damage. When compared to other berries, acai berries have just about the highest antioxidant content. However, that doesn’t mean they’re the only berry that can help you. Whilst they’re hailed as a superfood, there are plenty of others to choose from.

If you want to learn more about the health benefits of acai berries, check out this article on Healthline.

How to a Make Dairy Free Acai Bowl at Home

If you’re looking to make a healthy breakfast or tasty snack, making your own vegan acai bowl at home can be an option. It’s also less expensive to make a classic acai bowl at home.

First, you’ll want to make your smoothie base with either frozen acai berry (berries or purée). In recent years, many grocery stores have started to carry frozen acai packets. Acai puree packets are easy to use and the Costco in my area sometimes has them in bulk. That’s allowed me to experiment with different flavour combos for the kids without breaking the bank.

Once the smoothie is the consistency that you enjoy, pour it into a bowl. From there, add your favorite toppings and/or your favorite fruits. My kids love smoothie bowls with banana slices and mini chocolate chips.

I often make the smoothie with frozen banana (for a great creamy consistency), dairy free milk that’s homemade, organic maple syrup, vanilla extract, strawberries, and the acai purée.

Topping Ideas

When you make your own homemade acai bowls, you’re not limited on topping options. Anything you like, you can have 🙂 The topping ideas are popular choices, but also some you may not have thought of.

• Crushed Freeze Dried Fruit (blueberries, cherries, and raspberries all add a great texture)
• Dried Fruit
• Fresh Fruit Slices (banana, strawberry, and raspberry are all delicious options)
• Glazed Nuts and/or Seeds
• Homemade Granola
• Homemade Gummy Bears (like these, I make them with maple)
• Macambo Nuts or Pilli Nuts (two varieties most people have never heard of, both nutrient dense)
• Mini White Chocolate Chips
• Nut/Seed/Legume Butter
• Puffed Plain/Unsweetened Cereal (Lovebird Foods is a great option)
• Shaved Dark Chocolate

Answering Common Questions About Acai Bowls

Do you have any ideas for crunchy toppings besides coconut for an acai bowl?

Absolutely! There are quite a few crunchy items I think you could add to your delicious bowls. Here’s a list of simple ingredients that can go a long way:

• Crushed Graham Crackers (this is the grain free graham cracker recipe I use for my kids)
• Crushed Rice Cakes (you can experiment with different rice cake flavours)
• Lovebird Foods Cereal, break into pieces then sprinkle all over
• Glazed and Crushed Nuts (think maple glazed almonds, etc.)
• Sprouted Nuts & Seeds
• Toasted Seeds such as sunflower seeds

Could I use acai powder in an acai bowl recipe?

Yes, you absolutely can. However, know that you most likely won’t find this in your local grocery store. You’ll need to order acai powder online from a reputable company. My personal choice is the Navitas Organic Acai Powder. I also like that their products don’t have added sugar, or other ingredients such as citric acid or ascorbic acid.

If you opt for the powder, you’ll want to mix the powder very well into your smoothie base. Then, add all of your toppings. What you want to avoid is sprinkling powder all over the top of your smoothie bowl. I don’t think your taste buds would love that experience as the powder will be very forward.

Do I really need a powerful blender to make a smoothie bowl recipe at home, or can I use something small?

You can use something small as long as you aren’t using too many frozen ingredients. One of the main benefits to using a powerful blender is that you can use a lot of frozen ingredients and honestly end up with something very close to an instant ice cream.

With a less powerful blender, you’ll need to make sure you have enough liquid ingredients. How much liquid in the blender will really determine how well the blades will be able to perform. Also, make sure the liquid/non-frozen ingredients are added to the blender first so your mix has the best chances of blending well and delivering a delicious taste.

Do you know of a dairy free Greek yogurt option?

At the time of publishing, the only dairy free Greek yogurt option I know of is from Kite Hill Foods. You’ll have to reach out to them to find out if it’s made on shared equipment with dairy, as some of their yogurts are made on shared equipment. My kids haven’t had this straight, so I can’t tell you about the taste, but I can tell you it works well in recipes. I’ve made a few recipes with this Greek yogurt, and they’ve come out well.

Would acai berries taste good in an ice cream?

With the right ratios, this would taste delicious. The key is to balance your sugar to berry ratio. If you’ve made ice cream recipes in the past, I’d suggest starting with a vanilla ice cream recipe you enjoy. Swap some of the milk in the recipe for an acai berry purée or strained juice that you make at home. This will help ensure the ice cream comes out smooth.

Another great way to incorporate acai berries into an ice cream is to make a syrup from acai berries, and use that as a ribbon to fold into a vanilla ice cream recipe that you enjoy. This would ensure that you don’t lose any of the creamy texture that you’re used to from your ice cream recipe. No matter which way you go, I’d say yes, this can absolutely work.

If I order a vegan açaí bowl, does that mean it’s dairy free?

Usually, yes, that will mean it’s dairy free. I want to point your attention this article that covers lab grown and engineered proteins that are vegan, but replicate cow’s milk. If you’re allergic to milk, you’ll have an allergic reaction to these lab grown proteins. Make sure your vegan açaí bowl does not include products made from said proteins.

Barring that, yes, when you order vegan açaí smoothie bowls, they’ll be dairy free and free from all other animal and insect derived products. I’ll also add though, depending on your restrictions, you’ll need to ask the shop if they source their raw materials from dairy free facilities/equipment. It’s an easy oversight a lot of vegan and plant-based places make because “allergy free/friendly” isn’t their primary goal.

 

Have a question? Send it to ask@theallergychef.com