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
- Cacao Nibs
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.
Would acai berries taste good with a pitaya bowl?
Can I just say, I’m a sucker for the striking colours of a pitaya bowl (aka dragon fruit)? From what my kids tell me, if there’s plenty of sweetness involved, it’s not the worst combination. However, they would rather have an acai bowl with something like bananas and strawberries, then have their pitaya bowl with yogurt, granola, and a banana.
Ultimately, the taste is going to come down to your preferences and your taste buds. Rather than make a huge batch (because these can be expensive ingredients), sample a small amount of dragon fruit and acai together. That will help you know if it’s something you’d like to eat.
Can I eat a vegan acai bowl if I have a lactose intolerance?
When ordering out, this would be an ideal choice for you. When you manage a lactose intolerance, though you can have some parts of milk, not all establishments will be ready to serve you with lactose free products. By ordering a vegan acai bowl, you’ve removed all the dairy products, including the lactose.
At home, I’d encourage you to find an easy recipe for an acai bowl, then use a lactose free milk to make your own version. I only say this because not everyone loves the taste of dairy free ingredients, and if you’re used to lactose free milk, it may be a bit of a shock to your taste buds.
What’s an easy way to use acai berries to make a healthy treat?
I think there are a few ways to incorporate acai berries into a healthy treat:
- Make acai gummies (you’ll need to make sure there’s plenty of sweetness as they can be jarring to some).
- Create a delicious sauce with acai berries and drizzle that on top of a vanilla ice cream.
- Make a vegan cheese cake with coconut cream, coconut oil, dates, vanilla, and maple. Then either swirl in an acai berry sauce, or drizzle an acai berry sauce on top.
Ordering vegan means zero dairy ingredients, correct?
Usually, yes. Ordering vegan will mean no dairy ingredients where a cow was involved. This article on lab engineered proteins is very helpful, since lab grown milk is becoming more prevalent at the moment.
However, assuming there were no lab grown ingredients at the establishment you visit, yes, ordering vegan means zero dairy ingredients (milk, butter, cheese, and everything else that comes from cow’s milk). Additionally, it means no honey, or any other product that’s animal or insect derived.
If cross-contact is an issue for you, be sure to talk with a manager before you even visit a place to eat.
Is the smoothie bowl bandwagon really worth it? Is it as good as everyone says or makes it look online?
Honestly, not really. I mean, smoothie bowls are totally cool, but it’s not something a lot of people incorporate into their daily breakfast routine. Remember, the things you see online are done for reactions, likes, popularity, and eventually the potential to make money (affiliate sale, ads, etc.).
My kids eat smoothie bowls maybe once a month or every other month, and only on the weekends when I have time to make them look really cool. If you’re looking to start the morning off on the right foot, it’s just as easy to make a regular smoothie and have a little bowl of granola on the side. Plus, if your mornings are busy, do you really have time to make the smoothie, transfer it, add toppings, and clean up that mess? Probably not. So, don’t worry about getting on the smoothie bowl bandwagon, I missed the ride and lived to tell the tale.
Would a dairy free acai smoothie bowl be considered a good snack option?
That depends on several factors. Here are the top things that come to mind:
- Is it practical for your time, energy, and budget?
- Do you like the taste?
- Would a smoothie bowl fit into your overall daily caloric and nutritional needs?
- Does your body feel nourished when consuming smoothies, or are you more of a protein + healthy fats kind of person?
On the surface, sure, a smoothie bowl of any flavor would be a good snack option, so long as it works for you. If you’re not sure about those questions, make a smoothie bowl once a week and have it as a snack, then be sure to track how you feel and function. If it works for you, then it’s a great snack option and you should explore all sorts of different flavour combinations.
If on the other hand you feel sluggish after eating smoothie bowls or feel like it was worth the time you put into it, move on to a different snack option. There’s no rule or law that says we must eat our foods (or smoothies in this case) a particular way. At the end of the day, the best snack option will be one that tastes good to you, fits your individual needs, and leaves you feeling fueled and satisfied.
What flavors would pair really well with acai berries?
There are a lot of great flavors that would work really well with acai berries. Here’s a list of fruits to consider:
- Mango
- Bananas
- Pineapple
- Strawberries
These four fruits are my kids’ favorites, and they’re all very complimenting of acai berries.
Is honey vegan?
No, honey isn’t vegan since it’s a by-product of insects. It would however be considered vegetarian. Vegan means zero animal and insect products. Vegetarian on the other hand means no animal flesh, so dairy ingredients, honey, and eggs are all allowed, just to name a few.
Would coconut water be a good base ingredient for my smoothie bowl?
If you enjoy the taste of coconut water, yes, it would be a great base ingredient. To use the coconut water, you’d add it in the blender along with your other smoothie ingredients. You’ll want to make sure there are enough frozen elements to work with the coconut water so you end up with a smoothie-like base rather than a super liquidy beverage that resembles soup more than smoothie.
If you’re wanting to use quite a bit of coconut water in your smoothie bowls, I’d suggest making coconut water ice cubes (you can also make ice cubes from juices you’d like to incorporate). This ensures that your smoothie will still have a rich thick body, whilst also incorporating ingredients that are normally very liquidy.
Which dairy free milk is the best to use when making açai bowls at home?
Honestly, any dairy-free milk of choice would work when you’re making an açai bowl at home. The key is making sure you actually like your dairy-free milk of choice. I’ll also add, it should be a plain (or vanilla) milk alternative. You wouldn’t want to use chocolate milk. Well, you could get away with banana milk or strawberry milk because those flavors will pair well with acai berries, but overall, a plain dairy-free milk of choice will be the ideal choice when making smoothie bowls at home.
I digress. The most neutral tasting milks will be rice milk and almond milk. From there, pretty much all milk alternatives are going to have some kind of *taste*, so make sure you sample what’s available in your area and select the one you really enjoy.
In terms of function, all milk alternatives can be used as a 1:1 substitute to cow’s milk in a recipe you may be following. Homemade dairy free milk can also be used.
Are açai bowls gluten-free?
That’s going to depend on the toppings. If you go out to eat and order an açai bowl with a granola topping, there’s a very good chance it’s not gluten-free. You’d need to talk with management before ordering to see what type of gluten-free toppings are available (cacao nibs, banana slices, and fresh fruit slices all come to mind).
If cross-contact is an issue for you, be sure to ask about that as well when speaking with the staff. The great news is that a lot of modern day smoothie shops and eateries that sell smoothie bowls have gluten-free options to choose from. I’ll also add this: you can also bring your own toppings (I did this when my kids we little).
There was a juice shop that sold soft serve dairy free “ice cream” (it was really a thickened milk, but I’m not complaining). I’d bring something like, ten different toppings in little baggies along with us. We got the “ice cream” in a bowl, then the kids would sit down and decorate their loot with the toppings I brought. It was GOLD. It allowed my kids to feel like they were having a normal experience, but also kept them safe. The staff never once gave me a hard time because they knew none of their toppings were safe for my kids.
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