Which is better value?

RedApple_3

I often like to use coconut milk in my cooking and am trying to figure out which is the better value between two products.

Both items are pressed coconut diluted with water:

A 400ml can of coconut milk which is 56% coconut (and therefore 44% water) and costs 98 pence,
or
A 250ml carton of coconut cream which is 78% coconut (and therefore 22% water) and costs 78 pence.

So my question is... would it work out cheaper to buy the 250ml cartons and add 150ml water, or will the coconut percentage of the resulting liquid actually be weaker than the can of coconut milk?

If anyone can explain how to do the calculations required, I'd appreciate your input!

valk_scot

First example gives you 224 mls of "pure" coconut for 98p, ie 2.29 mls per penny. Second example gives you 195 mls of coconut for 78p, or 2.5 mls per penny. Not a lot in it, is there?

Personally I'd buy the size and concentration that most suits what you're cooking.

Bongedone

Its very similar but the 250ml carton just pips it. 2.5ml per pence compared to 2.29ml per pence for the 400ml can.

Bongedone

valk_scot wrote: »

First example gives you 224 mls of "pure" coconut for 98p, ie 2.29 mls per penny. Second example gives you 195 mls of coconut for 78p, or 2.5 mls per penny.

Personally I'd buy the size and concentration that most suits what you're cooking.

Beaten to it.

AudreyHepburn_2

The cream costs: 78p divided by 78% coconut = 1 p per 1% coconut.

The milk costs: 98p divided by 56% cocconut = 1.75 p per % coconut.

song_of_calliope

Fun question!

Well, and I think this is right but am not entirely certain, I work out out that if there is 56% coconut in 400ml, you multiply .56 * 400 = 224ml coconut milk. Divide this by 98 to find out that you get 2.29 ml of coconut milk per p with this one.

For the other, you work it out the same way: .78 * 250 means you only get 195ml of coconut milk, so 29ml less coconut milk. The price is 195/78 so you get 2.5 ml of coconut milk per p.

So the second one is a better deal as you get more coconut milk per p, even though you get a bit less coconut milk total with it.

RedApple_3

valk_scot wrote: »

First example gives you 224 mls of "pure" coconut for 98p, ie 2.29 mls per penny. Second example gives you 195 mls of coconut for 78p, or 2.5 mls per penny. Not a lot in it, is there?

Personally I'd buy the size and concentration that most suits what you're cooking.

Thanks! As I see it, the advantage of buying the carton of coconut cream is that I don't have to have two different versions in stock as I can just dilute the cream if my recipe calls for milk.

Also, the 250ml carton takes up less space in the cupboard - an important consideration if you like to have several in stock but never seem to have enough cupboard space!

RedApple_3

song_of_calliope wrote: »

Fun question!

Well, and I think this is right but am not entirely certain, I work out out that if there is 56% coconut in 400ml, you multiply .56 * 400 = 224ml coconut milk. Divide this by 98 to find out that you get 2.29 ml of coconut milk per p with this one.

For the other, you work it out the same way: .78 * 250 means you only get 195ml of coconut milk, so 29ml less coconut milk. The price is 195/78 so you get 2.5 ml of coconut milk per p.

So the second one is a better deal as you get more coconut milk per p, even though you get a bit less coconut milk total with it.

Thank you - I like the way you've explained it!

RedApple_3

Incidentally, there is a certain brand of coconut milk currently on special offer in at least one supermarket - two 400ml cans for £1

However, the percentage of coconut is not stated on the can, so there is no way to compare with other brands and hence no way of knowing how much of a bargain this actually is. Or even whether it would be useable for a particular recipe.

I would have thought it a legal requirement to state the percentage, but is that just wishful thinking on my part?

valk_scot

Well, what I use are these sachets of "100% creamed coconut", according to the back of the pack. There are 4 x 50g sachets in the box and I think the box (Pataks) is about 78p too. Assuming it's pure coconut then it also works out at 2.56g of coconut per penny ie not much different, but it's very easy to just use one sachet at a time if you don't need or want too coconutty a taste in that particular recipe.

RedApple_3

valk_scot wrote: »

Well, what I use are these sachets of "100% creamed coconut"

Yes I use those too, very useful having the individual portions.

Assuming it's pure coconut then it also works out at 2.56g of coconut per penny ie not much different,

Actually it's technically a different product to the ones I originally posted about. Coconut milk and coconut cream are produced by pressing or squeezing the coconut meat to extract the liquid (and then adding water). Whereas creamed coconut is the coconut meat ground into a paste (so it includes the fibrous content). And it's not diluted with water, hence it's 100% coconut.