EGG NOGS - CLOSEST TO HOMEMADE®

Information updated November 2023

Another annual favorite for millions, Egg Nog is a sign the holidays are here!

Egg Nog is relatively simple to make with only a few ingredients: Eggs, Dairy, Sugar + Spices.

Unfortunately, most commercial Egg Nogs have multiple ingredients Not In Kitchen™ >> ingredients we would never use at home to make Egg Nog from scratch.

Let’s see what’s in some of the most popular brands of Egg Nog . . . note: sometimes it is spelled as two words and sometimes as one word >> you will see both Egg Nog and Eggnog in this review, as per the brand’s spelling.

CATAMOUNT DAIRY HOLDINGS HOOD EGGNOGS ARE ALL BANNED AT WHOLE FOODS: All of these Hood Eggnogs contain High Fructose Corn Syrup which Whole Foods cites as “Unacceptable in food.” (Source for Hood ingredients: Catamount Dairy Holdings Hood Web site 11/23: Source: Amazon Whole Foods Web site 11/23) In addition, these Hood products all have Thickening Agents and Emulsifiers. three of them have Artificial Flavors and two have Artificial Color >> there are 3 Artificial Colors in the Golden Eggnog and 1 Artificial Color in the Pumpkin-flavored version.

Catamount Dairy Holdings Hood Golden Eggnog — below left — contains nine ingredients Not In Kitchen >> 3 Artificial Colors, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Artificial Flavors, Carrageenan, Guar Gum, Diglycerides and Monoglycerides.

Shown below, CAPITOL PEAK PARTNERS AND KKR’S BORDEN EGGNOG COMPARISON: Eggnog vs. Premium Eggnog. Borden Eggnog — below left — is banned at Whole Foods for containing Artificial Flavor. In addition, Borden Eggnog includes at least four other ingredients Not In Kitchen when making homemade Egg Nog including Carrageenan, Guar Gum, Annatto and added Commercial Natural Flavor. This Borden Eggnog in certain states also contains Monoglycerides and Diglycerides. Meanwhile, Borden Premium Eggnog — below right — has three ingredients Not In Kitchen including Guar Gum, Carrageenan and Annatto. (Source for ingredients: Capital Peak Partners and KKR Borden Web site 11/23)

Following is a snapshot of which ingredients are Not In Kitchen in some other manufactured Nogs: Target Good & Gather Oatmilk Holiday Nog contains Vegetable Oil (Sunflower and/or Canola and/or Palm) plus it contains Xanthan + Guar Gums (Thickening Agents), Annatto for added Color, Citric Acid (an FDA-recognized preservative), Vitamin A Palmitate and commercial Natural Flavors. Crystal Creamery Egg Nog is Far From Homemade™ with 7 ingredients Not In Kitchen including Egg Yolk Solids, Corn Syrup, 2 Thickening Agents, Commercial Flavors, Annatto and Whey. Garelick Farms Egg Nog is banned at Whole Foods for containing Artificial Flavor plus it contains Natural Flavor, Annatto, Carrageenan, Guar Gum and Whey. (Sources: Target, Instacart and Walmart Web sites 11/23; U.S. FDA 2023)

MORE NON-DAIRY NOGS: These non-Dairy Nogs below all contain multiple ingredients Not In Kitchen: Blue Diamond Almond Breeze Nog made with Almond Milk contains six ingredients Not In Kitchen including Potassium Citrate which is a Preservative, commercial Natural Flavors, 3 Thickening Agents and Sunflower Lecithin as an Emulsifying Agent; Silk Nog made with Soy Milk contains added Natural Flavor, Locust Bean Gum and Annatto for added Color (Note: This product lists ‘Rum’ as an ingredient); and Califia Farms Holiday Nog made with Almond Milk which has five ingredients Not In Kitchen including the Preservative Potassium Citrate, added commercial Natural Flavors, 2 Thickening Agents and an Emulsifier. (Sources for ingredients: Brand Web sites 11/23)

ORGANIC EGG NOG COMPARISON: Danone-owned Horizon Organic Lowfat Egg Nog vs. Straus Family Creamery Organic Eggnog. (Sources: Horizon package on Safeway Web site 11/23; Straus Family Creamery Web site 11/23)

Below left, Danone Horizon Lowfat Egg Nog has three Thickening Agents, Vitamin A Palmitate as a Preservative and added commercial Natural Flavor. The use of Nonfat Milk as the primary ingredient led to the inclusion of multiple Thickening Agents to compensate.

Below right, Straus Family Creamery Organic Eggnog is Closest To Homemade with the type of ingredients we would use at home.

CLOSEST TO HOMEMADE EGG NOGS: Shown below, these Egg Nogs have no Corn Syrups, Artificial Flavors, Natural Flavors, Chemical Preservatives, Artificial Colors, Gums, Lecithin or Carrageenan. They all contain Organic Dairy, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Eggs and Organic Nutmeg. (Sources for ingredients: Brand Web sites 11/23)

Closest To Homemade Egg Nogs include Local, yay! Look for Local like Rogers Farmstand — below left — which is certified Organic, Organic Alexandre Family Farm — center — made with Certified Humane Pasture-Raised Eggs and Grass-Fed Dairy, and Organic Straus Family Creamery — below right — certified Kosher and Non-GMO Project certified. Taste the real thing!

*Neither money nor products are ever accepted to appear on the Closest To Homemade list*

Here’s a Dairy-Free Organic Almond Milk Egg Nog from MALK which is Closest To Homemade:

Discover more food + beverages whose ingredients are Closest To Homemade in 275+ categories. Neither money nor products are ever accepted to appear on the Closest To Homemade list.

Closest To Homemade® Master List

Contact and follow us at: