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Half & Half Delivery or Pickup
The Instacart guide to half & half
A trip down the dairy aisle in the Instacart app for many consumers includes choosing half and half. But what exactly is half and half? It's a milk product that's half whole milk and half light cream. Most commonly used as a creamer in coffee, half and half can also be used in baking and cooking. The fat content is between whole milk, about 3.5% fat, and whipping cream, 30-33% fat. According to the FDA, half and half must contain between 10.5-18% milkfat. Basically, half and half is the perfect all-around creamer for any household. Watching your weight? You'll be happy to learn that half and half has fewer calories than heavy cream and some coffee creamers, and who doesn't like that?
About half and half
There's more than one type of half and half to choose from, including:
- Half and half: For the purist, the original half and half is best. The only ingredients are milk and cream. Nothing less, nothing more. Regardless of the brand you buy, the end result will usually taste the same. Not sure if it's for you? Think of those little creamer pods (the ones without flavoring) offered to you at restaurants. They are the perfect example of half and half, so if you like those, you've already tried half and half.
- Low-fat half and half: Love half and half but want to watch your calorie intake? Low-fat half and half might be right for you. This lower-fat version of the original is made with milk and cream but in a lower-fat version. Be aware that low-fat half and half usually is made with carrageenan, which is an emulsifier.
- Fat-free half and half: The lowest-fat-content half and half available is fat-free half and half. Made with skim milk, corn syrup, and coloring, among other ingredients, it looks much like the original. While the fat is removed, you'll have to decide if upping the sugar content, along with other additives, makes this half and half a reasonable alternative to the original.
- Lactose-free half and half: If you're looking for the familiar taste of half and half without all the pesky side effects that are associated with dairy for those who are lactose-intolerant, then lactose-free half and half is definitely your half and half of choice. All that's added to lactose-free half and half is an enzyme that helps break down the lactose, but you'll get the same great taste of half and half you've always loved.
- Dairy-free half and half: For anyone going dairy-free, various brands of vegan alternatives to half and half are available, and some might contain half oat milk and half coconut milk or coconut cream and almond milk. In the end, the choice is yours. With so many choices, you'll hopefully find it a feasible alternative to the familiar dairy version of half and half you've grown to love.
For anyone looking to save time shopping, decide on your half and half of choice when you order through Instacart. Once you've placed your order, an Instacart shopper will fill your order for you. You can receive your half and half in as little as 2 hours when you order via Instacart!
How long does half and half last?
When purchasing half and half, it's important to check the carton for the sell by date. This date is what you should look for before you even open it, as you'll want the freshest dairy product available and not one that's past the sell-by date. Unopened, half and half has a shelf life of 7-10 days. Once opened, it's recommended that consumers use half and half within 3-5 days.
You can tell if half and half has gone bad or spoiled simply by the smell or curdled appearance once poured out. If you smell something sour or see curdled creamer, throw it out and buy some fresh half and half.
Half & Half Near Me
Buy your favorite Half & Half online with Instacart. Order Half & Half from local and national retailers near you and enjoy on-demand, contactless delivery or pickup within 2 hours.
FAQs about half and half
Unfortunately, no. While the keto diet is a low-carb, low-sugar, and high-fat diet, half and half doesn't exactly fit into the typical keto plan. Since the keto diet is one where you're eating more fat and less sugar, this is the reason why half and half isn't considered an approved keto item. Since half and half is half milk, which has about 12g of sugar per serving on average, and cream, the final product is lower in fat and contains sugar as opposed to the keto-friendly creamer of choice, heavy cream. Some people work around this by using only one or two tablespoons in their morning cup of coffee because they prefer the taste of half and half to cream.