I Tried 5 Store-Bought Eggnogs & the Best Was Light and Nutty

For just a few sweet and short weeks every year, eggnog appears on store shelves and cafe menus. Though it can be one of the unhealthiest holiday drinks, it remains a widely beloved and time-honored indulgence. As soon as the first bells jingle and string lights are strung, you can find cartons of festively decorated nog to sip straight up or mix with a splash of something for the adults.

Of course, eggnog is not your typical beverage. Some might consider it more of a dessert. Cream and milk are enriched with egg yolks to make a decidedly rich, decadent, and delicious drink. If you're going to indulge in a mug or two of the season's creamiest beverage, you want to ensure you're having the best.

I tasted five of the most common eggnog brands from the grocery store. I sampled each nog fresh from the fridge and ranked them in descending order from my least favorite to the very best. Here's how they stacked up:

Southern Comfort Eggnog

Like most eggnogs, this one from liquor brand Southern Comfort is a once-a-year limited run. It's alcohol-free and has the richest nutrition facts in the lineup, with high-fructose corn syrup as the third ingredient and corn syrup as the fifth (with sugar in between). A carton cost me $3.99.

The look: This eggnog had a markedly thicker, denser texture than the others. The color is a pale off-white with a slight yellowish hue.

The taste: This is an extremely decadent and creamy eggnog. It's thicker and less pourable than the others, and the texture is bordering on overly thickened. It's also super sweet without much nuance in flavor from nutmeg or vanilla. This eggnog is likely designed to be spiked with Southern Comfort, which could be an improvement.

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Lactaid Eggnog

Lactaid makes eggnog with real cow's milk treated with lactase enzymes to remove the sugars that can cause a reaction in people with lactose intolerance. It's sweetened with sugar and treated with yellow 5 and 6 and red 40 food dyes. A carton cost me $3.99.

The look: Those food colorings are working hard in this eggnog. This is by far the most yellow nog of the bunch—it looks a little unnatural compared to the competition (which it is).

The taste: This eggnog was less flavorful than the others. It didn't have a strong vanilla flavor, but it was satisfyingly sweet and not overly cloying or thick.

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Hood Vanilla Eggnog

Hood's eggnog is sweetened with sugar and high fructose corn syrup. It doesn't include food coloring and is made from a combination of whole milk, cream, and skim milk. A carton cost me $4.29.

The look: This eggnog doesn't appear very eggy at first glance. It has a pure, uniform white color, like slightly thicker milk.

The taste: This eggnog is on the sweeter side with a subtle vanilla note that's not overwhelming, but it pushes the drink more towards a dessert than an aperitif.

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Farmland Dairies Eggnog

This New Jersey-based family-owned business makes cream, milk, and other dairy products. Its eggnog is made with a few simple ingredients and gets its yellowish color from annatto and turmeric, two natural food colorings. A carton cost me $4.79.

The look: The Farmland eggnog is pourable, not overly thick or slow. It has a fresh white color with just the slightest twinge of yellow.

The taste: This eggnog tastes like melted vanilla ice cream or a milkshake. It's perfectly sweet with a lovely vanilla flavor. It's not too dense or thick, but still tastes like a treat.

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Organic Valley Eggnog

Organic Valley releases its reduced-fat eggnog in the fourth quarter every year, and it's something to look forward to. I like that this drink is lighter than others. It's lower in fat and contains slightly less sugar, which makes it all the more drinkable. OV eggnog is made from organic ingredients and no high-fructose corn syrup. A carton cost me $6.49—the highest price in this survey, but the extra expense comes with a noticeable upgrade in quality.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

The look: This is the most speckled eggnog in the bunch. It's full of natural flecks of nutmeg, and possibly vanilla. Be sure to shake the carton well, but expect the last few sips in your glass to be full of speckles.

The taste: I love the fresh, natural flavor of this eggnog. It's very nutmeg-forward and has a cozy, warming flavor perfect for the holidays. The texture is smooth and drinkable, not cloying, and it's just sweet enough—you're not at risk of a total sugar crash with this eggnog.

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