a packet of creamer

[Saki6]

Is this a packet of creamer or a pack of creamer?

 

[GoesStation]

I wouldn't call something that contains a liquid a "pack" (AmE) of anything. The only word that comes to mind for the pictured item is a "container".

 

[dunchee]

Or "a/one creamer".

I once asked a friend(an American) about this when we were at a McDonald's, and that's the reply I got. It's like "a coffee" instead of "a cup of coffee".

--
Not a teacher.

 

[emsr2d2]

a small pot of creamer

 

[Raymott]

Here they're called "portions" or "single-packs".

https://www.officenational.com.au/shop/en/obb2cstore/dairy-farmers-uht-milk-portions-15ml-pack-200

 

[probus]

Or "a/one creamer".

--
Not a teacher.

Yes. "A creamer" is often heard in AmE

 

[emsr2d2]

If you were asking for one of those, you would just say "Can I have some creamer, please?" or possibly "Can I have a creamer, please?"

 

[Tdol]

If you were asking for one of those, you would just say "Can I have some creamer, please?" or possibly "Can I have a creamer, please?"

In the US.

 

[emsr2d2]

In the US.

Don't you think that's what we'd say in the UK?

 

[Tdol]

I don't hear creamer used. Despite what it is, I hear it called milk.

 

[emsr2d2]

OK, that's a fair point. Most people who don't know what the ingredients are would probably say "Can I have some milk, please?" However, Coffee-mate (as shown in the picture) is just one example of a "non-dairy creamer".

 

[probus]

I'm not even sure it is quite accurate to say non-dairy. The principal flovouring ingredient in creamer is caseinates. These compounds were first found in cheese. For all I know some caseinates may be made these days from non-dairy ingredients, but in a way they are still a "dairy" ingredient in the sense that they are a flavour found in dairy products.

 

[emsr2d2]

It's nothing to do with flavour. Sodium caseinate is one of the ingredients of most creamers and, even though it's a milk derivative, the final product is defined as "non-dairy" because it contains no lactose.

 

[Tdol]

I'm not even sure it is quite accurate to say non-dairy. The principal flovouring ingredient in creamer is caseinates. These compounds were first found in cheese. For all I know some caseinates may be made these days from non-dairy ingredients, but in a way they are still a "dairy" ingredient in the sense that they are a flavour found in dairy products.

That does sound more laboratory than dairy, though. ;-)

 

[Skrej]

I once asked a friend(an American) about this when we were at a McDonald's, and that's the reply I got. It's like "a coffee" instead of "a cup of coffee".

Even with things like sweeteners, which do come in actual packets, AmE still tends to refer to them by a weird sort of non-count countable term.

How many creamers/sugars do you want?
I'll take two creamers and 3 sugars, because I don't like very much actual coffee in my coffee.