No dairy products, help and advice please!

**nuisance26** · 10-08-2010, 02:23 PM

~I wasn't sure to post this in Food or Health as it straddles both categories. I'm in need of some guidance, recommendations and advice about a dairy free diet.
Dd #2 was having awful reflux issues so I did an elimination diet. When I added dairy back in the reflux issues came back so I'm looking at a year of no dairy while she's breastfeeding.
I already like and make almond milk so I have a milk substitute but I don't know where to begin with replacing favorite foods like yogurt, cheese, ice cream, sour cream, pizza, tacos, cream soups and sauces, etc. Dairy has always been a big part of my frugal diet.
Help please!~

**Contrary Housewife** · 10-08-2010, 03:53 PM

I found for me the best thing to do was simply eliminate them. Most dairy substitutes not only taste nasty but are more expensive.

Are you sure it is *all* dairy that bothers her? Often the cultured products like yogurt and sour cream are more easily digestible. I found that for me I could tolerate small amounts of aged hard cheese like parmesan and cheddar.

**nuisance26** · 10-08-2010, 05:27 PM

Originally Posted by Contrary Housewife

I found for me the best thing to do was simply eliminate them. Most dairy substitutes not only taste nasty but are more expensive.

Are you sure it is *all* dairy that bothers her? Often the cultured products like yogurt and sour cream are more easily digestible. I found that for me I could tolerate small amounts of aged hard cheese like parmesan and cheddar.

~I'm not sure of the *all* dairy thing but I will experiment a bit since all dairy seems like a prison sentence.

After having no dairy for 5 days(except a smidge of butter in some baked goods)I had some pizza, ice cream and several cups of milk. Within 24 hours of the first serving, dd's reflux was back and worse than ever. So no milk, ice cream and mozzarella cheese anyway.
I'm going to make some vegan ice cream tonight with almond milk and frozen bananas and strawberries. I'm trying to focus on creativity in the kitchen and not how many things I won't be able to eat at Thanksgiving.~

**lparker** · 10-08-2010, 05:48 PM

My wife said to invest in a breast pump, freeze the milk, eat dairy once in a while & feed the kid the "dairy free" milk and toss the "dairy" milk or save it until she gets older. It's good to have some frozen for traveling or if you get sick and on antibiotics.

**nuisance26** · 10-08-2010, 07:00 PM

Originally Posted by lparker

My wife said to invest in a breast pump, freeze the milk, eat dairy once in a while & feed the kid the "dairy free" milk and toss the "dairy" milk or save it until she gets older. It's good to have some frozen for traveling or if you get sick and on antibiotics.

~Thanks! I do have a nice pump and am creating a dairy free freezer stash. But I'm just not sure a dairy splurge is worth 2 or 3 pump and dumps.It can be a bit time consuming. But I am keeping that option in mind for Thanksgiving!~

**Paws** · 10-08-2010, 10:04 PM

I'm not at all familiar with the problems of dairy allergies, but have you considered soy products...not sure it would help, but it was my first thought when I first read this thread....wished I could be of more help.

**Rebookie** · 10-09-2010, 12:49 AM

Good luck! ? You can do it!

**MomToTwoBoys** · 10-09-2010, 10:42 AM

We thought that DS12 would have dairy issues, so I looked around on the net for things that involved a dairy-free diet. I picked up a few books from Amazon, so I would check those out.

You can try soy for things like milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt, etc. My kids loved soy milk and soy ice cream.

If you're going to eliminate dairy, be prepared to get your Vitamin D, calcium, protein, etc in other areas of your diet. Things like fruits and vegetables and the like are going to be your best friend as far as those vitamins and minerals are concerned. You'll also want to up your supplement intake and take a multivitamin too.

**shoiji** · 10-09-2010, 07:42 PM

Have you tried organic dairy products? I also like rice milk. I prefer it over soy beverages. I think they also make a rice milk ice cream but I am not sure about the ingredients.

For the longest time the only kind of dairy I was eating was yogurt. I have also heard goats milk was easier to digest for many people.

Also, speak with your doctor to make sure you are getting the right amount of calcium especially if you are breastfeeding. The doctor may be able to suggest a good diet plan for you to follow with alternatives.

**Momto5RN** · 10-09-2010, 07:49 PM

i had this issue wih my youngest now 9
i tried to eat what wasnt dairy and what was still in my IBS diet ( i cant eat certain juices or veggies etc but i was fine with dairy it was a huge part of my diet ) but i ended up very sick - started to bleed again after i had stopped and i just couldnt produce enough good milk the baby got lethargic etc ( and between being a mom of 5 and a RN i knew he was lethergic just not tired ) so i had to go to formula- broke my heart but in the end i would have ended up in the hospital if i had bled any more ( was already down to 6.5 hemoglobin after i had him ) or weakened my immune system any more by trying to keep it up and my milk really didnt have the nutrition he needed .

i think as long as you have no real dietary issues yourself you shuold be able to do it though - i am sure there BF sites that may be of help to you also .

**frugalfranny** · 10-10-2010, 01:46 AM

This might help while or until you can 'ease' the dairy back into the diet..........if you can.

Dairy Substitutes - Cooking without Dairy

If you are taking any thyroid meds you should NOT be eating soy.

**Dancing Lotus** · 10-10-2010, 10:01 AM

You have the milk covered so lets talk about butter. I use earth balance. It taste like a mild butter without any dairy.

For ice cream I like Coconut milk based ice creams, they are so rich and creamy. You'll not even know it's not milk based.

For cheese, I hate cheese substitutes they are gross. But you might like a product called Nutritional yeast. It taste very much like cheddar cheese. I blend it with tofu and sprinkle it on pasta sauce. I have a good ricotta cheese recipe using tofu and nutritional yeast. I'll look it up and post it if you like.

**2ndGenGranola** · 10-11-2010, 05:48 AM

We have 3 dairy allergic in this house. We now stick pretty close to a vegan diet.

First of all, don't worry about supplementing. Dairy being a primary source of calcium/D is a myth promoted dairy marketers. Forget the commercials and eat your greens. Greens are the true powerhouse of the vitamins.

When one is craving dairy, you are usually craving the fat and salt. Order/make your pizza with out cheese but add some bacon if you must have that "taste". Same with taco meat (cook the meat with about 1 strip of bacon). We have fed many guests this any most never realized it didn't have cheese. Most cheese is high in casein which is what causes problems in kids. Use caution with goats milk (a similar casein) and soy products (those with true milk issues tend to have soy issues also).

Yogurt - look for a true health food yogurt with live probiotics. This will be an unsweetened yogurt. Sweeteners KILL the probiotcs making them useless. Probiotics "predigest" the milk proteins making them tolerable for most who have issues with dairy. Go slow. Real yogurt can create tummy issues if you have a bad bacteria mix inside the gut.

You can sub water in any baked item. Milk is only called for in a baked recipe for liquid and fat. Orange juice is wonderful in a white cake mix. Ices and some sorbet (read label to make sure there is no dairy) can sub for ice cream. You can use your almond milk in your cream soups and sauces,

**gmarie** · 10-11-2010, 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by nuisance26

~I wasn't sure to post this in Food or Health as it straddles both categories. I'm in need of some guidance, recommendations and advice about a dairy free diet.
Dd #2 was having awful reflux issues so I did an elimination diet. When I added dairy back in the reflux issues came back so I'm looking at a year of no dairy while she's breastfeeding.
I already like and make almond milk so I have a milk substitute but I don't know where to begin with replacing favorite foods like yogurt, cheese, ice cream, sour cream, pizza, tacos, cream soups and sauces, etc. Dairy has always been a big part of my frugal diet.
Help please!~

When I "tried" being vegan a few years ago, I was not very frugal, so these products are not inexpensive - but I love Soy Delicious "ice cream" and Amy's frozen products - the mac and "cheese" is very good, and so is the vegan pizza. I have never found a decent tasting soy cheese.

You can also see if your library has any dairy free/ vegan cookbooks for inspiration!

**Libby** · 10-11-2010, 12:11 PM

I just wanted to add this to the great tips/suggestions listed here - not all soy products are created equal. I believe the soy in the US is treated with hormones vs the soy in Canada so be sure to read your labels. (for those seeking alternative to dairy in general from this thread)