Looking for non-dairy recommendations

geeme

geeme

My son recently seems to have developed an allergy to dairy products, or at least a low tolerance to them. I am looking for recommendations for (or even warnings against) certain products that can be used as substitutes, particularly for milk and cheese. I'm also looking for information regarding consistency, texture, and cooking differences to be aware of. We're in the U.S., so this would be limited to products easily available here.

An example of a cooking difference: Coconut milk can be used as a substitute for dairy milk in many applications, but lacks the binding agents that dairy milk has. This makes it a good substitute when you're looking for moisture, but is a lousy baking substitute for, say, breads.

Any tips you can provide are greatly appreciated!
 
G, I have a few lactose intolerant friends and one of 'em told me she can eat most of the hard aged cheeses i.e. parm, asiago, romano, some aged swiss and aged cheddars. Generally, other than cheese and cooking with heavy cream sometimes, I don't do dairy. I haven't had a glass of milk since I was a kid. I reckon a billion chinese people can't be wrong.

As far as subs for milk in baking, I can leave it out. In lieu of butter I use olive oil, shortening or some such.
 
my wife is an dairy iissue, and we use hemp milk(best tasting substitue IMHO). and like BT said she can eat aged cheeses(sometimes they effect here sometimes not) but all hard cheeses, and sprouted breads(just check ingredients for dairy. its tough to get used to but once into a routine it is easy to deal with.
 
He's avoiding cheeses entirely right now, but I'll pick up some aged cheeses and see how they go over. I'm not a mlik drinker myself, but I do eat yogurt, sour cream and cheese, etc. My son used to go through a gallon of milk a week, plus yogurt and cheese, so this is a big change for him. Any recommendations on cheese substitutes for non-aged options? And I've never looked for it before, but are there good yogurt subs?

Oh yes, ice creams?
 
What kind of bread are you making that uses dairy? None of my bread recipes include dairy. The binding in bread is due to the gluten from the flour. Yeast, water, flour and a little oil and salt are all you need for good bread, and the variations are all about how much yeast, whether you use a starter for sourdough, or the type of flour you use.

The other thing to figure out with dairy is if it's lactose intolerance, or sensitivity to casein, which is the major protein in milk. A lot of products labeled as containing dairy or dairy products have the casein in them, but may not have lactose, so if it's true lactose intolerance, it won't be as awful trying to avoid foods labeled as containing dairy as if it's a dairy allergy.
 
Might not be what you want to hear, but you can cut dairy out of your diet completely. There is plenty of calcium in green veggies.

Here's a link:
http://www.diseaseproof.com/archives/osteoporosis-choose-vegetable-calcium-over-animal-calcium.html
 
MF - Bread was just an example that came to mind - cornbread in particular. We're not sure yet if it's actually lactose intolerance or a true allergy, or possibly just a pure coincidence about dairy - this started when he got some kind of virus. The mlik-type products seemed to exacerbate it, but it could just as easily have been the virus rather than the milk. He hasn't tried milk since getting over the virus, but I keep trying to get him to do so, to see if the same occurs again.

GT - Yes, you make a true statement. BUT, I have no problems with dairy, and eat a lot of it. I'm looking in part on his behalf, and in part on mine - it's a sad day when you make cheese enchiladas (or whatever) and can't share them!
 
my son has lactose issues. We let him drink almond breeze milk. He loves it. We found a non dairy ice cream that he can't tell the difference. Its just hard to find some things. Good luck!
 
geeme said:
.....this started when he got some kind of virus. The mlik-type products seemed to exacerbate it, but it could just as easily have been the virus rather than the milk.......
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From my little knowledge bank I seem to have a memory popping out that a lot of viruses will grow/cultivate in milk especially at the temps your stomach and such keep it after consumption. So it may have been allowing/helping the virus to flourish. I am admitting this memory is coming out with no info connected as to where it came from. Hope he finds a happy medium if it is persistent.
 
Sorry to hear that G.

Here is a link that has a lot of the substitutes vegans use. Rice ice cream sounds pretty decent. Hell, soon I will be going vegan so I should have a lot more info and reviews for you then.

I would suggest going to your local library and picking up some vegan cookbooks. You can find lots of ways to get around the cheese/dairy thing without compromising flavor. I realize your son isn't going vegan, but it's a good resource for meal ideas that are free of dairy. Hell, I have like one million cookbooks. PM me if you want and maybe I can send some your way. :)

God, my son would die of starvation without milk and yogurt...

EDIT - I should probably ad the damn link...
http://vegetarian.about.com/od/cookingtipstools/tp/dairysubstitutes.htm
 
G- sherbert is a good non-ice cream sweet, rice or almond milk, and xanthan is a good thickener. I'll send you some info, our i-net is out from a power bump this morning so I'm at the bar in town. I'll type more later.
 
Sherbet has milk that's what makes it creamy.

Try Haagen Daz sorbets. Mango and lemon are really good.
 
OK- what ^ said-

I haven't bought frozen sweets in (forever), so sorbet what probably what I was thinking of- Some kind of frozen fruit based treat.

Gelato, maybe?
 
Gelato works. Now he tells me he REALLY wants mint chocolate chip..... I'm pretty sure we can find a sorbet option.
 
cory_huck said:
my son has lactose issues. We let him drink almond breeze milk. He loves it. We found a non dairy ice cream that he can't tell the difference. Its just hard to find some things. Good luck!
Click to expand...
+1 I have a friend who doesnt drink milk because of the lactose sugar, you see she has Candida really bad and the lactose feeds on it like crazy making her sick

she and her huband use ALMOND BREEZE WITH NO ILL EFFECTS, MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE LACTOSE INTOLARANTE OR VEGANS drink it, and i am sure there are ice creams and frozen treats made with it that are very good
it is a good sub for milk but avoid soy for men as it tends to cause estrogen to elevate and thats not good for a man

for men suppliments like cal/mag and zinc in combo are a good bet as well as Alfalfa tablet and Spinach

hope this helps

thanks your friend Joe
 
Of course, do all the research you can, but I cannot do lactose, BUT I CAN do goats milk!
The lactose in goats milk has a differnet physical make-up and MOST people that cannot have lactose can handle it just fine!
I make a KILLER homemade goats milk ice cream, we make cheese, AND yogurt!
Not nearly as difficult as it sounds.
It's much more difficult finding a goat farmer to sell you raw goats milk than it is to make your own dairy products!

Cheers

Kat
 
Gelato is Italian for ice cream. Sorbet is what you are looking for.
 
I must have been thinkng of something else, similar to sorbet, and can't come up with the right name ATM, either. When making it at home, you pour the wet mix into a pan, let it freeze up, then scrape it with a fork so it's kind of like a slushy. . . . whatever that is....

Oh - and found the Almond Breeze milk - he likes that best so far. The coconut was too much for him, as he's not a huge coconut fan.
 
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