Like most moms, I’d do anything for my baby — even radically change my diet while breastfeeding to accommodate her weirdo food intolerance. OK, so an intolerance to dairy is not that weird, but it was sort of crushing since I was already a vegetarian, and dairy had been my primary source of protein until the day I found out about my daughter’s cow’s milk protein allergy.
It all started when I found bloody poop in my 1-month-old’s diaper, which totally freaked me out. I was so relieved when my doctor said it wasn’t serious — just a cow’s milk protein allergy. Although my daughter was exclusively breastfed, she was sensitive to the proteins in any cow’s milk products I consumed. In addition to the blood in her diaper, the milk proteins may have been causing discomfort, such as gassiness. I was instructed to eliminate all dairy from my diet.
Then I freaked out again. Because for the forseeable future, I wouldn’t be eating any dairy products that could pass into my breast milk, including butter, cheese, ice cream, and milk. Holy cow! Or in my case, no cow. It was a tall order because I was a dairy-lovin’ mama. But, I’m happy to report that after 10 months of eating dairy-free, I’ve become quite adept at finding cow’s milk alternatives that are absolutely delicious. If you’re interested in trying a dairy free diet, or if you’re being forced into it by your selfish baby (kidding), here are the products that have saved me from udder dairy deprivation.
Related: How I’m Dealing with My Breastfeeding Baby’s Cow’s Milk Allergy
Dairy-free mamas, let’s share favorites. What are your go-to cow’s milk alternatives?
Cow's Milk Alternatives
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Creamer: Silk Soy Creamer
I'm a girl who needs her morning cup of coffee to survive, and I've never learned to take it black, so finding a creamer substitute was priority one. There are tons of options, from almond milk to coconut milk to hemp. But after sampling them all, I vastly preferred the consistency of soy creamer, which seems to blend the best into my coffee. At home, I use Silk soy creamer, and when I'm out, I can always count on Starbucks for a soy latte.
Photo: Silk -
Milk: Califia Farms Almond Milk
However, for drinking straight, taste matters more than consistency, and to me that means almond milk. My favorite brand is Califia Farms, which I find at Whole Foods, because it's creamier and has more flavor than others I have tried. And while the healthiest choice would be unsweetened, this almond milk comes in some fun flavors -- even seasonal egg nog. If you have time on your hands, you can even make your own almond milk and flavor it as you like with vanilla extract, dates or maple syrup.
Photo: Califia Farms -
Butter: Earth Balance Buttery Spread
When I first shopped for a butter alternative, I took home a tub of Country Crock, not realizing it contains whey, which is a milk product. So that was my first lesson in carefully reading ingredients. Then I found Earth Balance buttery spread, which is not only dairy-free and non-GMO but insanely delicious. Plus, I like how easily it spreads on toast. It comes in several varieties, including olive oil--our favorite--and you can also buy it in stick form for baking. It's so good that even when my baby outgrows her dairy allergy, we'll probably still use Earth Balance.
Photo: Earth Balance -
Ice Cream: Coconut Bliss Pops
Good news for ice cream lovers: You will not suffer going dairy free because there are so many truly delicious cow's milk alternatives out there. My guiltiest pleasure? Chocolate-covered salted caramel pops from Coconut Bliss. Made with organic coconut milk, they are completely non-dairy yet rich and satisfying--so much so that my 5-year-old keeps stealing them, unaware they are not real ice cream. More good news: Ben & Jerry just came out with four non-dairy flavors made with almond milk, including Chunky Monkey. It's a good time to be dairy-free.
Photo: Coconut Bliss -
Whipped Cream: Homemade from Frozen Coconut Milk
If you refrigerate a can of coconut milk, the liquid separates from the fat, leaving you with a rich gob of coconut cream, which can be used to make whipped cream or even non-dairy chocolate mousse.
Photo: Getty -
Yogurt: So Delicious Almond Milk & Coconut Milk Yogurts
It was hard for me to give up my daily breakfast of Greek yogurt and fruit. It was even harder on my stomach. My doctor recommended a daily probiotic capsule to replace the good bacteria I had been getting from yogurt. While some yogurts made with milk alternatives do contain probiotics, they are not always the tastiest on the market, so I recommend doing some experimenting. When it comes to straight up flavor, I love So Delicious, which makes excellent coconut milk and almond milk yogurts. (Sometimes soy yogurt can have a weird aftertaste.) One thing to note is that these faux yogurts are not as filling as the real thing, so I'll add nuts or granola and fruit to feel satisfied.
Photo: So Delicious -
Cheese: Tofutti's Better Than Cream Cheese
Some people swear by faux cheeses. I am not one of those people. I find the consistency weird, especially when melted (ugh). Instead of trying to replace real cheese with fake cheese, I seek substitutes for the cheese experience. For example, when I miss the creaminess of cheese, I'll eat more rich and creamy avocado, hummus or peanut butter, all of which are great on a sandwich. When I crave the salty crunch of parmesan flakes on my pasta, I brown bread crumbs in garlic and olive oil. Since I used to always scramble my eggs with cheese, now I fry them on a tortilla with beans and salsa and get all the flavor kick I need.
As for pizza, my favorite trick is to order it sans cheese, but loaded with vegetables. Okay, so it's more of a flatbread at that point, but still delicious. The one exception to my fake cheese ban is Tofutti's Better Than Cream Cheese. Layered onto a bagel with sliced tomatoes, it's bland but not bad. You can also use it to make dips and desserts.
Photo: Tofutti
