If you had told me a several years ago that I would no longer be eating cheese, I wouldn’t have believed you. In fact, I probably would have been super sad about it. But now I can safely say that I’ve transitioned my diet into a dairy-free lifestyle and don’t even miss it – so I wanted to share how and what dairy alternatives helped make it easier.
The Backstory
So, I didn’t just wake up one day and decide I was going dairy-free. I actually stopped eating it when my second daughter was about a month old because I was nursing her and she was having lots of reflux issues. I tried different things (avoiding acidic foods like tomato sauce, giving her gripe water and even Gaviscon, believe it or not) and nothing helped. Since I ate a lot of it, something told me that I should try to avoid dairy and I chatted with her pediatrician about it and was told it takes weeks for it to actually leave my system.
So, I just went cold turkey and stopped eating dairy! It was hard. Really hard. But it helped my daughter so much! For most of my life, I had used cheese, butter, etc. in most things I cooked so suddenly, coming up with dinner ideas was challenging. I had previously avoided all things Whole30 (because it seemed like a fad), but I started looking for dairy-free recipes on Pinterest and realized that practically all of them fell under the realm of Whole30 or Paleo. I reserved the Whole30 books and cookbook from the library and started digging into it a little more and finally tested some recipes, too. I quickly found out that Whole30/Paleo recipes are actually delicious and don’t need dairy in them to taste good! That was the start of a mindset shift for me, really. I just naturally put cheese on everything in the past, but since I was no longer able to do it, I actually found I enjoyed the flavor of recipes without it. It really wasn’t until a few months down the road, when I accidentally ate chocolate fondue loaded with heavy cream, that I realized just how bad dairy made my body feel. I remember feeling lethargic for several days after this and my stomach was bloated and painful – it was super unpleasant and obviously, it was an extreme reaction because I hadn’t eaten any dairy for months. Obviously if you eat certain irritating foods every day, you don’t notice reactions in an extreme sort of way, but it will ultimately make you feel not your best overall. Cutting dairy permanently for me meant improved energy, flatter abs and less breakouts.
How to Transition Away From Dairy
Even though I noticed I felt better soon after going dairy-free, it was still hard to give up something I’d eaten my entire life. It was also hard to know what dairy alternatives would be a good substitute for our favorite recipes. It was definitely a learning curve, but truthfully, being open to trying Paleo and Whole30 recipes made it much easier to do!
My advice would be to take baby steps if you’re trying to cut dairy by choice.
- Stop using cheese to top salads and other dishes that don’t necessarily need it and replace it with nuts, nutritional yeast or dairy-free cheese if you must have something.
- Start exploring dairy-free recipes and don’t fear Whole30 or Paleo recipes – they are so good and the healthy fats satisfy you and make you forget about dairy altogether!
- Figure out the best plant-based alternatives for your favorite dairy products so you can continue to enjoy your favorite recipes.
And, of course, if you’re cutting dairy out of necessity, it may not be feasible to take baby steps – but I can tell you confidently that it can be done by following the same tips.
My Favorite Dairy-Free Alternatives
This is my favorite part to talk about! As a self-professed foodie, I love trying new things and have never shied away from vegan or plant-based foods. Even when I still ate dairy, I preferred to use almond milk for everything from cooking to cereal, etc. Now that I’ve been dairy-free for quite a while, I’ve built up a list of my favorite non-dairy products. You can also find all of my Trader Joe’s favorites here.
- Silk Almond Creamer in Vanilla – Love this in my coffee…they also have a pumpkin spice flavor in the fall!
- Silk Unsweetened Almond Milk – We use this to cook with primarily but I like it in cereal, too.
- Silk Cashew Milk – This helps make excellent chocolate fondue and it’s strangely good at making scrambled eggs fluffier.
- Silk Soy Yogurt – I’m not a huge fan of eating lots of soy products, but every now and then I really like a cup of yogurt and this one tastes great.
- Kite Hill Almond Milk Yogurt – I’m a newbie to Kite Hill but their products are great!
- Daiya Mozzarella + Cheddar “Cheese” Shreds – Hands down my favorite non-dairy cheese – I use it on pizza, nachos, taco salads and when making cheese ‘sauce’ for cauliflower gnocchi.
- Trader Joe’s Vegan Cream Cheese Spread – This is a great alternative if you’re making a creamy dip and also works well on a bagel! You can also find Daiya and Kite Hill brand at some stores.
- Trader Joe’s Vegan Pesto – One of the only pestos I know that is dairy-free and SO good!
- Earth Balance Butter Spread – We mostly cook with olive oil but if something calls for butter, we use this instead. It also works well in Rice Krispie Treats (I’ve taken these to the girls’ school).
- Coconut Oil – A great cooking oil and also works well in place of butter.
- Canned Coconut Milk or Coconut Cream – This is a staple if you’re making Whole30 or Paleo recipes – it’s thick, creamy and works great in comfort food dishes.
- Nutritional Yeast – This gives foods a cheesy flavor and can be used to make a cheese sauce for things like nachos or macaroni and ‘cheese.’
- Hilary’s Chia Ranch Dressing – Occasionally I’ll crave ranch and love this one because of its clean ingredients and of course, no dairy.
- Daiya Cheesecake – If you like cheesecake, try this one! No, it’s not identical to the real thing, but it’s really good and still rich and creamy without the dairy.
- Orgain Protein Powder – I’ve talked about Orgain many times but it really is my favorite plant-based protein powder! I really like Vanilla for the versatility (I even bake with it!) but Chocolate is good, too.
I’m sure there’s more than I’m forgetting but these are the dairy-free staples we like to keep on hand (okay, the cheesecake is more of a special occasion treat!). I hope these tips help if you’ve been considered going dairy-free for health or lifestyle reasons!
Have you ever tried an elimination diet or had to give up a favorite food?
This is a great list of dairy free alternatives! When my second child was a baby I went dairy free because he seemed to have a sensitivity to it. It was so hard to do, but it was worth it because it made him so much happier. When he was a year old I stopped nursing him because I couldn’t handle eating dairy free anymore (I need my cheese!😂). I discovered that Orgain Organics made rice milk with protein. I started giving that to my son and he loved it! I do still use almond milk in my coffee and I will keep this list handy for when I feel the need to eat less dairy.
It’s amazing how what we eat affects our little ones – and of course, we will do anything to help them as mamas! I haven’t tried rice milk but I’ve heard good things – need to add it to my grocery list! So glad you found this list helpful <3
Great list of dairy free foods! I had to do a hard core elimination diet due to anaphylactic food allergies. I was down to poultry and fresh fruits and veggies. Basically a salad with chicken most of the time. No dressing other than spices and lemon juice. I made smoothies with the silk almond milk because it was the only one that had safe ingredients for me. Couldn’t do any of the coconut oils or milk because I was allergic to coconut. It’s tough having to eliminate foods, but it has to be done sometimes. So glad my gut is on the mend.
Awww I’m so sorry – I know it’s so hard having to eliminate foods – especially when it’s such a serious risk to your health! I had a friend whose son had anaphylactic reactions to most of the top 8 allergens and it was so challenging to find foods he could eat – I hope you continue to be on the mend and get back to 100% soon!
So helpful! I went dairy-free to help my skin, and I love resources like this. Thanks!
It’s amazing how going dairy-free can impact your body!
I recently have taken an interest in planet based foods, I’m not a fan of almonds, so I found this post helpful, thanks for sharing 😀
You’re so welcome!
Great post! As a dietitian, I work with a lot of people who have to cut dairy out of their diet for different reasons. It was a great list of different ideas to ease the “pain” of transition. Have you ever tried the Orgain’s that are ready-to-drink? They are also delicious and easy to take for after a workout or a snack!
Yes! I actually have some in my fridge 🙂 I don’t drink them often but I’ve heard that they make a great addition to iced coffee in the place of almond/coconut milk for an added protein boost!
I am dairy free too. I have tried all these items except the Hillary’s ranch dressing. I will have to check that out.
It’s very good! I find mine at Sprouts but I bet most stores carry it 🙂
I am new to the dairy-free world and this post was SUPER helpful! I have been battling digestive issues for years and I recently caved and visited a gastro doctor. She asked me about how much dairy I consume and I never put it together how much I was actually eating per day. She explained that some people can develop a sensitivity to dairy as they age. She suggested I try to go dairy-free and see if I notice a difference. I know it takes a while to leave your system but I can honestly feel a difference already and it’s only been 2 weeks. I don’t feel as bloated as I used to and I haven’t had any digestive issues. I miss cheese like crazy and I struggle the most when going out to eat but I purchased vegan shredded cheese from Aldi and I LOVE IT. Thanks for the great suggestions!
It’s amazing how dairy can impact how you feel, right?! I never knew it affected me so much until I cut it out of my diet! So glad you found this helpful <3
A couple of compromise measures: (1) I make our yogurt. Fermenting it 24 hours instead of the usual eight and straining it into Greek style reduces the whey content dramatically. Using my Instant Pot is a convenient hands off processing method. (2) Ghee or clarified butter has the flavor of butter without the milk solids. It’s not difficult to make yourself but I buy it at Costco as reasonably budget friendly. These are all the dairy I eat any more.
Those are great ideas! I’ve used ghee but have never made it myself!
Looking forward to trying a few things on the list. I have recently become dairy free not by choice buy because of an allergy. And I have been searching for substitutes. Mainly a good one for butter and sour cream (since winter is almost here!) We do a lot of casseroles, so it is a bad time of the year to be learning how to be dairy free. Thanks for the advise!!
Oh yes I️ totally get that! It’s harder for me around the holidays and cooler months, too. I️ still haven’t found a good substitute for sour cream but Earth Balance is a great butter substitute! Hope you can find some ways to enjoy yummy casseroles without dairy!
There is a recipe on Pinterest for dairy free sour cream, essentially you place a can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight and then the next day scoop the solid portion out of the can. Add a little bit of lemon juice and salt to your liking. Definitely has a different flavor but it works for me on tacos and wraps.
That’s a great idea! I️ need to try that – thanks for sharing!
I’m encouraged after reading this! I’ve been recently diagnosed with food allergies to milk and all it’s products. I’ve used many of what you mentioned but see a few I haven’t. I started a paleo diet this year with great success. But I’m still relatively new to all this and now I’m having problems with my esophagus so I’m on an even lower bland diet till it gets looked at. But I love that you showed what products are good. I will have to try them! Thanks
Aw, I️’m so glad you found this post! I️ was so overwhelmed when I️ first cut dairy, but over time, I️’ve found some great substitutes and really don’t miss dairy at all anymore! Plus I️ feel so much better! Hope you can get to the bottom of your esophagus concerns!
May I ask what your esophagus issues were? I’m kinda going through some issues myself and trying to pinpoint exactly what is causing my issues
I am trying dairy and soy free diet as recommended by my daughters pediatrician. Daughter is 3 weeks ago and very gassy and her poop came positive for some allergic colitis so I am trying dairy & soy free. it has been very hard and it’s been about a week but I still don’t see baby being less fussy, she’s still very gassy And uncomfortable after eating. How long did it take you to see a difference ? Did you eliminate anything else from your diet to make your breastfed baby more comfortable? Thank you so much for your informative post!
Aww I️’m so sorry you’re having to navigate this! I️ started to notice improvement within a week but it can take several weeks for dairy and other foods to fully leave your system, so you may not notice an immediate improvement. I️ also cut way back on gluten (which I️ don’t know if or how much that even affects babies), because I️ found it easier to follow a Paleo diet since I️ wasn’t consuming dairy. My daughter also had to go on an antacid temporarily, but she eventually was able to come off of it after a month or so!
I started having a dairy intolerance a year and half ago, and went dairy-free cold turkey. I wish I had this list back then, but I have found some of these items myself. I did not know about the Trader Joe’s pesto or the nutritional yeast, so excited to try those! Thanks for sharing! Another tip for the general populace- it is very important to read ingredient lists even when things say dairy alternative as they can still have milk derivatives or just lactose free dairy ingredients, which can still be bothersome for people with dairy intolerances or allergies.
Ooh definitely try the pesto and nutritional yeast! Both have tons of flavor! And yes, agreed, so important to read labels! Dairy ingredients are in SO many foods!
So happy to come across your site. I was allergic to milk as an infant (my mom told me) back in the, dare I say 40’s!! Well now I’m in my 70’s and have been having a lot of tummy troubles for several months. I’ve always done Lactaid products but they didn’t seem to help much. My doc ordered a whole slew of tests and they came back as highly allergic to milk, wheat and peanuts! Never would of thought of me having a peanut allergy because I’d always thought of Anephalactic shock (I spelled it wrong).. My worries of having Celiac Disease are now over due to no gluten intolerance but now it’s ‘What CAN I eat”. Your website is so helpful. Thanks from an old lady..
I️’m so glad you found this post! Sometimes it’s very surprising to find out what kinds of foods cause us digestive issues – especially when it’s something we grew up eating!
I went Whole 30/Paleo over a year ago cause of autoimmune issues. Dairy was the hardest to give up. Like you it was trial and error what I liked and didn’t like. One of the new products I like is Kite Hill Almond milk Ricotta cheese. I make zucchini ravioli with and even my picky eater mom eats it.
Ooh that sounds so good! Dairy-free ricotta is one thing I️ haven’t tried yet – I️ love Kite Hill products, so I️ need to give it a try!
Do you know of any already made up protein drinks that are dairy, gluten and grain free?
Hmm, very good question! I️ know of Orgain – they have ready-made protein drinks that I️ know are dairy- and gluten-free. I️’m not 100% sure if they’re grain-free or not, though!