I’ve always had a bit of trouble digesting dairy for as long as I can remember but never thought that I was lactose intolerant. I figured that all the doctors I had seen all my life would have detected this by now. Wrong, again!
I’ve mentioned in previous posts that I cut dairy out of my diet several years ago to see if my digestion would improve. It did and was a total game changer!
I’m from France so you can imagine all the dairy products served at every single meal: cheeses, dishes with heavy cream and butter… But the change was not hard to make because there are just so many yummy options to replace dairy.
Some of you might think dairy-free *insert food name here* will never taste like the real deal. Maybe. Perhaps. But not in a bad way. There are so many other options that people are unaware of since dairy products have been in our households forever. For this reason, you never even thought there were alternatives.
“Cereal? Sure I’ll pour some milk over them”.
“Cooking veggies? Let me add a tablespoon of butter or 1/2 cup of heavy cream”.
The milk industry and their powerful ads (remember the famous “Got Milk” campaign?), traditional recipes, the offer in stores, and the lack of information on other available options make it so easy and convenient to consume dairy.
People also think that no dairy = calcium deficiency. In reality, there are so many other foods that are rich in calcium like almonds, leafy greens, fish and tofu.
Nowadays, you can find at least a couple of options of dairy free products in any U.S. grocery store. The ingredients are not always ideal so be sure to carefully read food labels. A lot of fillers are used to get the creamy consistency dairy products have and sugar, quite often, is also one of the first ingredients.
I recently organized a vegan (so also dairy free) party. Here are a few ideas to get inspired for your next dairy free buffet!
Dairy Free Buffet Party Menu
- Hummus and other dips like white bean dip, guacamole and salsa.
- Dairy free nut “cheeses”: love the brand Miyoko’s who makes incredible products.
- Raw veggies: broccoli, cauliflower, red pepper, tomatoes and cucumber with dairy free ranch dressing (try Follow Your Heart‘s).
- Whole grain or sprouted breads/crackers.
- Dairy free pizza: homemade with Daiya cheeze or store bought from the same brand. The ingredients are not always 100% clean though. Looking for an even better alternative!
- Dairy free chocolate fudge: homemade — takes literally 5 minutes with a chocolate bar, coconut oil and coconut milk.
- Vegan cinnamon rolls: from the Best Cinnamon Roll place on the planet: Cinnaholic.
- Gluten free dairy free carrot cake: I have my own favorite recipe that I can gladly share upon request.
Every Day Dairy Free Alternative
- Instead of using milk, try Almond, Coconut, Cashew or Macadamia Milk. It will work and taste great in your coffee, cereal and smoothies! I’m not the biggest fan of Soy Milk as soy can create hormonal imbalances. Nut milks also taste much better to me.
- Instead of cooking with heavy cream, try heavy coconut milk (red can from Thai Kitchen, available in most grocery stores).
- Instead of butter, try coconut oil. Unrefined and virgin. Such a subtle but awesome taste.
- Instead of consuming regular ice-cream, try So Delicious Dairy Free Cashew or Coconut nice-creams. Their products are truly delicious and probably my favorite that are dairy free! Again, there are a lot of fillers in dairy free products so I suggest moderating your intake.
- You can also make your own nice-cream in a food processor with frozen bananas for creaminess, any other frozen fruit and just a drop of dairy free milk. So easy, so yummy.
- Instead of eating cow, goat and sheep cheeses, give a chance to the dairy free nut “cheezes” mentioned above. This will probably be the hardest type of food to replace as cheese does have an irreplaceable flavor and texture. If you must eat real cheese occasionally, I suggest sticking to goat and sheep cheeses which contain less lactose and therefore are much easier on your gut!
If you’re not lactose intolerant and dairy does not bother your stomach, try cutting it out any way for a bit. Your skin will thank you in just a few days! There are scientific studies that also state a dairy free diet can improve sinus, joint, articulations and many other types of conditions. It won’t hurt to try.
Healing Gastritis Naturally 