can you save me time and suggest replacements for DS1's diet now he needs to be lactose-free/reduced?

[bethylou]

DS1 is two and a half and, following an appointment with a dietician yesterday, needs to go lactose-free (or at least vastly reduced). I've already replaced milk with the lactofree milk, and their soft cheese for sandwiches. We have bought some of the yoghurts that they make too, but if you can tell me alternatives for the following items/answer my questions about them, without me having to trawl through the ingredients lists on products in Sainsburys, I'd be very grateful:

a preplacement for malted milk biscuits
a margarine or butter he could have?
dark or other type of chocolate that a 2 year old would eat!
nice soya ice-cream?

Anything else you can think of?

Thanks.

My DD is allergic to Dairy & egg and here is what I give her...

Biscuits - rich tea, jacobs fig rolls, hob nobs (or Tesco alternative, Oaties)

Marg - Tesco & Sainsbury's sell PURE spread which is dairy free

Choc - Look in the Tesco "Free-from" section. http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=262564910 Chocolate Buttons, White Choc Buttons, can't find them now but they also do a choc crispie type bar.

Ice-cream - Swedish Glace ice cream is lovely - I honestly challenge you to tell the difference! And remember, you can buy (or make) sorbets too.

Sorry - Chocolate Buttons - hope that one works.

Thanks very much for your time. I will get over there in the next day or two and buy this lot. Look forward to testing the ice cream.

I second the recommendation for Swedish Glace; it is excellent.

Swedish glace is lovely, agreed. They also do one in health food shops (although quite expensive!) called booja booja which is very natural and healthy too.
And maybe have a search for coconice (frozen dessert) which is made of coconuts and is all natural, nutritious and dairy free.

For biccies - hobnos and rich teas are nice, and digestives don't have lactose I don't think.

Pure brand spreads are good for butter alternatives and tend to be just as nice for baking etc.

For chocolate, you could always try making your own chocolate treats (ie you sweeten them yourself) from dark chocolate such as divine/green and blacks - melt the choc with some vegan marg and a few tbs of golden syrup, then stir in raisins, crushed rich teas/hobnobs/digestives, and some nuts maybe. Pour mix into a baking pan and set in fridge and call it tiffin I think

We have lactose free and gluten free diets in our house - its a nightmare

Even if you don't shop there Ocado have a search facility for milk free so you can look up products that you want here

thanks for these tips. Will get onto them all over the weekend.

Hi

Both DD and DH are dairy free/ lactose intolerant, we use goat cheese (st Helen's Farm is particularly nice and similar to cheddar) if that is toterated.

I second the dairy free choc buttons as DD thinks she is getting a treat.

You will sadly get used checking labels as lactose gets hidden in all manner of things (I picked up some ibuprofen tablets for DH last week and forgot to check and yes they had lactose added.

We use houmous alot as a sandwich filling, and alpro soya yogurt.

As for biscuits quite a few of Tesco's cheapo's are dairy free- bourbons, fruit shortcakes but sorry you will need to check...

Watch out with breakfast cereals lots of the kellogs ones have milk proteins added.
Good luck and it does become second nature.

We have gluten and lactose intolerance in our house and as Maud says it can be a nightmare. But you do get used to checking everything and working things out. I cook everything from scratch.

I use Lactofree a lot www.lactofree.co.uk/