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So how hard is it to go dairy free?

223 replies

pointydog · 14/04/2009 15:10

I am contemplating bringing in a milk free diet in a week or so's time.

I realise I'll need to look for alternatives for milk, butter and cheese. Are they easy to find? Are they tasty?

Am I about to have the worst couple of months of my life?

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pointydog · 14/04/2009 15:51

what do you mean sausages? What's dairy in sausages?

Which biscuits are to be avoided? Or are there too many to mention?

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psychomum5 · 14/04/2009 15:58

I wrote down lots on this thread that are safe

psychomum5 · 14/04/2009 16:01

and as for sausages........they stick milk in as a binding agent (I think).

not fun I have to say

they stick milk in lots of stuff for insane reasons tho, IMVHO. I mean, why on earth would they stick milk in tomato sauce for instance?? or in chicken flavour crisp.....(I could go on, but I won;t.....I bore myself sometimes let alone others!)

treedelivery · 14/04/2009 16:07

I am so totally feeling the pain.

I havt to go dairy free to see if it helps dd2, who I think I am poisoning with my milk.

I've tried and lapsed 3 times.

Currently having a cuppa and a galaxy bar.

I feel like shit all the time - why can't I do this to help her. Because I am knackered. So what her need is greater than mine.

I have no energy

CantSleepWontSleep · 14/04/2009 16:15

Only skimmed so might have missed some Qs ns As.

Check Olivio packet - 99.9% certain that it contains Dairy. You need Pure or Vitalite or an M&S df spread. Will soon get used to them, and are fine for cooking too.

Swedish Glace quite nice. Vanilla avail in most supermarkets. Other flavours often found in Holland & Barrett and the like.

pointydog · 14/04/2009 16:35

olivio?! really?

Fu

king

hell

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pointydog · 14/04/2009 16:37

The 'Erbalist did say not to bother too much re the producst with milk-added. I know, that seems to be missing the point a bit to me but any chance not to be too strict and I will grab it.

psycho, you obv know tons and if we do go through with this I might ask to run a few things by you!

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pointydog · 14/04/2009 16:38

tree, how old is your dd2? SOunds like you are bf only, is that right?

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treedelivery · 14/04/2009 16:41

Hi - she's coming uo 3 months and is exclusively bf. I am about a half inch away from putting her on reduced allergen formula, for which I will feel guilty for the rest of my days.

New galaxy cookie crumble bar. s'ok I suppose.

Its just so shit isn't it?

treedelivery · 14/04/2009 16:43

You?

pointydog · 14/04/2009 16:46

is your dd's eczema really bad, tree? Is it not controllable at all?

I know this is completely your decision, but I just balk at the idea of stopping bf just because you think it might stop teh eczema. Going dairy free does not help everyone's eczema. Far from it.

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doggiesayswoof · 14/04/2009 16:46

pointy, nearly all biscuits have some sort of dairy in them I'm afraid.

Cheap own-brand bourbons and the like are usually ok (but need to check packets) and hob nobs are ok, but sadly not the choc ones

I can't eat the same as dh as he makes weird food - a result of cooking for himself for years and years (always the only vegan in the village) he has come up with some odd combinations which I wouldn't fancy.

Also I eat fish and meat sometimes - I don't want to be totally vegan.

Psycho, green and blacks have milk powder in the ingredients list now, it recently changed. I checked the whole shelf in Tesco's like a mad woman

treedelivery · 14/04/2009 16:50

Pointydog - cabbage brain here didn't say - it's the colic demon I fight! Sorry. Although dd1 has mild eczema too.

The time I managed dairy free [4 days] were the same for dd2, the time after when I had tea and cake again were a disaster.

I hear you about the balking. I'm at end of the road for ways to help her though. I need to get my ass dairy free.
Thats good news about hob-nobs.

pointydog · 14/04/2009 16:52

ah. don't know much about colic

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treedelivery · 14/04/2009 16:55

I know everything about colic I think. I know I havem't resolved it in all this time.When are you taking the plunge?

Psychomum - that list is ace. you could charge for that

pointydog · 14/04/2009 16:57

am considering starting dairy free diet at the weekend or whenever I have sussed out the big sainsbury's and dd2 has eaten all her easter eggs

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pointydog · 14/04/2009 16:58

we will probably be eating macaroni cheese constantly until then

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pointydog · 14/04/2009 16:58

I will offer her a Last Meal

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trixymalixy · 14/04/2009 16:58

Olivio does contain dairy. Pure spreads are really good, as is Vitalite.

Soya yoghurts and ice cream (swedish glace) are very similar to dairy ones, you won't be able to tell the difference and they are widely aviailable.

Oatly do a good alternative to cream which is available in tescos. There is also soya cream, but I'm not that keen on it.

Milk is a bot harder. Oat milk is good in cereal, but haven't found anything that is good in tea. Oat is the best, soya and rice milk are vile in tea. Oat milk is good for making white sauce and cooking with.

Chees is really difficult. Toffuti cream cheese spread is really good, but thta hard cheese stuff is vile. NEVER EVER eat the hard cheese substitute uncooked!! It's not too bad in a cheese sauce or on top of lasagne though.

Beantin · 14/04/2009 16:59

I'd echo Psycho....it seems tough to start with, but actually it's pretty easy.

Milk - I use Alpro soya - the tesco own's is cheaper, but only lasts 3 days open, whilst Alpro is 5 days - works out cheaper IMO.
If you don't know any better, it doesn't taste bad at all. Am now so used to it, am happy to have cold on cornflakes but started with it warm in things like stodgy porridge where it is disguised. The best persuader was that it didn't make me feel rough like real milk. Now dairy milk smells so sweet and sickly to me! I get the long life one btw as the 'fresh' one in the fridge is the same IMO but costs more as is already cold - doesn't matter if making porridge or hot chocs.
All the coffee shops sell soya milk, which makes it easy to live a 'normal' life as I love hot chocolates. Starbucks does a brill Belgian Choc Cake bar which is wheat and dairy free - yummy and no bad stuff for me.

Yoghurt - if you don't go for low fat or 'creamy' versions then should be naturally lactose free - or near as damn it - as is removed as part of the process.

Cheese - same as yoghurt, you can eat a lot of normal cheese. Just need to make sure it is a hard cheese. I eat parmesan all the time and have no ill effects at all. Basically, I stick to the rule that if you bash it on the work surface and it doesn't dent, then you'll be fine

Ice cream - would second Swedish Glace, however, you may refer sorbet or just try out ice creams. H-Daz Belgian Choc on a full stomach barely affects me, but other ones I get symptoms after a mouthful.

Chocolate - I love dark chocolate, always have and am a chocoholic. Just check the back of the packet, but most are naturally dairy free. It's a trial and error situation. I like the Divine dark or Lindt 70%.

Margerine - Yup, just get a sunflower or olive oil one. They also have soya ones in the supermarket.

Cream - I use the Alpro soya cream for creamy pasta. It's no great substitute tbh, but my husband happily eats it with no complaints.

Other stuff - it's a pain checking packets, but sometimes you'll be surprised what's in stuff. You'll soon get the hang of it though. Best advice I can give is to avoid 'fake' stuff from health shops. Try to eat different things instead, rather than replace the dairy ones and occasionally have the real thing. Also, the longer you go without dairy, the less you'll miss it and less you'll notice the difference in any substitutes, e.g. milk.

It's not as bad as you think. Good luck and if you need to have something 'normal' every now and again, just have it after a big bowl of pasta or something and your body shouldn't notice it so much.

pointydog · 14/04/2009 17:04

bean, you say it's ok to eat hard cheese? SO grated parmesan is ok but no to chaddar I presume?

And some yoghurt is ok?

What exactly should I look for on food labels? Am I looking for 'milk' in teh ingredients list?

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pointydog · 14/04/2009 17:04

what do you mean, you can eat a lot of normal cheese?

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pointydog · 14/04/2009 17:05

thanks, trixy. I will look for oatly

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Beantin · 14/04/2009 17:05

Pure is the brand of margerine I use.

My DS is 2mths and suffers 'colic' allegedly and yet I am 95% dairy free. Have you looked up 'colic' on wikipedia??

StirlingTheStrong · 14/04/2009 17:11

Hi - Joining this a bit late but my smallest dd is allergic to dairy (amongst other things) so this is what she has...

Soya milk - she doesn't know any different as it is all she has had and is quite happy with it.

Soya (Alpro) yogurts are really nice - have them myself sometimes.

Cheese - she has never eaten cheese so I dont buy any alternatives. I did try once but she wasn't impressed and I thought they were disgusting so haven't tried again.

Spread - She has Pure spread found in Tesco. The Olivio spread contains dairy.

Treats - Tesco bourbon biscuits are fine as are Jacobs Fig Rolls, most Rich Tea and plain Hobnobs. Some Digestives are good but always check labels as you often find milk powder (or Whey powder) in the ingredients.

Ice Cream - I was just in Sainsbury's and they had Swedish Glace vanilla and Chocolate. They are lovely and the whole family would eat it. Sorbets are good but again, check labels as sometimes there is milk (and sometimes egg white which we have to check for). DD had a mango & passionfruit sorbet yesterday and it was lovely.

Good Luck Pointydog - I hope the trial helps