Dairy intolerance and allergies are quite common health issues that our naturopath Trish sees in clinic. So, we have put together our favourite dairy free recipes and some tips on how to make the transition to dairy free easier.
But first, how do you know if you are dairy intolerant?
You may be experiencing some of the common symptoms of dairy intolerance. Trialing a dairy elimination period to see if your symptoms improve can be useful, or you can book in with Trish to get some specific advice and support.
Tips for going dairy free
Going dairy free can seem daunting at first as it's such a common part of our diets, from milk to cheese and yoghurt. Dairy is also in many foods we purchase, even though it may not be obvious!
Here are our best tips for going dairy free:
- Read labels and watch out for dairy in the ingredients. Hidden dairy can be referred to by various names like whey, casein, caseinate, rennet, lactose, lactate solids, recaldent and whey protein.
- Ask questions when you eat out and enquire after dairy free meals. If you are not sure, look for vegan or paleo options as these will always be dairy free.
- Look for dairy free options for all your favourite dairy products. There is a huge range available now (some might be labelled as vegan). Just be aware that not all are free from additives and some contain high levels of sugar and seed oils. Read your labels and keep trying until you find ones you love.
- Find other options for dairy. For example, instead of butter use avocado or mayonnaise on your sandwiches.
- Look out for great dairy free recipes. There are so many great recipes to choose from. Do a google search on dairy free + (whatever you want to make) or search vegan + or paleo + to find what you need.
Our favourite dairy free swaps
Here are some easy swaps you can make to go dairy free:
- Swap yoghurt with coconut yoghurt
- Swap milk to nut or coconut milks
- Swap butter with oils
- Swap cheese with nutritional yeast flakes to add a cheesy flavour or to make your own nut cheeses
- Swap cream with coconut cream
- Swap ice cream with blended frozen fruit and egg white
Our favourite dairy free recipes
These are just some of the great recipes out there to swap dairy out of your diet! Buying dairy free products can be expensive and they often contain ingredients that are not good for you. Making your own milks, cheeses and yoghurts is not as hard as you might think!
Nut Milks
Dairy Free Margarine (no nasties!)
Cashew and Macadamia Cheese Log
Rice and Almond Milk
Cashew Cream
Macadamia Cheese
Cream Cheese (savoury)
Cheese Sauce (good for topping lasagne or moussaka)
Sour Cream
Cashew Custard
Coconut Yoghurt
We hope this information has been useful for you in learning how to go dairy free and you enjoy the recipes.
If you would like more support in investigating a dairy free diet, please book in with our naturopath Trish on (07) 4152 2372 or online here. Trish sees clients in person and online.
