Saturday, November 12, 2011

Dairy Free foods

Disclaimer here:  I created this list to send to friends via email.  I am posting it because some other people will benefit.  I cannot promise this is all still correct.  You need to read the labels each and every time you buy something - formulas change - really!   But, hopefully this will get someone started in the right direction without having to start from scratch.  We currently have 4/9 people in this family who cannot handle dairy (3 with allergies, 1 with a lactose intolerance).  Just before our newest little one is born in a couple weeks I will go dairy free as well.  Every single one of our kids (except maybe the 1st) was born with a dairy allergy and what little passed through breastmilk made them sick.  (and...most baby formulas - even soy based ones - have dairy).  [if you find the math confusing it's because the other kids all outgrew the allergy somewhere between ages 1 and 2].

After you get used to the changes (most of them just changing brands of items) it's not too bad.


Many products have a contains statement on them.  Dairy, wheat, eggs, soy…..are in the list of top 8 allergens.  So, if under the ingredients you see a CONTAINS: wheat, soy, egg, or whatever   and it does not list dairy then it is dairy free.  I was told it’s the law to include milk or dairy if it is in the product and there is a contains statement.  Lots of products still don’t have a contains…then you need to read the label.



When reading the label be wary of casein, lactose, milk, whey, butter, and carmel coloring, there’s more too – I just cannot think of them off the top of head.  Carmel coloring can be made from milk or seaweeds.  It sounds picky.  But, when Nathan was a baby I was eating only dairy free things, then someone brought us meatballs.  Everytime I ate them he got very sick (he was probably on the extreme side) and we found out that the carmel coloring was a potential milk product!  You will find Carmel in almost everything brown.  (And, I do have a carmel recipe that is dairy free if someone really likes carmel for apples or anything).



This list is pretty picky.  You may not have to avoid carmel coloring or anything like that.  We did – so here it is in case you need to as well.





Chocolate:

            Sunspire chocolate chips

            Enjoy Life Cholocate chips (very normal tasting) – dairy free, soy free, gluten free – but, like I said, very good!

            Carob chips (aren’t as good)

            Some pricey chocolate bars are dairy free – I can check what they are next time I buy them if you’d like.  They are quite the rare treat around here for Nathan

since they cost $2-$3 a bar.



Margarine:

            Crystal Farms DAIRY FREE sticks.  Blue package and has to have the words DAIRY FREE on the front (they have one that looks exactly the same that isn’t dairy free)

            Fleishmans Light in the tub (has to be light – not normal or olive oil)

            Earth Balance (This is the only dairy free margarine we found that holds up for things like rice krispie bars)


Milk:

            Almond Breeze (chocolate, vanilla, original)

            Soy Milk – Most people I know agree Silk brand is the best (chocolate, vanilla, original, very vanilla)

            Rice Milk – cheapest usually – I use it for cooking but I cannot stomach it.

            There is a dairy free milk powder called DAIRY FREE.  Buy online at vancesfoods.com or some health food stores.

Cheese:  Some people can handle goat cheese fine, others can't.



Bread:

            Country Hearth but NOT split top butter or raisin.  Arnold Bread

            Taystee buns, Cub buns, usually the cheap buns, but NOT WONDER brand

            There are also some others but I usually have to look at the labels to know – most bread DO contain milk



Processed meat:

            Believe it or not, most contain milk.  Be esp. careful of hotdogs and brats.  I know that the Old Fashioned Hotdogs with the red label are dairy free, and so is Hormel Natural Choice 100% natural lunchmeat – it comes in a brown cardboard looking package.  I think Hormel sausage is dairy free but I’m not sure.  We rarely buy it and I have to start picking up and reading labels to find one.  There is a turkey sausage link package that is dairy free.





Cereal:  Most contain milk – but check brands.  Some generic cheerios contain milk while the name brand ones don’t.  



Pop tarts –  again, check brands.  Usually the name brand ones are dairy free unless it’s chocolate. 



Granola Bars:  Most have dairy.   We buy some in a purplish package that don’t have dairy.



Spaghetti Sauce:  Haven’t bought in a long time, we make it from scratch,  but I think the Prego Traditional was dairy free.  Most have cheese.



Salad dressing:   Most have dairy.  Brianna’s doesn’t – in general.  The thing to look for, other than milk or cheese, is carmel coloring.  



Most processed foods have dairy.

Uncle Bens Original Long Grain Wild Rice is dairy free.

Bushes baked beans most/all are dairy free.  Their carmel coloring is NOT dairy.  My mom called the company and asked - and we have NEVER had a problem with it.

Pepsi products:  their carmel coloring is NOT dairy.

Tyson chicken nuggets and stuff are usually dairy free – some types have dairy but the have a CONTAINS statement.  I haven’t found it worth my time to check other brands – everything I’d pick up had dairy.

Foster Farms corndogs are dairy free – State Fair are not

VanDeCamp’s and Wal-mart brand fishsticks are dairy free – most have dairy

Wal-mart has some meatballs that are dairy free – most have dairy.



Crackers:

            Many are fine, but you need to read the boxes.  I know name brand Ritz and name brand saltines are dairy free.  Some off brands have dairy.  Wheat thins are dairy free as long as you stay away from parmesan ones or anything crazy.



Chips:  Most are dairy free – just usually have to watch out for sour cream or cheese flavored.  Even watch for things like Dill Pickle (Lay's are the only Dill Pickle chips we've found dairy free)



Cookies:  I think most have dairy.  But, most Oreos are dairy free.  We don’t buy them much.  You can find other dairy free ones in the “healthy/organic” sections but they cost a lot of money.  



Microwave popcorn:  Act II Butter Lovers flavored is dairy free (nope that wasn’t a typo) – most microwave ones have butter.  Obviously pop your own is dairy free.



Pizza crust:  Unless you make from scratch….Boboli has dairy.  We buy one that comes in a 2 pack and is dairy free.



Papa Johns and Papa Murphy’s have dairy free crusts.  Just ask for no cheese.



Flour tortillas:  Reeser’s is dairy free, there are other that are dairy free too but most, I think, have dairy.



Tofutti makes really yummy soy/tofu based products:  Their ice cream and sandwiches are awesome.  I buy them to have some ice cream for the kids sometime.  But, everyone, including other people’s kids, like them too.  They cost lots more, so we buy a box for Maria and John, and a box of Kemps for everyone else.  Soy dream and rice dream ice creams are kinda gross.   Tofutti sour cream and cream cheese aren’t bad.



Kikoman light soy sauce is dairy free.



Soups:  most have dairy and they say so on the label.  I need to check regarding Lipton’s Onion soup mix.  They list carmel coloring so I’ve never used it – but I’ve got lots of recipes that call for it.  Cream soups have dairy.  I have a recipe for your own if you need it.  



Broths:  Most have dairy.  Imagine foods makes some more pricey organics that are dairy free in cartons.  



Boullion:  Most have dairy  Wyler’s Sodium Free instant chicken boullion and Orrington Farms gourmet chicken base are diary free.  I know I found a beef one once but haven’t been able to find it again.



Pie Crust:  Most have dairy.  Some do not.


Whip Cream:  ALL have dairy EXCEPT Rich’s Richwhip.  Comes in a tiny milk carton looking container in the frozen section.  It’s the kind you beat for 8 minutes or something yourself.  Brooklyn Park Cub foods has it.  MG didn’t – maybe they do now.  It’s on the top shelf above the whip cream.



Sauces:  Brown sauces (steak, etc.) all have carmel coloring.  I’ve always assumed dairy and didn’t check.



I have a cookbook called Marnie’s Kitchen shortcuts.  There are recipes for make your “bisquick” mix, cream soup mix, etc.  They usually call for powdered milk – but – way up above I mentioned that there is a dairy free powdered milk.


2 comments:

LayCarmeliteInTraining said...

Anything produced by the company Enjoy Life is without the top 8 allergens: wheat, dairy, fish, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, shellfish.

Food for Life company makes dairy-free, wheat-free, egg-free breads.

Ah!laska (yes you need the exclamation point) makes a dairy-free, wheat-free hot chocolate mix. It is NOT a dairy-free facility for those who are hyper-sensitive however. You can add Vance's Dari-Free (which I do) or add rice-, soy-, or almond-milk.

LayCarmeliteInTraining said...

I don't mind the Rice Dreams "ice cream" as long as it isn't vanilla or have vanilla (neopolitan). I also can't have wheat so that eliminates a few other favors as well. I mostly stick to chocolate.