Grilled cheese and tomato soup, fettuccine Alfredo, milk, and ice cream– these are foods I loved to eat or drink, but I always regretted my choice afterwards. The result was an upset stomach, bloating, and gas. On many occasions I suffered from terrible stomach cramps. I would find myself lying on my bed in pain. I knew something was amiss, but I was in denial. My first “ah ha” moment was when I did a cleanse and did not have milk or cheese, and my digestive issues were minimal. Then, I began paying attention to how I felt after eating certain diary products, and I realized a change needed to be made if I wanted to feel better.

Lactose Intolerance

The technical term would be lactose intolerance, which is different than a milk allergy. Healthline defines lactose intolerance as a “digestive disorder caused by the inability to digest lactose, the main carbohydrate in diary products.” Symptoms include stomach pain, bloating, gas, and diarrhea.

Milk

I finally came to the conclusion I needed to give up milk if I wanted to feel better. I started drinking other beverages more often, like tea and purified water, and after awhile I didn’t miss milk anymore. I tried almond milk and coconut milk from cartons, but I didn’t care for them. I finally settled on coconut milk in a can since I find the taste is more enjoyable. I don’t drink it plain, but I use it in my smoothies and to replace milk in most recipes.

Cheese & Butter

Next, I eliminated cheese. This change took longer than milk because I love cheese, and it tastes amazing on other foods! I have had to be creative when I eat pizza. I started using goat cheese instead of mozzarella, without realizing this contained lactose too, but I have found this type of cheese in small quantities doesn’t seem to bother me– at least for now. Surprisingly, I don’t miss cheese as much as I thought I would. I have learned to live without it, although I will have a little Parmesan from time to time. Butter in small quantities doesn’t seem to effect me either, which may be because butter contains just a small amount of lactose.

Cream

When I say cream, I mean whipping cream and ice cream. The former I can handle in small amounts and the later, not so much. Cream sauces are the worst because they call for a large amount of whipping cream and, of course, cheese, such as Alfredo sauce. I have had a little success adding a small amount of coconut milk to a few recipes, like the beef stroganoff recipe I make. For meals I can’t adjust, I make the original recipe for my family, and I will find an alternative for myself. Ice cream is the worst offender and the hardest to say no to when everyone else is enjoying an ice cream cone or sundae. I do splurge sometimes, but I was determined to find a dairy free ice cream I could enjoy. Here is what I found from doing a little ‘research’ at my grocery store:

Sorbet is a good alternative, but it does contain the most amount of sugar. I also wanted to try diary free ice cream. It wasn’t easy to find ones without dairy or corn syrup, which I try to avoid too. After studying the labels at the grocery store, the two I bought were SO Delicious, which is made with cashew milk, and KIND Frozen, which is plant based. I was happy to discover the taste of both of these were great, especially the SO Delicious Snickerdoodle (my quest continues as I have discovered this brand has a lower sugar variety out there I will have to hunt down). Because of the sugar, I will be eating these in moderation, but it is nice to know I have a choice when I need to satisfy my ice cream craving. For a healthier alternative, try pureeing some of your favorite frozen fruit in a blender for a cold treat. I blend frozen strawberries, bananas, and a peach, pineapple, and mango combination with a little coconut milk.

Becoming dairy free (or mostly dairy free) does take time and discipline, but you can explore a whole new world of ideas, and the benefits of feeling better are worth it. If you are dealing with lactose intolerance I would recommend giving up dairy for a time, then see what you can handle. But make sure you are getting enough calcium from other foods and/or taking a good calcium supplement. I thought this article from Prevention had some good thoughts on dairy foods that may not affect you.

The following is a recipe I adapted which contains almost no dairy except for butter:

Almost Dairy Free Biscuits

Ingredients

• 2 Cups Flour
• 1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
• 1 Tablespoon Sugar (I use Monk Fruit Sweetener)
• 1 Teaspoon Salt
• 3 Tablespoons Butter (you could use vegan butter)
• 3 Tablespoons Coconut Oil
• 3/4 Cup of cold Coconut Milk mixed with 1/4 Cup of Water (I add the water to tone down the coconut flavor or you could use a cup of almond milk)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking pan with parchment paper or a nonstick silicone baking mat. Whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Cut in butter and coconut oil with a pastry blender or a fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Slowly add cold milk and stir until dough just comes together. It may not be necessary to use all the milk; dough will be wet and sticky. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead (fold over) 15 times. Gently roll or pat dough to 1 or 1/2 inch thickness. Cut biscuits with a small biscuit cutter. Gently re-roll the dough scraps and cut remaining biscuits. Place biscuits on the prepared baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until tops are golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. (Recipe adapted from Allrecipes.com)

I would love to hear any experiences you have with going dairy free.