If you’ve been following me on Instagram stories then you know I have been dairy free for quite a few months now. We pretty quickly realized that Georgia was having some issues (mucus in her poop, sorry TMI but I get questions about it!) and that cutting out dairy was the solution.
If you think your baby may have a dairy intolerance I definitely recommend working with your pediatrician to figure it out. Dairy is tricky and can take 3+ weeks to fully get out of your system so it’s not something you can easily try and see if it helps.
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Based on my own research I had a feeling she had an issue with dairy and after a couple weeks of semi-cutting out dairy I called the doctor and they were able to test her stool for blood (the sign of intolerance). The test actually came back negative but because of how much mucus was in her stool and my sharing that she seemed to be grunting and spitting up less they recommended I continue to cut out dairy.
At first I was very upset and unsure of if I could do it/wanted to do it. But after trying it for a few weeks I knew that continuing to breastfeed was my #1 priority and that I wanted to make the sacrifice. If you’re currently facing that decision I can tell you that being dairy free is not terrible! Yes, there are sacrifices you will have to make but, welcome to motherhood! Your baby won’t breastfeed forever, and there’s a chance you’ll be able to have dairy again even before you stop breastfeeding. So, hang in there!
Once I set my mind on cutting out 100% of dairy from my diet, I realized that you have to be very diligent in checking ingredients! It’s hiding in everything - even McDonald’s french fries (the thing I miss most)! I hate to admit it but we do eat out quite a bit, and I discovered GoDairyFree.org which has been a life saver! Before we eat somewhere I just google ‘the restaurant name + godairyfree’ and if it’s on their site (most have been) I can quickly see what menu items are dairy free. It is such an amazing resource!
I feel so much more for people with allergies and dietary restrictions now! Just like most things, you can’t understand how hard it is until you go through it yourself. Some restaurants are great about listing ingredients while others make it impossible to find. I definitely will be taking my business to the more transparent restaurants even after I’m no longer dairy free - it’s just the way they all should be!
I also know how frustrating it is to get a wrong order now. Because of coronavirus we always just get drive thru or curbside pick-up so even though I have always checked to make sure items are there now I have learned to fully inspect to make sure everything is right. Too many times I’ve gotten all the way home to either the wrong items (and I literally can not eat what they put instead if it has dairy) or they ignore my request for no cheese, etc. It is very upsetting and I’m sorry that this happens so much for those with allergies!
Now on to my dairy free favorites! I won’t go much into recipes, just snacks and desserts, because it’s easy enough to make a recipe at home without cheese or milk, etc. Quick side note, speaking of cheese, there is no substitute for it. I am a cheese LOVER and I have not found a single dairy free “cheese” that even comes close. For me, I just go without “cheese” because at this point it is just flavorless extra calories.
Dairy Free Snacks
Lay’s Plain Potato Chips
Almond Milk
Silk Almond Milk Creamer
Starbucks Oat Milk Caramel Macchiato Creamer
Pretzels
Smart Balance Butter
Tazo Classic Chai Tea Latte
Tostitos
Cape Cod Barbecue Chips
Safe + Fair Granola (Birthday Cake and Kettle Corn)
Dairy Free Desserts
EnjoyLife Chocolate
Sabra Dark Chocolate Hummus (best with strawberries!)
Hagen Daas Dairy Free Chocolate Bars
Oreos
Graham Crackers + Marshmallow Fluff
Hershey’s Chocolate Sauce
Betty Crocker Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix
Krusteaz Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake Mix
Krusteaz Banana Nut Muffin Mix
Pillsbury Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
Pillsbury Refrigerated Brownie Dough (my latest find)!
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