As sad as it is to scroll by all the cheesiest recipes known to man, I have finally accepted that a majority of my family is lactose intolerant. I am not, but my husband and toddler are.
It’s definitely a harder allergy to avoid because, hello! Ice cream! We are also more plant-based consumers so just trying to find a vegetarian dish at a restaurant not covered in cheese is impossible. It’s even worse for a toddler (mac & cheese or grilled cheese?).
Over the past several months, I have struggled with lunches because a grilled cheese would definitely be my go-to lunch. Or yogurt. Or boxed mac & cheese for quick/lazy days. I mean we’re talking no lasagna, no alfredo, no cheese on Mexican dishes, no cottage cheese, no ranch, no cheesy garlic bread (hold on, I can’t take much more).
I have had to perfect my skill as a dairy-free mama and find a way around all these obstacles to make food that both my daughter and husband can eat. Hopefully my findings help you if you’re struggling with the same ordeal.
1. The Classic Peanut Butter & Jelly
I know this isn’t terribly exciting. It’s my least favorite (how did the peanut butter get there?). I’m a bread baker by trade, so we are never at a shortage of whole wheat bread. Sandwiches without cheese seem sad, but my daughter gobbles down a PB&J like it’s her job. Sometimes we even just do PB if we want to do without the extra sugar. Honestly, a PB&J can satisfy a sweet craving of mine. Swap out the PB for sunflower butter or almond butter for a healthier choice. My daughter enjoys all “butters.”
2. Dr. Praeger’s Kale Littles & Spinach Littles
These frozen potatoes of goodness are so delicious, I don’t even think my daughter breathes when she eats them. They’re in fun little shapes and are a mix of potatoes and greens. I usually give these to my daughter with a side of vegetables (like cooked peas or raw carrots) or fruit. She’s been a bit picky lately so it’s comforting for me to know that she is still getting her greens even if she doesn’t know it. Plus, they’re gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free, and, most importantly, guilt-free.
Hellllooo lifesaver Annie’s over here! Boxed mac has its own taste and Annie’s did us a favor offering a vegan mac that tastes like regular mac! I make this for my daughter, of course, but sometimes I’ll have some and I honestly cannot taste that it’s fake cheese. I’ll boil the pasta with peas and my daughter will eat both the peas and the mac & cheese.
4. Dairy-free Yogurt with Berries & Chia Seeds
What a time to be alive. When we first went plant-based years ago, there were no alternative products. Now, I can get the large containers of Silk’s Almondmilk Yogurt (plain, unsweetened) at Walmart. I try as best I can to avoid added sugars to the foods I offer my daughter, and she absolutely loves yogurt. She refers to yogurt as “yogi” and berries as “bears” so she often asks for “yogi a bears?”
I think a lot about what we don’t eat anymore because we grow up in such a dairy-centered diet mindset, but I can honestly say that cheese never tastes as good as I think it will. It changes my perspective and I don’t feel I’m missing out on anything. Especially my daughter, who is only one-year-old, and doesn’t know any different.
We tend to eat healthier than we used to and my daughter actually eats vegetables and fruits and beans and legumes and grains and unsweetened oatmeal and yogurt. It’s pretty amazing what we can do with food if we open our eyes and tastebuds.
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