Dairy/soy/whey free diet!

Re: Dairy/soy/whey free diet!

• soupalou member

  July 2015

  I am 1 week into a dairy free diet (including whey and casein)- I haven't had to do soy free yet- as our pediatrician said it is really really hard- (it's in everything) - easiest thing to do is to make food at home and not eat anything processed. there is a brand caked "So delicious" they have some soy based things but they also have a lot of Coconut milk items (my fav is the mini ice cream sandwiches) - YUM! Also a lot of the gluten free stuff is also allergen free- so if you have a gluten free section in your grocery store - it is a good place to look for some safe foods- and the natural section of freezer section- and obviously get ready to read labels and know what ingredients to look out for (hopefully you get a list from the GI- if not there are allergy sites online) - as much as it is somewhat inconvenient- it's not too bad because there are so many alternative options now- eating out can be hard as not everyone understands "dairy free" doesn't just mean no milk/cheese etc.. I ate at an Italian restaurant and ordered something with pesto- after telling them I couldn't have dairy- but pesto is frequently made with Parmesan cheese- so be careful- good luck and post if you find something good!

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• babyh310 member

  July 2015

  Oh girl! I have been dairy free for 2 months. But I can have whey and soy. Cashew milk and almond milk are great but expensive. I like the almond milk ice cream best; coconut milk ice cream is like flavored ice but almond milk is creamier. You can have sorbet (not sherbet!) and pineapple or orange flavor Dole Whip ice cream. Lactose free does NOT mean it doesnt have the dairy protein so I still avoid it. You can have miracle whip and mayo so you can still have deli meat sandwiches, just check the bread to make sure it doesn't have milk in it. On turkey or beef burgers I fry an egg in place of cheese - even better, and, bonus, extra protein for baby!!! I also do fish (I get the frozen kind, but check to find it without milk! You might have to buy fresh) with veggie rotini pasta and Italian dressing. Marinated chicken with brown rice and a veggie. Potatoes! I found Kroger and Whole Foods most helpful for variety and options.
  
  Snacks: chips and salsa; skinny pop popcorn (regular kind); balsamic vinegar triscuits and roasted red pepper hummus; unsalted almonds or cashews; tuna fish. Almond or cashew milk ice cream (brand: SO Delicious)
  
  Meals: sandwiches (deli meat with miracle whip, mustard, avocado; peanut butter and jelly or peanut butter and honey; peanut butter and marshmallow spread), turkey or beef burgers with egg, avocado, ketchup, mustard, miracle whip; chicken, rice or potato, veggie; fish with pasta and Italian dressing; burritos with black beans, rice, chicken, veggies, salsa, corn, and lots of avocado; chicken salad with kidney beans, black beans, corn, a few crumbled triscuits, and a raspberry merlot dressing... etc!
  
  Basically you are eating clean. If you search vegan or paleo recipes on pinterest you will come up with a lot of things! I tried Daiya cheese but found it absolutely disgusting and I don't miss cheese enough to force it. I have other friends who like it just fine!
  
  I found the website godairyfree.org really helpful for when I want fast food or a chain restaurant.
  
  I hope this was helpful! You can do this! It is SO worth it! Plus avoiding the allergen now can help them develop stronger systems and gives them more likelihood that they will not have an allergy later - I figure giving up ice cream temporarily now is so worth it to be able to have ice cream in another couple of years with my little guy! Don't hesitate to ask if you have other questions. I'm not great at this but I have a little experience and I'm happy to help if I can! I remember it was so overwhelming at first! ♡

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• babyh310 member

  July 2015

  Also!!! You can have oreos and Ghirardelli dark chocolate brownies! Earth balance butter is great, I've used it for lactation cookies!

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• jesslynnw90 member

  July 2015

  @babyh310 @soupalou thank you so much!! This gave me lots of awesome ideas! And the thought of still being able to have Oreos and brownies makes me so happy. I'm determined to stick to this diet for my baby. No ice cream in the world is worth her discomfort. This is a whole new world I've hardly ever looked into. I went to the store tonight to just grab a few things to eat until I really spend some time planning meals and such. I have never read so many labels in my life before! Lol it's amazing how these things are in so much of our foods! I'm sure this will get easier as I get more into it. Just starting is hard.
  Also, do you make separate meals for your other family members? I don't want to make my husband and daughter be on this diet since they don't have to. But the thought of making separate meals seems even more challenging! Or did you just make your family eat what was made? Thank you ladies again for the awesome advice! I'm excited to learn and see changes in my baby!

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• babyh310 member

  July 2015

  I cried the night I realized going dairy free was what I knew was the right thing for us and started reading about it, it was so overwhelming! My first trip to the store I bought hardly anything and I felt defeated. I have a friend with severe food allergies who helped a lot! Her husband and 5 year old daughter also eat along with her. They have found recipes everyone loves, and her husband just eats whatever he wants for lunch and doesn't tell her about it lol. We have adopted a similar policy; if my husband had pizza for lunch, fine, but I do not want to hear about it! He has been really supportive and it has been fun to look up ideas and try new recipes. It's awesome that it's grilling season because grilled meats with veggies are totally dairy free! The only things we have different is he has sliced cheese in the fridge for whenever he has sandwiches or we do burgers, and he has Vitamin D milk vs cashew milk. Otherwise we eat the same things! Cheesy/creamy casseroles are easy and amazing, but realistically they aren't very healthy and I don't even miss them now. My son is so worth it! Tip: refrigerate your oreos - takes 'em to a whole other level!!! there are also some cake mixes that are dairy free!

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• soupalou member

  July 2015

  My husband and I eat the same things too- like babyh310 - my hubby adds cheese to things were appropriate. We also grill a a lot - one of my favs is grilled salmon with a glaze and grilled veggies with rice pilaf. I don't think you will have to change your diet too much - just steer clear of processed foods and prepare from scratch so you control what's in your food. Also- please check out the Oreo package - as I think they have Soy in them- - but I bet you could find a similar cookie without soy in the natural section of your grocer- good luck!

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• EricandKaren member

  July 2015

  Enjoy Life makes good allergen free cookies - I like the snicker doodle! My Kroger carries them, and Whole Foods has a bigger selection!
  They also make allergen free chocolate chips so if you find good recipes online you can still make cookies!!!
  Good luck, not fun, but kudos to you for sticking with it!!!!

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• babyh310 member

  July 2015

  soupalou said:

  My husband and I eat the same things too- like babyh310 - my hubby adds cheese to things were appropriate. We also grill a a lot - one of my favs is grilled salmon with a glaze and grilled veggies with rice pilaf. I don't think you will have to change your diet too much - just steer clear of processed foods and prepare from scratch so you control what's in your food. Also- please check out the Oreo package - as I think they have Soy in them- - but I bet you could find a similar cookie without soy in the natural section of your grocer- good luck!

  Oh yes, please do check the oreos, I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking; I know they're dairy free but I forgot you're also eliminating soy. I'm sorry!

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