Make your transition to a dairy-free diet EASY with these dairy-free swaps and beginner tips. Learning how to go dairy-free can be overwhelming but it doesn't have to be complicated.
In fact, it can be rewarding! Learn about the best dairy-free products as well as how to transition your favorite recipes so that you can still enjoy them.
Making the choice to go on a dairy-free diet & eliminate dairy products can be a huge step.
While dairy is commonplace in our society, there have been a lot of articles recently showing the adverse effects of dairy. The most common issue being inflammation (which is also the least severe).
As a Certified Nutrition Coach, I have been dairy-free since roughly 2017.
Initially, I eliminated dairy at the request of my Holistic Nutritionist to aid in getting pregnant. Once I was pregnant (as well as afterward) I noticed I was unable to tolerate any dairy products.
What Is "Dairy-Free"?
Choosing to go dairy-free whether it is for ethical reasons or allergy reasons means that you're opting to exclude dairy products from your diet.
This means milk as well as milk products. And though eliminating the dairy products as is will be your first step. you'll also need to start looking at labels.
Find the answer to: are eggs a dairy product?
Many household products like crackers, chips, and candy contain dairy ingredients and will need to be avoided.
Common Symptoms Of Dairy Intolerance
It's said that roughly %65 of the population is unable to tolerate dairy. Unfortunately, the majority of the time this is simply overlooked.
We live with many of the symptoms (learn more about the effects of dairy on inflammation) because we either don't know better or do not want to know better.
Some of the biggest symptoms of dairy intolerance are:
- Bloating
- Cramping
- Digestive stress/bathroom issues
- Acne
- Eczema, psoriasis
- Headaches
Unfortunately, the only way to determine that you have a dairy intolerance is to completely eliminate dairy products from your diet.
This means making sure it's not in foods you may eat like chips, crackers, or protein bars also.
Eliminate it for 4-6 weeks, re-introduce it, and see how you feel. For me, acne, headaches, and bloating simply are not worth consuming dairy products.
However, this blog post isn't debating the benefits or risks of having dairy in your diet.
If you're here, you've probably already decided to try a dairy-free diet (and know the benefits of a dairy-free diet) and you want to know how to go dairy-free without losing your mind. Use these dairy-free tips for beginners to get started with easy swaps.
Beginner Tips On How To Go Dairy-Free
For many people, just the thought of going dairy-free is enough to cause a panic attack. dairy products are woven so easily into your days. What about cheese? Baked goods? FYI here are the best dairy-free baking tips.
Keep in mind that learning how to cut dairy out of your diet is a habit, just like anything else. It's going to take some effort and some time to switch over what feels most natural to you. But it can be done.
Focus on the areas you normally overlook:
- check your packaged snack ingredients for dairy
- find a dairy-free swap for coffee (more below)
- don't assume (dairy is an ingredient often hidden where we'd least expect it)
- have a digestive enzyme on hand in case (I use one from Renew Life)
But What About Calcium?
While we definitely need calcium in our diet for health, it doesn't mean you need cow's milk.
You can get calcium from a variety of plant-based sources - or use more cacao powder (chocolate!!) in your diet. These sources can be just as effective as calcium from cow's milk.
There have been lots of talks as well about how much calcium we even absorb from cow’s milk and it’s my understanding it’s not crucial. Find ways to boost calcium in other areas of your diet.
Dairy-Free Swaps
Below are simple swaps for beginners to help you make the transition to a dairy-free diet. More often than not it's about getting used to buying new brands and adjusting flavors.
Choosing Dairy-Free Milk
This is perhaps the biggest and the most obvious swap. If you're about to start a dairy-free diet, you're not going to be running out buying a jug of cow's milk.
But you will probably want some type of milk on hand for breakfast food, smoothies, and baking recipes.
Thankfully, there are lots of options on the market! We use homemade hemp milk the most as store-bought can get pricey.
One thing to note is that too much of anything can cause issues and it's always good to rotate your fats.
In regards to soy milk, it isn't something I recommend a lot of as a Sports Nutrition Coach. Soy milk, and excess soy in general can cause some issues hormonally. Especially since you'd probably be consuming high amounts of soy milk, I'd choose a different option.
It's also best to avoid kinds of milk with carageen (a thickener). As some people believe that carrageenan causes some serious inflammation and digestive issues.
How To Interchange Dairy-Free Milk
When it comes to baking, you can simply use the same amount that you normally would of cow's milk. Most dairy-free milk I've noticed is interchangeable for baking.
If you're thinking of smoothies or cereal, it's a bit of trial and error as to what you enjoy. I find that almond, cashew or pea milk work the best for cereal as I find rice milk far too watery.
Coconut Milk To Replace Cream
Coconut milk is going to become your new best friend to make your recipes taste rich. From lattes, to pastas, to frosting and baked goods. However, there are two kinds: the one in a can and the one in a box similar to the nut-based ones above.
The one in a carton can be used interchangeably with any other milk. It is normally very watered down. The one in a can however is your solution to:
- making things creamy (think one pot alfredo pasta or this coconut milk alfredo sauce)
- plant-based, coconut whipped cream (you need full fat for this)
- any kind of indulgence
The milk in the can is thick, creamy, and hardens when placed in the fridge. It's the best substitution for cream in a recipe. Learn everything you need to know about coconut milk and which one is best for your recipes.
Choosing Dairy-Free Yogurt
There are so many dairy-free products for this now, it's great!
My first tip is to learn more about your specific reason for going dairy-free.
If it's the protein lactose you can't digest, you may be able to enjoy a lactose-free yogurt (liberty brand has one). If your reason is specifically with cow's milk, your digestive system may have no problem tolerating sheep's or goat's milk.
Goats yogurt is becoming more popular as it's easier to digest. Though admittedly the taste takes some getting used to as it's a bit more bitter.
Since I use yogurt as a protein source, more often than not I grab a coconut or nut-based yogurt and mix some collagen powder into it to give me more fuel.
Some great dairy-free products are:
- Silk
- SoDelicious
- Daiya
- Liberte
- Siggis
With so many dairy-free options nowadays you can still easily make your favorite things (like this high protein cheesecake).
Dairy-Free Cheese
Cheese is perhaps the biggest hurdle when learning how to go dairy-free.
There are a lot of soy-based cheeses (vegan cheese) on the market like Daiya that come in shredded or sliced form.
As far as dairy-free products go, I personally dislike the Diaya brand for cheese (most things actually) as it doesn't melt.
Instead, try Earth Island cheese. They have both shredded and sliced and it truly melts when you heat it (though it does take longer).
On that note: keep in mind that vegan cheeses do tend to be overly processed. If you're big into gut-health, they may be something you look into using every so often and not every day.
For appetizers like crackers and cheese or using a spreadable cheese on sandwiches/wraps, there is the option of cashew cheese!
My favorite brand is Nuts For Cheese. I'll be the first to admit that I could eat a whole sleeve of it myself. It is tasty.
Learning to use Nutritional Yeast will open a lot of baking doors as well. It's one of the best dairy-free alternatives once you know how to use it!
On its own, nutritional yeast is a bit odd but when you learn to use it correctly it definitely helps make recipes flavorful! It adds a cheesy flavor to sauces, popcorn, and baked goods like dairy-free breakfast casserole.
Choosing Chocolate
If ever there was something I refuse to give up it's bloody chocolate. Seriously, that's not even an option! and thankfully, I've learned to work around it.
Making your own chocolate-based products is simple thanks to cacao powder. Learn more about the difference between cacao and cocoa powder.
For chocolate chips, I use the brand Enjoy Life brand but I also keep a stash of straight dark chocolate squares too. In my experience, anything 80% normally doesn't have dairy in it because they use cacao butter as the base.
Swap #7: Ice Cream
There's been an explosion of this year when it comes to dairy-free ice cream. A few common options:
- Strictly lactose-free ice cream
- Coconut milk ice cream
- Cashew ice crea.
Know that the coconut one is like flaked water. The cashew ice cream though is creamy and in texture much more similar to the norm.
That said, I also make a lot of my own protein ice cream too.
Great Products For Dairy-Free Cooking
Much of the struggle when cutting out dairy is learning to make new renditions of your classic recipes which means having a few more staples on hand.
Below are some common dairy-free products you're going to want to have on hand:
- Coconut oil (in place of butter) or use tallow
- Coconut yogurt
- Arrowroot powder (this helps thicken sauces)
- Canned coconut milk
- Nutritional yeast
- Primal kitchen salad dressing
- Primal kitchen mayonnaise
- Vitamin D (to help boost calcium absorption)
Dairy-Free Meal Plans
If you need more support and guidance on rocking a dairy-free diet, especially as a beginner, check out one of my dairy-free meal plans.
It uses a carb-cycling approach to help you gain energy and improve body composition and all the recipes are dairy-free.
Of course, if you're struggling more on the sweet tooth side, you can also check out the Protein power E-book. 20+ dessert-like snacks that give you fuel.
Inside the Strong and Sweet Guide, you’ll discover exactly how much protein you need each day, how to choose the right protein powder, and enjoy over twenty-five easy ultra-simple snack recipes, each packed with 17 grams of protein or more.
Frequently Asked Questions About How To Go Dairy-Free
While most symptoms will take a few weeks to get out of your system, some things like bloating and migraines can be improved after just a few short days of eliminating dairy.
No, eggs are not a dairy product. However, eggs are amongst one of the top allergens for adults.
Eliminating cheese when switching to a dairy-free diet is hard. Take it step by step and find alternatives to your regular meals. For some meals, you can use dairy-free products. For others, you'll want to switch completely. Spreadable cashew cheese is delicious and nutritional yeast + coconut milk are great dairy-free products to give recipes a creamy flavor similar to cheese.
Dairy-Free Recipes To Replace Your Favorites
Having some staple dairy-free recipes on hand to replace your traditional ones will make the transition to eating dairy-free easier.
Below are a few reader favorites:
- Slow cooker tuscan chicken
- Dairy-free hoy chocolate
- One pot creamy sausage pasta
- One pot chicken alfredo
- Creamy chocolate pudding
- Dairy-free tomato soup
- Easy chocolate frosting
- The best dairy-free chocolate cupcakes
- Chocolate chip crumble cookies
- Dairy-free birthday cake
- Macaroni salad
- Chocolate ice cream
Melissa@Realnutritiousliving
Great tips! We’ve been dairy free for years. I’m grateful there are so many more options now than ever before!
Virjinia @ With Purpose and Kindness
Love this! I've never really been a fan of cow's milk and just recently have tried out coconut yogurts and cashew cheese. It's actually pretty good!
fitasamamabear
Cashew cheese is a tasty one! I'm hit or miss on store bought coconut yogurt but love homemade!
Samantha Parry
I am vegan & absolutely love this article. Coconut milk is my favorite.
fitasamamabear
That's because coconut milk makes EVERYTHING better 😀
Ginger Smith
Great tips! There are literally vegan/dairy free options out there for everything! I love silk yogurt!
fitasamamabear
There's definitely so many options now compared to even a few years ago. It's kind of awesome!
Karrie Frost
You're right, my biggest hurdle would be my love of cheese. I have tried a few soy cheeses, and they never quite satisfied me the way traditional cheeses have. Any suggestions?
fitasamamabear
Cheese is a totally other rant of mine haha so I can eat cashew cheese on crackers as like a spread (it's yummy). And I like vegan cheese for things like mac n cheese or nachos or whatnot. But feta... I find it soooo hard. I have yet to fully omit cheese from my diet personally! I wish I had better suggestions but I think it's a classic case of "eventually you change the habit and get used to it". I just haven't committed yet.
Latasha Peterson
Oh, this post is perfect. I am actually thinking about going diary free for a little while.
Thanks for your awesome tips.
fitasamamabear
Gad it came in handy! Dairy free is possible you just have to commit and change habits (hardest part) but there are some kick butt alternatives out there!
La Shell
Whenever I give up on dairy I always feel so good but I never stick to it. I used soy and almond milk but what I missed most was cheese!
fitasamamabear
Cheese! Honestly the hardest part for me.. and everyone I've ever known lol The worst part is I don't have cheese too often but I can't fully omit it! Cashew cheese and vegan cheese works most of the time but FETA!!
Ashlee
As a vegan, this is super helpful. Unfortunately, I had to learn all this the hard way via massive amounts of research.
fitasamamabear
Oh! It's funny because even just a few years ago we didn't have very many options and it was OS MUCH more work. Now I think it's a bit easier.
Oyibo
Insightful and educative..Coconut has been our main source of not just cream but milk and oil as well. since it was recommended for my little autistic boy. well, we dont use any form of milk at home apart from coconut milk.
fitasamamabear
Coconut oil and milk are by far one of my favorites. The oil especially because there so many inflammation reducing benefits. I do enjoy a mix of almond and coconut for milks though!
Cori - Sweet Coralice
Great tips! My kiddos love Silk Almond but we've never tried the Cashew. I'll need to keep a look out for it next time. And Coconut Cream is amazing in cupcakes! I don't know why, but I never use it enough for some reason. I'll be experimenting with some of these suggestions in 2018 😉
fitasamamabear
Mmmm I love coconut cream so so much lol Give the cashew milk a try! It's a nice switch up from the almond... we go through a ridiculous amount of silk milk between smoothies and other concoctions!
Tanvi Rastogi
90% of my diet is dairy free ... except for cheese. When eating out and having pizza it is just not always possible. Sticking with almond milk for the past 5 years has been the best decision.
❥ tanvii.com
fitasamamabear
I'm about the same as you! I don't try to have dairy, it's mostly omitted but sometimes I like whey protein powders or pizza (or feta, I do love feta). That said, I do notice a huge difference when I cut it out completely. Which sucks lol
Carol Little R.H.
Super post. Love your ideas. There are so many more folks with dairy allergies and I like that you have given so many choices for the different 'issues'.
Will share. Thanks!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
It's SO easy to swap out dairy! There are simple 1 to 1 replacements for everything!
fitasamamabear
Yes! It took me a bit to figure out (never really had a crazy desire to) but it's not too bad now and when I do consume dairy it sucks so not worth it lol I do need to figure out a better vegan cheese though (for crackers and cheese type situations)
Amy
Really helpful tips! We are mostly dairy free and sometimes substitutes don't work as well as the real thing. Totally agree with rice milk being too thin, I've ruined a few recipes with it ?
fitasamamabear
Gah! Rice milk just makes me angry lol I've been making my own oat milk as of late to switch up from my almond addiction and it's been pretty tasty!