There were two times in my life that I had to cut out dairy entirely. For someone whom friends have called a “Dairy Queen,” this was a challenge, and a hard one.

In my case, the issue that prompted dairy restrictions was my infant sons. Each of them was sensitive to dairy proteins passed through my breast milk. The process of figuring this out was challenging, but I am glad I did. I was able to continue to breastfeed them and they became far more comfortable.

How does one live dairy-free?

But when I did figure out it was dairy I had to give up? I’ll be honest, I was grieving. I had no idea how I was going to eliminate dairy. I couldn’t even have milk in my one cup coffee in the morning! No ice cream, no cheese, reading labels for hidden dairy ingredients…how would I survive?

The first couple of weeks without dairy were the worst for me. After that, I was able to manage. While I wouldn’t say I didn’t miss the taste of dairy any more, the taste memory wasn’t as recent. After those first two weeks, I knew I could do it.

Going dairy-free is entirely doable

As I said, it was hard, but I did survive, and I learned some healthy eating habits that have continued long since I’ve been able to reintroduce dairy to my diet. Now, when I encounter a situation in which I need to cook dairy-free, I am not intimidated. I can do it. With the increased prevalence of food allergies, this (relative) fearlessness has come in handy.

I was lucky. When my sons reached about a year old, I was able to reintroduce dairy to both of us. Our whole family continues to enjoy dairy today. But since that time in my life, I am more conscious of my dairy intake and make sure it occurs in proper moderation. My diet no longer depends on dairy like it once did.

Tips for a non-dairy diet:

• Read labels and know how dairy hides. “Whey” and “cassein,” for example, are dairy derivatives.
• Focus on fresh fruits and vegetables, prepared simply.
• Carefully consider your calcium intake. Calcium supplements are a great idea, as long as they don’t have hidden dairy themselves. Veggies such as broccoli are great sources of calcium.
• Look to Asian cuisines for non-dairy meals and ingredients. Most stir-fries and sushis are dairy-free, as are meals like pad thai.
• Look to Mediterranean cuisines for meals that use olive oil and meals in which cheeses or other dairy are just a garnish. While the dish might not be as complete as without the cheese, it’s a way to make one meal for a group. When serving a big bowl of pasta with sausage and spinach (replacing the butter with olive oil), serve the cheese on the side.
• Add flavor with vinegars and herbs and spices.
• Get to know rice milk and soy milk. They are not the same as cow’s milk, I know, but if you don’t expect them to be, you can learn to use and enjoy them in their own right.
• Experiment with different fats and dairy substitutes in favorite recipes. My husband used to make me pancakes with rice milk and canola oil. While they never matched “real” pancakes exactly, they were tasty, and with puddle of syrup on top? Yum.
• At dessert time, look for sorbets - such as mango sorbet. The texture of a mango is naturally creamy. I personally never developed a taste for non-dairy ice creams, but you may like them just fine.
• Other desserts can be made with vegan margarine - cookies and Rice Krispie treats, for example.
• More and more specialty food companies are addressing special dietary needs. Cherrybrook Kitchen, for example, makes dessert mixes that are dairy-, nut-, egg-, and/or wheat-free.

Going dairy-free is entirely doable. It takes some extra thought and planning at first, but soon enough it’s second nature. Before you know it, you don’t think about what’s “missing” anymore and realize you are just eating really good food.