First Steps to Going Dairy-Free
Last Updated on December 29, 2023 by Annie
Looking to go dairy-free with your eating habits? No matter your reasons for going dairy-free, here are the 4 most important first steps to take.
My first steps into dairy-free living were uneducated at best. I assumed there were foods I simply could not eat and for a while I decided to ignore my lactose intolerance… Heck, I lived 26 years happily eating dairy, what’s a little here and there going to do?
When I finally took steps to cut dairy out completely, defined my why, and began making the essential swaps, it was like night and day. I felt better, less bloated and gassy, and started finding the replacements I enjoyed using the most.
Whatever the benefits you seek from going dairy-free, these steps will set you on the path to a deliciously dairy free life.
- Ditch the Milk
- Swap your Butter
- Cut out the Cheese
- Change your Yogurt
Ditch the Milk
Over the last 5 years of dairy-free living, I have tried a number of different non-dairy milks. To read more about the health benefits, best uses, and varieties of the 5 most popular vegan milks on the market check out my Dairy-Free Milk Guide.
Continue reading for a quick overview of the most common milks and why you might select them over a different plant-based milk.
Almond Milk
Pro– Many varieties, brands, and flavors on the market make it readily available and reasonably priced. It also has a long shelf life, making it easy to buy and use over a longer period of time.
Con– This would not be the best option if you or a family member has a tree nut allergy.
Oat Milk
Pro-With many new brands of oat milk recently coming out this is a great non-dairy choice for families with tree nut allergies.
Oat milk (as well as many nut-based milks) can also easily be made at home! Cookie and Kate share a delicious and easy Oat Milk recipe you can whip up in no time.
Con– While non-contaminated, pure oats are gluten-free many commercial oats are processed in factories containing wheat, barley, and rye. You will need to look at the labels to check that the milk is produced in a non-contaminated environment, or are specifically labeled “Gluten Free” if you are on a Gluten-Free diet.
Soy Milk
Pro- Soy milk provides an option for families with tree nut allergies. It is high in protein and low in saturated fat.
Con- This would not be the best option if you or anyone in your family has a soy allergy.
Coconut Milk
Pro– Coconut milk makes a great non-dairy replacement for heavy cream. I have found it works well in caramel, dressings, and sweet bread recipes.
Con– While coconuts are actually considered a fruit, the FDA classifies them as tree nuts. If you have a tree nut allergy, coconut milk may trigger an allergic reaction and should be avoided. For more information about coconut milk and oils check out this article from Allergic Living.
Swap out your butter
Just like milk, dairy free and plant-based butter is on the rise. There are a number of brands providing lactose and dairy free butter. You will want to find the right one for you based on what you are using the butter for.
If you are simply wanting to use vegan butter for spreading, here are a few different brands you might be able to find at your local grocery store:
- Country Crock- Plant Butter Olive Oil
- Pure Blends- Avocado Oil Plant-Based Butter
- Miyoko’s Oat Milk Butter
- Earth Balance
- Melt Organic
- Grocery Brands- Many grocery store brands have also started making plant-based butter options like Simple Truth at Kroger, Good and Gather at Target,
For baking, I have found the most success with Country Crock’s Plant Based Butter Sticks. They have almond, avocado, and olive oil based sticks. The baking sticks aren’t too salty and have held up in cookies, caramel, and pralines.
Other plant-based baking sticks available on the market include:
- Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks
- Country Crock Plant-Based Butter Sticks
- VioLife Plant Butter
- Flora Plant Butter
- Melt Organic
- Miyoko’s Plant Milk Butter
Cut the Cheese
Oh, c’mon. You knew it would happen. This would be terrible advice if I let this one pass us by.
Now what I am about to share with you is one of the biggest reasons people refuse to make the switch. The amount of times I said or have heard, “I think dairy is causing my problem, BUT I just can’t give up cheese.” Show of hands… WE’VE ALL BEEN THERE but there are so many people giving up dairy- cheese included -and doing it well.
Nut-based cheese
You can make your own cheese at home using cashews or almonds. There are many different recipes for different kinds of cheese replacements and how they can be used. I have a full board on Pinterest about vegan cheese and how to make your own at home, feel free to follow this board for more nut-based cheeses.
Commercially Made Vegan Cheese Brands
Here are a few of the most common plant-based cheese brands (or brands that also make plant-based options) on the market and the variety of different styles of vegan cheese they offer.
- Chao– Shreds slices, dips, blocks of cheese, and even mac and cheese options.
- Diaya– Shreds, slices, frozen pizzas, mac and cheese options, cheezecake, and even feta-style blocks.
- Follow Your Heart– Shreds, slices, specialty cheeses, and blocks.
- Miyoko’s- Soft cheeses blends, cream cheese spreads, and their wildly popular pourable plant-milk mozzarella.
- So Delicious– Cream cheese style spreads
- VioLife– Shreds, blocks, dips, spreads, and slices.
Change Your Yogurt
While yogurt contains many wonderful benefits like protein and calcium with an added bonus of improved gut health (hello Activia!) it also contains dairy. So for those trying to eliminate dairy in their diet here are the best yogurt swaps to try.
Almond Milk Yogurt – Silk makes a great yogurt alternative, however it is made from almonds and should be avoided if you have a tree nut allergy. While most non-dairy yogurts tend to be pricy, Silk is often on sale or closer in price to the dairy filled varieties.
Silk also has a line of Oat Yogurts as well as almond yogurts to help ease the yogurt transition for people with tree nut allergies.
So Delicious Yogurt Alternative– So Delicious offers a WIDE variety of yogurt alternatives such as coconut yogurt and oat yogurt.
Activia Lactose Free Yogurt– This yogurt is made from milk, so if you have a milk allergy I would not recommend this product. However, if you have a lactose intolerance this might be a good yogurt to try.
Make your own Yogurt
Ok, I know what you are thinking… make my own yogurt?!? But honestly it is the most cost effective option, especially if you are an avid yogurt eater. Minimalist Baker has an excellent 2 ingredient recipe for coconut yogurt and once you have the probiotics the options for variety are limitless!
Swap it Up!
These foundational swaps will improve your ability to maintain a dairy free lifestyle. Whether you simply want to reduce the amount of dairy you consume or you are looking to eliminate it entirely, these swaps will help get you there.
If you are looking for additional ways to make dairy free swaps, I include simple swaps in each of my recipes. These guide you to think about recipes in a simple, swap-able way. This way, when you encounter a dairy filled recipe you are equipped with the tools you need to make them dairy free.
I hope this guide helped provide you with some helpful first steps towards going dairy-free.
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