Cindy
Why do I love breakfast so much?
Of all the foods shared at different meal times, for me, breakfast is my first love! There is just something so fun about the different types of foods acceptable for the menu and the wonderful smells that drift through the home announcing a new day…
So, what happens when a loved one discovers they have a dairy allergy?
My grandson who’s still nursing is allergic to dairy, so our family has been taste testing and trying many different dairy-free breakfast food alternatives. It’s nice to have some flavorful dairy alternatives that make this new lifestyle easier (and keep breakfast stupendous)!
Research indicates the specific dairy most likely to cause problems can be cow’s milk.
It’s actually a milk protein from cow’s milk that can create allergic reactions (read more here from the Mayo Clinic). If a nursing mom believes dairy may be causing problems with her baby, pediatricians often recommend eliminating all dairy from her lifestyle for three weeks is how she can determine whether or not dairy is the culprit. After the elimination she can see if signs of an allergy get better or disappear. With mom (along with a pediatrician) watching to see if signs are relieved you can then hopefully solve the problem to help her little love bug. Anyone can utilize this elimination diet strategy to check for changes with the common symptoms.
We have made a list of products we found available for people with a dairy allergy along with a few yummy ideas on how to put them to work at the breakfast table.
Let’s talk breakfast!
Maybe due to the farming origins of the first daily meal designed to “break the fast,” so much of the typical morning menu includes milk in the ingredients list!
So, after careful taste tests and reviews, here are our top three favorite plant-based milks:
1.The wonderfully tasty and versatile almond milk.
A great breakfast option can be your favorite cereal with almond milk. You can also enjoy using it with oatmeal topped with fruit, even blend it up in smoothies!
A tasty almond milk to try is Califia Farms which is plant based, unsweetened, non-dairy, vegan, sugar free, keto friendly, and Non-GMO. It also provides 40% more calcium than cow’s milk! It is “shelf stable,” so no need to refrigerate until opening. Check out the price on Amazon!
My family tasted no difference when we used almond milk in our top breakfast-go-to: pancakes! …and as we all know, pancakes HAVE t0 be smeared with butter…so for a plant based, dairy free butter to spread on top of those pancakes (or toast) there is Melt, rich & creamy, organic, VeganButter spread, completely made from plants (complete with the taste and texture of real butter)! Check out the price on Amazon!
2. Milk made from nutritious Flax Seeds
It seems everyday, more is being discovered about the nutritional power of the “flax seed” (check out this article from WebMD).
There are lots of great posts dealing with DIY flaxseed milk creation (here is a great one from flexitarian eater, Adriana, from her blog WillametteTranplant.com).
We opted to try Good Karma Flaxmilk. A Plant-Powered Flaxmilk with 1200mg of Omega 3 + Protein. It comes in a shelf stable carton, is dairy free, keto friendly and tastes great! Check out the price on Amazon!
3. Oat Milk – one of the latest rising stars!
Our oat milk family favorite: Oatly. One of the few times I have found myself laughing at the copy on packaging (I confess to being a “box reader!”)…their product “voice” is perfectly charming (see for yourself: The Oatly Way from their site). This tasty Oat Milk is great in your morning coffee, while being Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Sugar Free, Non GMO, Vegan, High Fiber, Calcium & Vitamin Enriched…and now Oatly is being served in a Starbucks near you (see the news for yourself)! 
What about “cheesy scrambled eggs?”
As a family we LOVE scrambled eggs with cheese, so finding the perfect non-dairy “cheeze” was critical! We have two different types of cheesy scrambled eggs that needed to be substituted: Cheddar eggs and Smoked Gouda eggs.
For Cheddar Cheesy scrambled eggs,
we found that Daiya Cheddar Style Shreds seemed the most “cheese-like” (for taste, melted texture and stringiness). You won’t miss the lack of dairy, gluten, soy or peanuts… Check out the price on Amazon!
And for the Smoked Gouda Cheesy scrambled eggs,
the “Follow your Heart” Smoked Gouda (individual slices) really came to life when cooked into the eggs (the smell of the smoked flavor with succulent). Check out the price on Amazon!
Wondering about the cream cheese for your morning bagel?
Who would have thought cashews would make a great cream cheese? Treeline Cheese makes a creamy soft, french-style cashew Cheese…completely vegan and made entirely with plant-based ingredients! With different flavors for different morning moods, they offer Sea Salt & Pepper, Scallion, Herb-Garlic and (of course) Plain. Check out the price on Amazon!
Running out the door with no time for breakfast?
For a quick snack if rushing out or to toss in your purse I like the RXBAR bars. They are made with simple ingredients, are dairy free, gluten free and pack a whopping 12 grams of protein. You can get a pack of 12 bars in a variety pack and taste test them all to see which ones are your favorites. Meant for a quick breakfast on the go or to grab after a workout…you can even eat half and save half for later. Check out the variety pack price on Amazon!
On top of it all, a non-dairy lifestyle can give you beautiful skin!
There are benefits to not eating dairy which may even make people without allergic reactions want to go dairy free. It is possible for dairy to cause acne, hives, skin rashes, stomach upset, inflammatory problems (dairy can make inflammation grow), bloating, mucus problems and can hinder thyroid function.
Looking to explore becoming gluten free as well? Check out my post on Yummy Gluten Free pizzas!
I hope you love these dairy free breakfast choices. Enjoy trying them out and bon appetit!
All the very best,
Cindy
