Milk Alternatives For Babies and Moms

When I found out my son had a dairy allergy, I thought “I’ll never be able to eat anything I like again!” Since I was still breastfeeding, what he was allergic to, I was allergic to. I came home from the doctor appointment and looked at all the food that I could not eat in my fridge and pantry. Although it seemed like a huge deal at the time, there are plenty of milk alternatives for babies and mamas if you know what to look for. I promise if you find yourself in this position, all is not lost. There are ways to use milk alternatives with some easy substitutions. Whether you’re abstaining from dairy while nursing or monitoring your child’s dairy consumption, these milk alternatives for babies are great options for you too!

What is a dairy-free alternative for milk?

There are several options for a creamy, sweet, cold drink for you to choose from. As an adult, you have probably tried them already! The most common milk substitutes are lactose-free milk, soy milk, almond milk, rice milk, coconut milk and cashew milk. For children, soy milk is the go to alternative for those with a milk allergy. However, if soy is also a known allergy, rice milk is one of the most well-known milk alternatives for babies.

What is a dairy-free alternative for butter?

This is a popular question! From cooking and baking to simply wanting buttered bread, I was clueless as to my alternatives. However, there are some great options available to help you enjoy your favorite recipes sans dairy. Non dairy butters come in all shapes and sizes. Most non dairy butters contain soy, but no need to worry as there are soy free options as well! Earth Balance and Smart Balance are the two most popular brands and, I have to say, they are delicious. Ghee is also a great butter substitute. It is used in many Middle Eastern countries and, although it comes from dairy, it contains no lactose or casein. People who have milk allergies can consume ghee because those two dairy allergy triggers are not present. You can also substitute butter with coconut oil. When it comes to measurements, if the recipe calls for a cup of butter, I’d recommend using a cup of coconut oil.

**Be wary of baking items from a box, many prepackaged powder mixes have dairy. Yes, powder milk is actually very popular (think hot cocoa mix). It is often best to bake from scratch.

What is a dairy-free alternative for ice cream?

Even though your baby is with you, ice cream cravings still happen! There are fantastic options for dairy-free ice cream. Many popular ice cream brands have lactose free options. So Delicious and Coconut Bliss are two of my favorite milk free ice cream options. All offer a wide variety of flavors to satisfy the desire for a cold, smooth, decadent treat. If you’re out on an ice cream run, parlors often have sorbet as a dairy free option. However, sorbets can occasionally have milk in them, so be sure to communicate the allergy before purchasing.

What is a dairy-free alternative for yogurt? Although yogurt seems like a guaranteed milk product, there are some great options for those avoiding dairy. Coconut, soy and almond milk yogurts are becoming more and more popular. Many of the same brands that make dairy-free ice creams also produce delicious dairy-free yogurts such as So Delicious, Silk, and Almond Dream! This is one of the milk alternatives for babies that is a huge hit for both mama and little one.

What is a dairy-free alternative for chocolate? Many dark chocolates may seem to be dairy-free logically, but they are not! A quick search led me to the brand Enjoy Life. Their chocolate chips have saved the day when I had a serious hankering for chocolate chip cookies! If you typically search for chocolate dessert recipes online, I suggest including the term “vegan,” alongside your request. If you search “vegan brownies,” there are plenty of options to choose from. Fun fact: Oreos are dairy free!

Eating, cooking, and baking can feel overwhelming when you are faced with a milk allergy. Thankfully there are plenty of tasty milk alternatives for babies and mamas to suit both of your cravings. Just because you can’t consume dairy doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy yummy food!

 

RELATED QUESTIONS

Any mamas choose not to introduce cows milk once their LO turned one? What alternative did you choose to give instead? TIA!

My son is 13m and I’m confused so looking for clarification! So my pediatrician told us whole milk instead of 2%, 1%, fat free bc they need the fats. But I see a lot of ppl using almond milk/soy milk or another alternative on here. (I understand some babies have allergies) I drink almond milk. How do you guy get them the extra fat?

Alternatives to dairy milk for babies like coconut or soy?

My 13 month old doesn’t seem to like plain milk very much. Is the powdered chocolate/strawberry mix stuff ok to mix in his milk for his age or is there too much sugar and bad stuff in it? Or is almond milk ok? My MIL says that almond milk can mess with is downstairs area but wondering how much truth is to that. Just looking for a different alternative to whole milk if there is one.

Does my lo have to drink whole milk?? I’m against the unhealthy hormones and all else in milk! Is there a healthier substitute?

I was told that I need to make sure that whole dairy milk (yogurt and cheeses) part of baby’s diet until he is 2 years old. What if I do not want my son to eat whole dairy milk? What are the other alternatives?

So I’ve been researching about the milk I drink & found some things that disgust me. And I’ve been thinking about trying almond milk. Is that the only substitute for milk there is? Which one do you like best? Thank you!

Is almond milk an ok alternative to whole milk for a one year old?

My daughter is one and she is not a fan of regular milk. We have tried almond milk and she is allergic. She will drink choc milk but I really don’t want her drinking that all day. Do I have to give her milk or can I substitute the missing calcium with other things? She’s not much on juice either she just LOVES water ! She could drink it all day but I don’t want to give her too much.

Does a 12 month old really need cows milk? Or are there other substitutes? I want to start weaning my now 11 1/2 month old but she doesn’t want anything but me!! I’m afraid to start the weaning process if she won’t take anything else.

 

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