Many people are moving towards more plant based diets, whether that is going vegetarian, fully vegan, or eating dairy free. For the moment I would like to focus specifically on cutting dairy out of the diet. There are many advantages to eliminating dairy from your diet, and with the number of alternatives available today it is not a difficult transition.
The Reasons for a Dairy Free Diet
There are many reason why people are beginning to move away from dairy, and why that industry is rapidly losing market share.
There are of course people who are simply lactose intolerant.
Some people choose this path because of health reasons. There are many perceived health benefits such as increased energy, improved skin, weight loss among many more. Although science has a long way to go to determine the exact benefits of going dairy free, there are many studies that point to improvements in health.
Since animal agriculture has been shown to be one of the leading contributors to climate change, as well as many other harmful effects on the environment there is a growing portion of the population that is removing diary from their diet in an effort to combat climate change and live a more sustainable lifestyle.
And there are many, many people who have stopped consuming dairy simply for ethical reasons. The appalling conditions in many factory farms and the treatment of the animals there have lead many people to reduce their consumption of animal products or to eat plant based or go vegan entirely. The average lifespan of a cow is around 20 years, however nearly all dairy cattle are killed around 5 years of age. This is because once the reach the age of about 5 years their milk production begins to decrease so they are worth less then a younger cow. Also to increase milk production cows are kept almost perpetually pregnant, and male cows are sent to be slaughtered as they do not produce milk. Because of these conditions and treatment many people have chosen to go dairy free, and focus on plant based alternatives.
Making the Transition to Eating Dairy Free
If you are thinking about going dairy free, you have already made the most important step. Every step in the right direction is better for the animals, better for the planet, and better for your health. There has never been a better time to make the switch. With the number of alternatives available there are many options for continuing to eat the foods you love in a plant based, cruelty free manner.
Do not feel overwhelmed, or stress about being perfect. Start by trying different alternatives and finding ones that you like. For instance I started my plant based journey by switching from dairy milk to almond milk. After trying it I found that I liked it just as much. At the time I was not really thinking about being plant based, but I figured why not make that switch since it was something easy.
Find one recipe that uses plant based milk alternatives that you enjoy. Get good at making that and then find another to add to your skills.
Find things that you can replace easily and then start working on some of the things that you find more difficult. The more changes you make the easier eating dairy free it becomes.
Dairy Free Alternatives
Milk Alternatives
These days there are a ton of milk alternatives that are widely available. Soy, Almond, Rice and Coconut are probably the most common milk replacements, however Hemp Seed, Cashew, and Oat milks have also become very popular.
Most of the recipes on this site reference almond milk as this is what I most commonly use, but any of the plant based milks can be used in its place without a great change to the outcome of the recipe. Find the alternative that works best for you and your family.
Plant based milks can come in either refrigerated cartons similar to tradition dairy milk, or in tetra pack style containers that are shelf stable and do not need to be refrigerated (until opened). I personally find that the refrigerated plant milks have a nicer flavor, however it is nice to have a carton or two of the shelf stable milks on hand as they last a long time before expiry.
Butter Alternatives
It is important to note here that most margarine is not dairy free. This is something that I did not realise for a long time when I began buying butter alternatives. I was purchasing regular margarine thinking that it was plant based until I saw Vegan Becel in the store one day. This confused me as to why my regular Becel would not be vegan and so I looked into it and found that most margarine contains dairy whey.
Most of the major margarine brands such as Becel now have a vegan version of their margarine with the whey removed (I still don’t understand why it is there in the first place). There are also many brands that are specifically plant based available such as Earth Balance. Any of these dairy free alternatives will easily replace butter in your recipes and daily uses.
Yogurt Alternatives
Like milk there is a wide variety of dairy free yogurts on the market now. Soy and coconut yogurt have been the most common, but there are now many other varieties with almond and cashew also becoming popular. Try more than one brand as there is significant difference in the flavors and texture between brands even if they are made from the same base.
Cheese Alternatives
Of all the food to transition from to dairy free cheese is probably one of the most difficult. It is one of the things that people find the hardest to give up and there is not really a way to have one simple replacement in the way that you can switch from dairy milk to almond milk. Different types of cheese are needed for different uses so there is no one size fits all. But there is an increasing variety available and there are plant based cheeses of different types meant for different purposes
Shreds – These are cheese that function like shredded cheese. Mozza and cheddar styles are the most common but there are other varieties available as well. These are used for things like pizza, nachos and other places that you want a melty gooey cheese replacement.
Slices – Great for sandwiches and wraps it is not difficult to find dairy free cheese slices in many flavors and varieties.
Blocks – While many of these do not shred the way traditional cheese does they are great when you want a chunk of cheese to eat, like on a cheese plate, or for adding into salads of other meals.
Spreads – There are many plant based cheese that come in a softer from that are easy to spread these can also be used to make a yummy sandwich or wrap, but are also great for cheese and crackers or dips.
Artisanal Nut Cheese – There are many companies popping up creating artisanal nut cheeses. These are generally smaller companies that are following traditional cheese making techniques but adjusting them to function with nut based cheese. If you are looking to make an amazing cheese tray, or want to have something unique this is the way to go. The quality and flavor of these are exceptional, the downside is that most are made by smaller local companies and can be difficult to find in some locations.
Ice Cream Alternatives
Ice cream has become one of the most exciting things for people on a plant based diet in recent years. While companies like Toffuti and So-Delicious have been around for quite a while and have very good non-dairy ice cream, many companies have recently entered into this market and the selection has exploded. Companies like Ben and Jerry’s, Haagen Dazs, and Baskin Robbins all have plant based ice cream flavors out many of which are indistinguishable from the ice cream you grew up with.
