Children with lactose intolerance are lacking the necessary enzyme lactase to digest milk and are often put on a non-dairy diet. When comparing nutritional data labels most non-dairy alternatives are more nutritious than cow's milk. For example, soy milk provides 50 percent of your B12 requirements, 35 percent of your calcium, and 30 percent of your vitamin D. Cow's milk provides 19 percent of your B12, 29 percent of calcium and 26 percent of your vitamin D.
Non-Dairy Milk Alternatives
There are several non-dairy milk options, which can be consumed as a beverage or used in recipes, for children who are lactose intolerant or allergic to milk. Some milk alternatives are coconut, hemp, almond, soy, and rice milk. Nutritionally, non-dairy alternatives are in some ways superior to cow's milk, with the exception of rice milk, which is significantly lower in protein and fat. Non-dairy alternatives have 6 g of protein as opposed to the 8 g from cow's milk. Soy and coconut milk are naturally rich with more B vitamins, which help process energy and vitamins C, K, D,and E,which are mostly absent from cow's milk, according to Cornell University.
Non-Dairy Breakfast
Breakfast for kids is typically cereal with milk, or some combination of waffles, pancakes, eggs, meat, fruit and yogurt. Provided the bread or cereal product is dairy free to start, a non-dairy milk option can substitute for milk added to cereal, or can be used for making waffles and pancakes. The end result is essentially the same as if made with cow's milk. Swap typical butter or margarine for soy or rice butter, as most margarine, though plant based, still has dairy whey. Non-dairy yogurt is made with soy milk or coconut milk; a child who has previously eaten regular yogurt will notice a nutty taste with soy milk yogurt, whereas coconut milk tastes essentially the same, but is less thick than regular yogurt.
Non-Dairy Lunch and Dinner
The main issue for lunch and dinner is the use of cheese for a non-dairy child. Cheese substitutes exist, but do melt differently than typical cheese, so cooking with them takes some adjusting. However, your child can still enjoy his pizza or pasta dishes with faux cheese. Calcium needs for children vary with age; children under age 3 need about 500 mg per day, while teenagers need about 1300 mg per day. Non-dairy cheeses lack calcium in some cases, so it is best to check labels and purchase cheeses richer in calcium, or make adjustments by adding more leafy green vegetables, which are rich in calcium, or calcium supplements to your kids' diets.
Non-Dairy Dessert
Kids do not have to miss out on typical desserts such as ice creams and puddings. There are several products on the market that use non-dairy milk rather than cow's milk. Sorbet is also a non-dairy dessert that is made from fruit and ice, just like water ice, but has a thicker consistency.
Warnings
See your nutritionist before making any changes to a non-dairy diet, especially if you or your child have other allergies, such as to soy, so you can be put you on the healthiest path.
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