Finding kid-friendly dairy-free recipes is critical to helping children with food sensitivities to dairy eat well-balanced meals. Since kids still need calcium for proper bone and tooth growth, you will need to find alternative ways for them to get this calcium. Knowing how to use milk substitutes and vegan cheeses can help you whip up many of your child's favorites, including grilled cheese and milkshakes, while keeping dairy out of his diet.
Significance
To help your child build strong bones and teeth, the National Institutes of Health recommends that children between the ages of 1 to 3 get 500 mg of calcium daily, those 4 to 8 get 800 mg and those 9 to 18 get 1,300 mg. Children need Vitamin D to prevent rickets, a disease that can cause skeletal deformities. Since most children get these nutrients through dairy products, dairy-free children will need to get them through alternative sources.
Milk Substitutes
You can use milk substitutes, including calcium-enriched rice, almond or soy milks, in lieu of regular milk in many of your favorite recipes. Lactose-free milk---identical in look and taste to regular milk---might be an option if your child is lactose intolerant and not allergic to milk products. According to the Kids Health from Nemours website, most of these substitutes work as well as milk in your recipes, and some might even work better.
Vegan Cheese
Vegan cheeses---made of soy products, rice flour, almonds or potato starches---can offer the texture of regular cheese without the dairy. According to Vegetarian Resource Group dietetic intern Melanie Campbell in a 2008 article in the "Vegetarian Journal," these cheeses come in a wide array of flavors, including cream cheese, cheddar, parmesan and mozzarella. You can use them in place of dairy in most of your favorite recipes. Campbell cautions that many of these cheeses do not contain high amounts of calcium, so you will still need to supplement elsewhere in your child's diet.
Considerations
Cooking dairy-free does not simply mean eliminating milk, cheese and other traditional sources of dairy. You will also need to read labels carefully to ensure foods do not contain any type of milk products. Many processed foods, including mashed potato mixes, cream soups and pancake mixes, often contain dairy, as does breaded or batter-dipped meat, fish or chicken. KidsHealth advises steering clear of these ingredients that often contain dairy: casein, milk powder, milk protein, nonfat dry solids, butter and butter flavorings, non-dairy creamers and lactalbumin.
Potential
Talk to your doctor before eliminating dairy from your child's diet. He can offer advice on creating a meal plan that will help her get all of the nutrients she needs to grow and thrive. Tofu, leafy green vegetables like spinach and kale, and calcium-fortified juices and breakfast cereals can provide your child with added calcium. If you worry that your child needs some extra help meeting her calcium requirements, your doctor can recommend an appropriate calcium supplement.
Member Comments