Casein Question: What Are Good Alts For Milk & Cheese?

[FlourShopGirl]

I am new to all this. I feel like I research a lot and it's amazing what I find on gluten-free issues as far as mental and physical health concerns. I've gone gluten-free but I am just learning about casein.

I know I have problems with milk but what are good subs for milk, cheese, etc? I have two little kids (my son has ADHD) and I think this all will benefit him but snacks and milk/cheese alternatives... I'm lost. Any suggestions?

[BRUMI1968]

almond milk, hemp milk, and rice milk are all alternatives to milk. (so is soy, but that a host of other potential issues). make sure they are gluten free. Pacific is a good brand that tastes good (especially the chocolate almond milk), and for the hemp, the living harvest brand is really good.

as to cheese, there are some alternatives on sandwiches/soft cheese stuff: humus is one (either garbonzo bean humus, or sunflower seed humus or something - cheap to make also). another, if you have a high speed blender is some of the "raw" cheeses. Well, I don't know why I put raw in quotes - I just made some cashew sun dried tomato cheese (cashew, sun dried tomatoes [soaked], lemon, garlic, miso [made from chickpeas and not soy, and HOPEFULLY without the smallest trace of gluten - miso is a bit complicated], water to desired thickness. It's like humus in consistency, mostly. Anyway, that only works with a good blender that can really puree nuts.

as to hard cheese - I don't know really. They do make some "fake" cheeses; I've never liked any of them, or their ingredients, mostly based on soy or really highly processed.

some things that are good to replace creaminess: sweet potato or yam with maple syrup or plain or with coconut butter/oil ... okay, that's the only thing I can think of right now.

Best of luck.

[FlourShopGirl]

almond milk, hemp milk, and rice milk are all alternatives to milk. (so is soy, but that a host of other potential issues). make sure they are gluten free. Pacific is a good brand that tastes good (especially the chocolate almond milk), and for the hemp, the living harvest brand is really good.

as to cheese, there are some alternatives on sandwiches/soft cheese stuff: humus is one (either garbonzo bean humus, or sunflower seed humus or something - cheap to make also). another, if you have a high speed blender is some of the "raw" cheeses. Well, I don't know why I put raw in quotes - I just made some cashew sun dried tomato cheese (cashew, sun dried tomatoes [soaked], lemon, garlic, miso [made from chickpeas and not soy, and HOPEFULLY without the smallest trace of gluten - miso is a bit complicated], water to desired thickness. It's like humus in consistency, mostly. Anyway, that only works with a good blender that can really puree nuts.

as to hard cheese - I don't know really. They do make some "fake" cheeses; I've never liked any of them, or their ingredients, mostly based on soy or really highly processed.

some things that are good to replace creaminess: sweet potato or yam with maple syrup or plain or with coconut butter/oil ... okay, that's the only thing I can think of right now.

Best of luck.

I've never heard of Hemp milk, is that hard to find?

Yes, that high processed stuff I am keeping clear of. I had NO idea hummus was gluten-free/ casein free. I LOVE it too but I passed by it thinking it could have fillers in it now.

You sound like you make some amazing foods! What time is dinner?

Thank you!

[Mango04]

www.godairyfree.com is a good website with some suggestions.

I like rice milk, hemp milk, almond milk.

Coconut oil is a good sub for butter in baking.

Spectrum organic shortening works well.

Parma is a pretty good parmesan sub - www.eatintheraw.com

Cashews in a blender with water, herbs, lemon and garlic is a fantastic creamy ranch type dressing and dip.

Earth Balance is spectacular if you can do soy.

Generally, I don't try too hard to replace cheese, but I like coconut products for creaminess, oils such as olive oil and walnut oil and hemp milk or rice milk.

[dbmamaz]

I quit dairy and gluten at the same time, and now i'm trying to wean my 11 yo off of dairy. The milk was easy - even for his cereal, my son loves the rice and almond milk. I found a cheap rice milk (360 brand), and it was a fine sub in mashed potatos and gravy, baking, whatever. The almond milk I mostly saved for coffee

Cheese is much harder. I've tried some soy cheese, but mostly its nasty. I'll shred a little in a taco, but mac-n-cheese was disapointing. The parmesan from soy is ok on top of spaghetti. But grilled cheese sandwhiches and mac-n-cheese and pizza . . . i'm just getting away from them.

If you have found bread your kids will eat, just do meat sandwhiches - all boars head meats are gluten free, and the only ones that have milk products are pesto or buffalo flavor, i believe. I hadnt found a bread I liked, but i hadnt looked that hard, since I never liked bread. I liked cold cuts on rice cakes, and my 4 yo actually seems to prefer that to bread too. In fact, my 4yo eats rice cakes all day long!

But I just focus on things they like that dont have those ingredients - roast chicken w mashed potatoes, fried rice or stir-fry (homemade so I can avoid gluten - wheat free soy sauce). There are some great gluten-free pastas - my favorite so far are the quinio-corn pasta and the glutino corn pasta - their egg-shape noodles are awesome in soup - or w spread and sugar, my 11 yo's favorite (and sometimes a little nutritional yeast, too).

There arent always perfect substitutes, but there are still plenty of yummy foods to eat. Dont forget to make some wheat-free banana bread or cookies, too!!

[missy'smom]

I use Vegan Gourmet cheese. I espesially like the cheddar in casseroles.

[FlourShopGirl]

I use Vegan Gourmet cheese. I espesially like the cheddar in casseroles.

Where can you find this? I don't think I could give up cheese completely- thank you!

[missy'smom]

In my area, it can be found at Whole Foods and healthfood store. With some products you can go online to their website and use the store locator feature, if they have it, to find it in your area.

The package lists two sites www.imEarthKind.com and www.FollowYourHeart.com

[dbmamaz]

The vegan gourmet is the one I shred on tacos (in small quanitities). i did use it in a mac-n-cheese, which I could eat but my son didnt enjoy. I am very sensitive to tastes. Several of the cheese alts arent vegan. I tried one tofutti american slice and threw the whole package out immediately. The vegan goumet cheddar is in my health food store in the refridgerated section. Its the best I've found, but I just cant imagine eating it in a sandwhich, its just not that pleasant to me.

I LOVED cheese, but I dont much like soy cheese. And for some reason, the cravings have passed. I focussed on eating more of other foods that i loved as much, like almond butter and avacados, buying other treats for myself instead of the cheese.

Good luck, tho - other people do eat vegan grilled cheese and vegan pizza and such.

[cruelshoes]

The only dairy-free cheese we have found that is any good is the Vegan Gourment by Open Original Shared Link. All the other DF "cheeses" we tried taste horrid and don't melt. We have had the Mozzarella and Cheddar flavors, but there are others. My son likes the mozz on a Chebe pizza (great to send for a school lunch), and the cheddar makes a reasonable approximation of nachos when melted over corn chips. My son really likes them.

We prefer almond milk or rice milk. Soy milk leaves a funky after taste to me. The almond milk is great on cereal and for baking, too. If you have a Trader Joe's near you, that is a great place to get non-milk milks. Their selection and prices are great.

I know you didn't ask about it, but be careful of margarine as well. Most of them have casein in some form. We like Open Original Shared Link. We tried spectrum margarine too but we absolutely hated it.

[FlourShopGirl]

The only dairy-free cheese we have found that is any good is the Vegan Gourment by Open Original Shared Link. All the other DF "cheeses" we tried taste horrid and don't melt. We have had the Mozzarella and Cheddar flavors, but there are others. My son likes the mozz on a Chebe pizza (great to send for a school lunch), and the cheddar makes a reasonable approximation of nachos when melted over corn chips. My son really likes them.

We prefer almond milk or rice milk. Soy milk leaves a funky after taste to me. The almond milk is great on cereal and for baking, too. If you have a Trader Joe's near you, that is a great place to get non-milk milks. Their selection and prices are great.

I know you didn't ask about it, but be careful of margarine as well. Most of them have casein in some form. We like Open Original Shared Link. We tried spectrum margarine too but we absolutely hated it.

Thanks! I found what I was looking for today. I appreciate all the replies. Starting out- this seems so overwhelming.

[aprilh]

We occasionally do goats cheese. My kids like the goat milk mozzerella. Goat is a bit easier to digest for some people, but others it can produce similar reactions.

i try to just avoid dishes that require cheese. Almond milk is a great substitute in most recipes that call for milk.

I want to order some conconut cream. I have heard you can make yummy ice cream from it and whipped cream. I can't find it in the store.

My kids enjoy gluten free cereals with the almond or hemp milks. I make milkshakes using the Rice Dream ice cream, almond milk, coconut oil and whatever else you like.

Good Luck!