Favourite Dairy Substitute?

runlaugheatpie

Hello all

I'm looking into possibly cutting dairy out of my diet. I don't know if it's feasible or sustainable and I have no reason to do it except that I am working towards less animal products in my life. So, I'm wondering - what are your favourite dairy subs/ alternatives? I have tried soy milk and I'm not wild about it, so I've never really tried any other soy products. Almond milk seems a bit of a joke to me since I've read that only a small percentage comes from almonds. what about oat and rice milk? how about alternatives to cheese or cream or butter?

What do you prefer and can you keep your macros in check with it? I also don't want to add a buttload of fat to my diet either.

Thanks in advance

Kristi26

I can't consume dairy as I'm extremely intolerant to it. I drink unsweetened almond milk because I like it. I use coconut milk to make my flavored creamer. For butter, I love Earth Balance. They make a great Mac and cheese too. But other than that, I actually don't eat cheese because the alternatives just aren't great. Daiya makes a decent one, but it's pricey. I often sub avocado for cheese in things as the creaminess satisfies my cheese needs.

withoutasaddle

I prefer cashew milk. It's just as small a part cashew as almond milk, I'm sure, but that's not why you drink it anyways. Plus, more calcium. I haven't tried and non dairy cream cheeses, and am probably one of the few people on the planet who *enjoys* Daiya cheese. Smart balance and earth balance both have very very good butter replacements, and I know I've seen a couple dairy free yogurts popping up in grocery stores and Walmart but haven't tried them yet either. Best of luck!

janejellyroll

Milk: I like the taste/calories of almond milk for everyday, but cashew milk is probably what I consider the most delicious.

Butter: Earth Balance is a popular substitute, it's really good for baking. Miyoko's Creamery, if you can find it, makes a wonderful cultured butter that is great for baking and for adding to foods.

Ice cream: Cashew ice cream is my favorite, although coconut is good too. So Delicious is my favorite brand.

Cheese: People have really strong opinions about vegan cheese. Some people love Daiya and some hate it (I like it). There are more cheeses popping up all the time. Miyoko's Creamery makes a delicious line of nut-based cultured cheeses. This is one area where it can really pay to learn to make your own. I've made a few cultured cheeses and I really like to experiment with different "cheesy" sauces (based on cashews, tofu, or nutritional yeast).

I don't have any problems balancing my calories/macros without dairy. Soy-based substitutes are often lower in fat. Using nuts to replace cream/cheese can add more fat, but these items are typically fatty in the dairy versions anyway.

lucys1225

I have to preface this by saying that I have never been a huge cheese person but, since I have been dairy free, I use almond cheese and it's fine.