Dairy-free milk has never been easier to shop for and use in everyday meals.
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: “Eliminating dairy from my diet is too difficult because…”
- I can’t find a good replacement.
- There aren’t enough options to choose from.
- Dairy alternatives are too expensive.
If this sounds like you or someone you know, have no fear! Below are some great options to replace dairy in common foods with ZERO sacrifice.
Most importantly, by utilizing any or all of these options, you can remove dairy from your diet. This puts you on the path to eating healthier. You are also saving the lives of countless animals. Everyone wins!
Milk
Plant milk is EVERYWHERE, and it has been for a long time. But only recently has plant milk completely swallowed up the milk section in your local grocery store. And most importantly, there are several different milks with subtly different flavors. There’s oat, cashew, almond, macadamia, soy, and more. If one of these doesn’t appeal to you, I implore you to try another.
Did you know? Plant milks use significantly less water in the manufacturing process compared to dairy milk. Oat milk in particular uses the least. If you’re into water conservation, oat milk is your milk of choice.
Do you bake? Take any baking recipe that calls for milk and replace it 1:1 with dairy-free milk. It’s that easy! No crazy conversion or workarounds for your baking or cooking recipes.
Butter
Another great item to replace in cooking or baking recipes is butter. It requires no modification and works exactly as you would expect.
Dairy-free butter is also growing in popularity in the dairy aisle at your local grocery store. Big name brands like I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter and Country Crock now offer vegan butter. Other types of butter, like avocado oil butter, are also growing in popularity. They are considered slightly healthier. It’s often on sale and worth a try!
Coffee Creamer
If you’re like me, you can’t start your day until you’ve had a cup of coffee. And while I enjoy coffee black, I’ll admit I can’t resist the dessert-y sweetness of coffee creamer.
Luckily, there are many coffee creamers from popular brands like Silk and Coffee Mate. You can choose from all of the delicious flavors you expect. It works just like a dairy coffee creamer and the cost is also about the same. What do you have to lose?
Pro Tip: You may think you’ve been using “non-dairy” coffee creamer for years. I suggest you read the nutritional facts label on the packaging. Many creamers that say “non-dairy” actually still contain milk. They can legally say “non-dairy” as long as the dairy content is below a certain percentage. Look for options that have a “V” (vegan) logo or say, “plant based.” These are truly non-dairy.
Ice Cream
Years ago, non-dairy ice cream was limited to sorbet in most grocery stores. Today, most popular ice cream brands offer a range of non-dairy varieties. They taste exactly as you would expect. Brands like Breyers, So Delicious, Oatly, Van Leeuwens, and Ben & Jerry’s are adding more vegan options all the time.
Did you know? Ben & Jerry’s has touted that over 20% of their ice creams are now offered as a vegan non-dairy choice. They have plans to veganize all of their main flavors within the near future.
These are just a few easy items to buy at the grocery store. They can be your gateway drug into veganism. Whether you want to reduce your cholesterol levels, or maybe you are lactose intolerant. Perhaps, you care about the ethical treatment of animals. These foods listed above can be bought, cooked, or baked. Use them exactly as you would with a dairy-based product, so your routine doesn’t change.
There are many ways to reduce your dairy consumption. Four simple and effective options are listed above. You can find these at your local grocery store.