Dairy Milk alternatives? [Archive] - Baby Bargains & Baby 411 Community

hbridge

02-10-2021, 02:34 PM

For really complicated reasons, I have recently had to go gluten free, dairy free, and nut free.

After a month of horrible, I am doing okay EXCEPT for first thing in the morning. I can't seem to figure out how to go dairy free with my morning coffee or my morning Cheerios. I need to figure this one out.

What alternative is closest in taste to "regular 2% milk"?

Thanks so much.

twowhat?

02-10-2021, 03:39 PM

Of the more widely available options, soy is the "creamiest" unfortunately.

I've tried cashew, rice, and oat. Of those, oat is by far the best. It's not as "creamy" as soy, but it's "creamy" enough to lighten the color of the coffee in your mug. :) My kids actually prefer oat milk to cow's milk for their hot cocoa and milkshakes. DH finds it an acceptable substitute for cereal and also uses it in tea (earl gray english style, chai). It doesn't taste like cow's milk (nothing does) but its flavor is mild, barely sweet (less sweet than unsweetened soy), and inoffensive, lol.

I like the Chobani brand best of the ones I've tried. I get the original unsweetened and always have 2 cartons in the fridge!! Shake well before pouring.

I've also heard hemp is good but I can't get hemp milk at our local Kroger, so I've never tried it.

eta: ooooh forgot I've tried coconut as well but it's too watery for me (unless it's straight coconut milk from a can).

petesgirl

02-10-2021, 03:42 PM

I use full fat coconut milk. But since going dairy free, gluten free, and egg free I've gotten away from breakfast foods altogether. I often eat a big bowl of steamed broccoli + cauliflower topped with olive oil and nutritional yeast, or a bowl of soup, or chips + guacamole.

California

02-10-2021, 04:02 PM

Both my DH and DD1 used to enjoy cereal with cow's milk for breakfast, and then switched over to dairy alternatives before replacing breakfast cereal completely with green smoothies.

While our alternative won't work for you (nut-based organic almond milk from Costco), I'm sharing their experience because they both no longer like the taste of cow's milk. It took them a few months but they were able to get used to alternatives. After a while, they had zero cravings for it, and after a year or so, DD1 declared she would never drink it again.

As PP mentioned, Oatmeal milk is becoming popular. I really like it in my tea and coffee. It's pricier than almond milk, but it doesn't take much if you are having it with tea or coffee.

MSWR0319

02-10-2021, 04:55 PM

When I was dairy free I used rice milk in my cereal. It was more watery but I could tolerate the taste. We are a nut free home, so I couldn't use the nut milks either. When you say nut free, does that include coconut since it's not a nut? You could try coconut milk for your cereal and creamer as well. I started making potato soup with coconut milk and it's delicious. I can't even taste the coconut flavor.

essnce629

02-10-2021, 05:36 PM

My DH uses Oatly or Trader Joe's oat milk, the refrigerated kind.

KpbS

02-10-2021, 05:45 PM

I drink the Oat Yeah by Silk brand. They have a regular and extra creamy (more calories in this one). I used to drink coconut and one DC still does, but I became allergic.

sbirmantaz

02-10-2021, 06:55 PM

We really like Oatly and Chobani is the next best.

hillview

02-10-2021, 08:18 PM

oatly and oat yeah!

jennilynn

02-10-2021, 08:27 PM

Joining the chorus to recommend oat milk. I’ve been enjoying the extra creamy Oat Yeah.

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dhano923

02-11-2021, 01:39 AM

I'm dairy-free, gluten-free and soy-free, and I use the 365 brand almond milk creamer in my coffee, which is sweetened, or for unsweetened, I like the Milkadamia unsweetened creamer. I swore by the Ripple half and half before, but it's gotten really hard to find in my area. That was the closest thing to real half and half I ever found.

nfceagles

02-11-2021, 08:02 AM

My DH loves Oatly, especially the Barista version for his coffee. My DS has always been dairy free but just doesn’t use milk for anything. I use soy or coconut milk for cooking baking for the family.

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zukeypur

02-11-2021, 03:30 PM

I too prefer Oatly, the regular one, not the light. I haven't tried the Chobani, but thank you to those who have recommended it. I am always looking for something else in the event that Oatly isn't available. The Target brand is ok, but Oatly is much better. Califia has a shelf stable Barista blend, but it's more expensive and Oatly is better.

♥ms.pacman♥

02-12-2021, 01:06 AM

I have not drank cow's milk in years and have tried various alternatives over the years. my go-to right now is Califa farms Almond milk. it's way creamier than other almond milks. I like the unsweetened version- perfect for cereal and drinking with cookies. it's kinda pricey though. the thing is, most other almond milks are super watery and tasteless (like the Kirkland brand - awful) but somehow this brand is way creamier and better tasting.

I've tried Oatmilk, and it's great for things like hot chocolate and the like. but it does have a TON of carbs/calories compared to other alternatives. My DH hates the taste.
Rice milk - too high in carbs, super thin, tastes nothing like milk - this is the least preferable option, not creamy AT ALL, almost like a juice.
Coconut milk - you can find creamy versions, and some brands of chocolate coconut milk is really really good (my kids love it, almost better than regular chocolate milk) although plain coconut-based milk is so gross in my opinion (and I LOVE coconut!!). I think if you don't like coconut, you wouldn't like this.
Soy milk - depends on the brand - some are good but many have a strong soy taste. Also the consistency is a bit different. My son prefers soy milk over almond milk.

overall I prefer almond milk, but the brand tends to matter a ton. i like how the unsweetened one is only 50 cal a cup and still is pretty creamy consistency.

edit: I just re-read OP and saw that it has to be nut-free also, so I guess almond milk would be out.

hbridge

02-12-2021, 08:27 AM

Thank you all so much!!!

Unfortunately, anything nut based is going to trigger an allergy, so that's out.

I have oat milk in my coffee right now, it is definitely NOT the same, but maybe I just need to get used to it. I will try some different brands and see. The store I went to only had their own brand so I got some oat milk and some coconut milk. I am not a fan of coconut, but we will try it and see. Maybe I will make the drive to Whole Foods next week and see what they have.

At this point, I am not too worried about carb/calories. Since it is only about 1/2 a cup a day total (if I have cereal for breakfast).

Thanks for the help.

Myira

02-12-2021, 09:22 AM

Dairy free here for the past 6 years and I only use unsweetened soymilk from Westsoy or Trader Joe’s. Both of these are shelf stable though I refrigerate after opening. I use them in my morning chai, and they work great in my DH’s coffee, there is no aftertaste. I never liked dairy even when I was consuming it so to me tea and coffee tastes better with soymilk. These have only 2 ingredients soybeans and water without any added oils or junk. I won’t do coconut milk since it has high saturated fat content.
That said, I have researched and am not in the least concerned with soy consumption and phytoestrogens. My kids use it in their cereals when they have them occasionally.

None of the oat milk brands I’ve seen meet my requirements for no additives or oils which I’m guessing they add for stabilizing. I’ve seen several videos where people make their own but I’m guessing you’d need to consume it right away else risk separation.

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billysmommy

02-12-2021, 09:49 AM

AmyZ

02-12-2021, 12:22 PM

Funny that Oatmilk is getting so much love. My daughter is DF and NF, and she enjoys the So Delicious Coconut milk (red container).

Myira

02-12-2021, 12:35 PM

I came across Mooala banana milk last week at Wegmans. It’s actually really good, especially in cereal and oatmeal.

https://shop.mooala.com/products/original-bananamilk-non-perishable?gclid=CjwKCAiA65iBBhB-EiwAW253W9j3FSWIh624wgUtotmVqyclct9ebMRbP2zZ7WteXr 2dg50kAyC8DhoCtq0QAvD_BwE

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That looks interesting, I’ll have to check where it’s available near me.

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hbridge

02-12-2021, 01:27 PM

OP here...

I am thinking that you all seem to have a lot more availability than we do around here. Whole Foods and Trader Joes are a bit of a trek for me (haven't been to Trader Joe's in over a year) and our local grocery stores seem to only have one option for oat and soy. I think a Whole Foods run may be needed. Maybe I need to try soy... I definitely was NOT a fan of the oat milk this morning.

My big issues is that coffee is one think I look so forward to every morning and it is just not the same without dairy. It took a little getting used to going from half and half to 2 % milk, but that was okay. I am truly feeling like I am losing out without the dairy in my coffee...

The whole diet change has been REALLY hard and I definitely have been struggling since I started 6 months ago, this is the one thing I was hoping I could keep... ARGH!!!!

SnuggleBuggles

02-12-2021, 01:34 PM

hbridge

02-12-2021, 02:00 PM

If you have just that bit of milk, does it really and truly mess things up? Like its better if you don’t but will things really go off course? Maybe just those few tablespoons for coffee?
What about coffeemate? Loaded with weird stuff but Whole Foods and TJs sell slightly better versions of non dairy creamers.

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That's what I've been trying to do. I am not sure how much it's really messing with my system. I am honestly hoping it is more the "cereal milk" than the "coffee milk", but I need to test it all out before I make decisions.

thanks all...

essnce629

02-12-2021, 02:58 PM

I've bought Oatly at Target. Maybe try there.

Also Nut Pods is nut and coconut based and popular in the Whole 30 crowd and they just came out with a nut-free oatmilk version. They have both original and French vanilla. All their products are unsweetened. They come in small containers too which make them great if you only use them in coffee. You can get them on Amazon.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210212/c0837f52b2738bc42ebbd8ab901be9c7.jpg

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billysmommy

02-12-2021, 03:34 PM

hbridge

02-12-2021, 03:35 PM

I've bought Oatly at Target. Maybe try there.

Thanks, I will look into Nutpods...

Target is actually even further from us. I always boggles my mind that so many people have many shopping options close by. We are at least 15 minutes from anything except the small local grocery store and at last 30 min from a Target, Whole Foods (the closest at 35 minutes away) and Trader Jo's... Someday I will do a thread about this. We certainly can't be the only one's out in the "boonies" :).

KpbS

02-12-2021, 03:58 PM

If you have just that bit of milk, does it really and truly mess things up? Like its better if you don’t but will things really go off course? Maybe just those few tablespoons for coffee?
What about coffeemate? Loaded with weird stuff but Whole Foods and TJs sell slightly better versions of non dairy creamers.

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Coffeemate is dairy though and their non dairy are nut based except for coconut. Can you have coconut OP?

calebsmama03

02-14-2021, 02:48 PM

I LOVE oat milk! Oat yeah is my favorite. They have a variety called "extra creamy" (white with purpleish lettering) that is so good. Be careful, a few oat milks are NOT GF. I made that mistake with the first one I tried and ended up getting glutened. :( I was super p*ssed but my fault for not being careful, I just didn't expect them to have barley malt in a nondairy beverage! Oat yeah has been at Costco recently and IS GF.

SASM

02-14-2021, 03:12 PM

Another vote for Oatly. We first had it in Norway back in 2018...was over the moon when it became widely available here. Unfortunately, try and try as I might, I cannot made oat milk - it gets slimy when homemade. I also make my own almond milk which is favored over dairy milk but that’s obviously a no-go for you.

klwa

02-15-2021, 07:39 AM

Thanks, I will look into Nutpods...

Target is actually even further from us. I always boggles my mind that so many people have many shopping options close by. We are at least 15 minutes from anything except the small local grocery store and at last 30 min from a Target, Whole Foods (the closest at 35 minutes away) and Trader Jo's... Someday I will do a thread about this. We certainly can't be the only one's out in the "boonies" :).
Not to push too far into thread drift, but no, you're not. :) We have 1 supermarket in our town. There's a Walmart about 20 minutes away in 2 directions. Target is 30+ minutes away. It looks like the closest Whole foods is 40 minutes away and slightly less (35 minutes) to the only Trader Joes that I even know where is.

SnuggleBuggles

02-15-2021, 09:33 AM

Not to push too far into thread drift, but no, you're not. :) We have 1 supermarket in our town. There's a Walmart about 20 minutes away in 2 directions. Target is 30+ minutes away. It looks like the closest Whole foods is 40 minutes away and slightly less (35 minutes) to the only Trader Joes that I even know where is.

Every time I go on vacation somewhere gorgeous but rural I say I could never live there due to lack of Trader Joe’s and Target. ;)

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zukeypur

02-16-2021, 12:34 PM

Every time I go on vacation somewhere gorgeous but rural I say I could never live there due to lack of Trader Joe’s and Target. ;)

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I think about that whenever DH mentions moving somewhere else. TJ's is too far from us now, but we do have plenty of grocery stores, Target, amazon deliver in 24 hours, and Costco/TJ's/Whole foods all within 30 minutes. We are getting an Aldi (although I don't know how often I'll shop there) soon, and there are plans to build a Costco FIVE MINUTES FROM MY HOUSE!!!!!!

SnuggleBuggles

02-16-2021, 03:54 PM

I think about that whenever DH mentions moving somewhere else. TJ's is too far from us now, but we do have plenty of grocery stores, Target, amazon deliver in 24 hours, and Costco/TJ's/Whole foods all within 30 minutes. We are getting an Aldi (although I don't know how often I'll shop there) soon, and there are plans to build a Costco FIVE MINUTES FROM MY HOUSE!!!!!!
I would spend way too much $$ if there was a Costco 5 minutes from my house. It's only 17 minutes away now but that's far enough to make it less appealing. Good luck to you and your wallet. :)

zukeypur

02-18-2021, 07:03 PM

I would spend way too much $$ if there was a Costco 5 minutes from my house. It's only 17 minutes away now but that's far enough to make it less appealing. Good luck to you and your wallet. :)

Right? I just placed an online order today (because of snowpocalypse) for some essentials. I am trying the oatmilk based on this thread.

jgenie

02-18-2021, 08:14 PM

I would spend way too much $$ if there was a Costco 5 minutes from my house. It's only 17 minutes away now but that's far enough to make it less appealing. Good luck to you and your wallet. :)

Yes! Our closest Costco is 30 minutes away. It’s close enough to go when needed but not so close to go just because. Saves us a bundle!