teen with new dairy allergy - food ideas please

[Anonymous]

Dairy allergy is different than a lactose sensitivity/intolerance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dairy allergy is different than a lactose sensitivity/intolerance.

Yeah, this sounds like an intolerance not an allergy.

Limit dairy, but he might be fine to have pizza and ice cream and other teen staples on occasion if he takes a Lactaid first

[Anonymous]

Kid had dairy allergy since birth. It has since turned more to intolerance (GI issues but no need for epi-pen anymore). Whole Foods has lots of alternatives for cheese— he actually likes Daiya cheese on his homemade pizza but when we are out he just orders pizza with no cheese and just chooses other toppings. There also are a lot of pretty good dairy free ice creams and frozen desserts. Lots of selections for yogurts (and husband even prefers those to dairy). Just be aware that if his issue is whey, it is in so many things— flavorings on chips, some syrups, box mixes, and French fries. Have to start really reading labels!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Casein or lactose?

This makes a big difference in what he can eat.

[Anonymous]

OP be VERY clear about what he is allergic to or if it's an intolerance. Many posters are confusing lactose intolerance and cows milk protein intolerance and dairy allergy.

One usually requires an EPI. The others can be managed with cessation of eating the offending foods and is an immune response in the gut normally and the other can sometimes be managed by eating Lactaid foods or ingesting Lactaid which supplements the enzyme that your son doesnt produce enough of to digest.

So first things first: is it the sugar or the protein component of the dairy and if the latter, can you determine which protein? Cow's milk has two: casein or whey.

 

[Anonymous]

DW has had a severe dairy allergy for 20 years. Dairy free replacements have come a long long way. The Silk Dairy Free Heavy Cream is a miracle product that's pretty much a 1:1 replacement to the real stuff. I've used in in everything from Crème Brulee to Creamed Spinach with fantastic results. We've found cheese to be toughest thing to replace and have melt and taste right. Daiya products are the current go to but its not 100%. Pretty much all the major brands sell vegan chocolate; DW does the higher (70% and greater) Ghirardelli bars without issue.

Eating out can still be a challenge, particularly Italian and deserts. A menu might not say anything about cheese or cream but that doesn't mean they aren't throwing parmesan rinds in the pot of marinara back in the kitchen. Making your server aware as soon as you sit down will get rid a lot of the risk.

[Anonymous]

I’d avoid the dairy alternatives. Most of them are heavily processed and it’s borderline whether it’s even real food.

Just got without. Cheese is bad for you anyway.

[Anonymous]

This is OP. Thanks for all of these replies, very helpful.

Agree with you all about the difference between an allergy and an intolerance, and lactose vs casin. DC has other anaphalactic food allergies so I get the distinction and it is important, but I was trying to shortcut for purposes of my post. I called it an allergy because for now it has been called an allergy by the GI (not by an allergist) and they recommended suggested that DC do strict dairy avoidance and keep a food diary. We will meet with a dietician in about a month and get more guidance but for now I’m treating this as a strict elimination so that the effects on DC of stopping dairy can be as unmuddled as possible. Later if possible items can be tested/worked back in.

[Anonymous]

Diaya mozzarella cheese for pizza!

Toffuti cream cheese for bagels

Making mexican food as home can be very friendly for non-dairy plus I would just use the diaya mozzarella for taquitos or quesadillas. The other diaya cheeses I found gross. Also--chips, salsa, and gaucamole made at your table are always safe at Mexican restaurants. American Mexican food tends to be super cheese heavy but if you go to a Mexican restaurant it should be easier.

Vegan indian food restaurants are awesome! The food is safe and full of flavor.

[Anonymous]

Give him some dairy substitutes. He'll lose his mind otherwise. Daiya makes a great frozen pizza, Miyoko's does great cheddar spread and garlic butter, Follow Your Heart has an identical bleu cheese dressing and smoked gouda slices that melt well, and So Delicious has a great line of coconut yogurts. Soy milk is the only vegan milk with protein like dairy milk, but the unflavored stuff takes some getting used to. Oat milk has a good creamy consistency, but no real nutrition. There are too many quality vegan ice cream brands to count.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is OP. Thanks for all of these replies, very helpful.

Agree with you all about the difference between an allergy and an intolerance, and lactose vs casin. DC has other anaphalactic food allergies so I get the distinction and it is important, but I was trying to shortcut for purposes of my post. I called it an allergy because for now it has been called an allergy by the GI (not by an allergist) and they recommended suggested that DC do strict dairy avoidance and keep a food diary. We will meet with a dietician in about a month and get more guidance but for now I’m treating this as a strict elimination so that the effects on DC of stopping dairy can be as unmuddled as possible. Later if possible items can be tested/worked back in.

So sorry he (and you) are going through this. GI issues can be so frustrating to diagnose. Our DC has been anaphylactic allergic to cows milk since birth and the amount of confusion or disbelief from others can be overwhelming. We even had a school nurse say “Milk? Who’s allergic to that?” And most things targeted for kid consumption is covered in cheese. So for our kid, they’ve never known otherwise; yours will likely miss much. While the alternatives have come a long way, it’s usually best to just work around or do without. Splurge on fresh fruit he likes. Ben & Jerry’s non-dairy line is pretty good and the sorbets from Talenti are divine.

Also, taking a safe snack wherever you go is usually a good practice.

Good luck and hang in there.

[Anonymous]

Credo cashew queso. It tastes like the runny cheese on 7-11 nachos.

[Anonymous]

OP glad to hear you are tracking with a registered dietician and I hope also with an allergist on this new development. Many allergy-aware families already know the harm of an elimination diet when an allergy is unknown, its use should be short term and with the right guidance. You should also hopefully already know it is not the preferred method for diagnosis of an IgE-mediated allergy.

If your teen has other anaphylactic allergies like you say, I suggest you speak with your allergist about Xolair and whether that may be a good fit. Best of luck.

[Anonymous]

I am lactose intolerant but can eat certain dairy products. I can eat low-fat dairy like skim milk or low-fat frozen yogurt, hard cheese like Parmesan.

I cannot eat soft cheeses like Brie or mozzarella. I can’t eat pizza or grilled cheese. I can’t eat Hagen Daz, cheesecake or chocolate mousse.

I’ve been lactose intolerant for decades now and what I can eat has changed over the years. I don’t do lactaid pills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP glad to hear you are tracking with a registered dietician and I hope also with an allergist on this new development. Many allergy-aware families already know the harm of an elimination diet when an allergy is unknown, its use should be short term and with the right guidance. You should also hopefully already know it is not the preferred method for diagnosis of an IgE-mediated allergy.

If your teen has other anaphylactic allergies like you say, I suggest you speak with your allergist about Xolair and whether that may be a good fit. Best of luck.

DP. I asked my teen son’s allergist about xolair and he said none of the practice’s patients are getting approval from their insurance companies and it is exhorbitantly expensive and unlikely to come down in price. Also, what do you think about the cancer link? Thanks for your thoughts.