Dairy-free Diet

On week 3 of his stay at the NICU, we went through a NEC scare and the doctors put me on a dairy-free diet. Like most people, I wrongly believed that my diet contained very little dairy but I hadn't counted on how many things contained soy which was also to be avoided.  I learned quickly to read food labels carefully and ask questions about ingredients when ordering in restaurants.

Here is a short list of obvious and not so obvious milk products:

Artificial butter flavor, Butter, Butter fat, Buttermilk, Butter oil, Casein,  Cheese, Cottage cheese, Cream, Curds, Custard, Ghee, Goat’s milk, Half & half, Hydrolysates (casein, milk protein, protein, whey, whey protein), Kefir, Koumiss, Lactalbumin, Lactalbumin phosphate, Lactoglobulin, Lactose, Lactulose, Milk, Nougat, Sour cream,  Sour milk solids, Whey, Yogurt

The following foods MAY contain milk protein:

Chocolate, Flavourings (natural or artificial), High protein flour, Hot Dogs, Deli Meat, Margarine, Sausage

It is important to check how foods have been prepared when you eat in restaurants.  Butter is used to add flavour to pretty much everything so you need to ask about how food has been prepared.  It is easy to ask that the chef uses oil instead.  Omelettes and scrambled eggs often have milk added so beware.

Our doctor advised us that goat and sheep milk should also be avoided as they contain proteins similar to cow's milk protein.  It is important to ensure you take adequate calcium supplements to avoid rickets for your baby and to protect your own calcium stores.  

The greatest problem came with trying to eat food "on the run". Here is a short list of dairy-free friendly restaurants.  Please add to the list if you can.

Coffee (with cream/milk alternatives)
Good Earth - almond milk
Beano - almond milk

Fish
Trawlers panfried

Chicken
Swiss Chalet chicken meal including dipping sauce

Bread
Lakeview Bakery Spelt bread

Charcuterie (bread & meats)
Charcut

While on this diet, it is very important to supplement calcium with 1000mg of calcium/magnesium.  It is not enough to rely on TUMS to supplement the missing dietary calcium.