Ok folks, it’s finally here: The Ultimate Dairy and Soy Free Food Guide! This is a list of information and recipes that helped me survive when I had to go completely dairy and soy free with Roman due to his protein sensitivities.
[If you suspect your baby is having food-related issues, read our story to see what we did.]
I went from 139 lbs pre-pregnancy to 175 lbs the day I delivered and all the way down to 117 lbs only a few months after he was born because of the dietary restrictions/ guessing (plus breastfeeding). I have a whole new level of respect for people with severe food allergies/ intolerances. This past year and a half has been grueling when it comes to food, but I am SO thankful I was able to make it while doing what was best for our baby. My hope is that sharing these resources will make the challenge ahead of you a wee bit more doable. You got this, momma!
{This post contains affiliate links}
These recipes are not mine, unless otherwise noted, so the links take you to the sites of their creators as they deserve credit! I’ve personally made each of these meals and enjoyed them! Many of the recipes are ready-to-go, but if you do see a recipe that has a dairy/soy ingredient, I have provided a list of substitutions I made below (along with some safe brand choices for common products).
(PS, For those times you wanna eat out (which will be difficult on this diet), try checking Nutritionix.com to see if the restaurant’s menu is available. You can select dairy and soy as allergens you want to avoid, and Nutritionix shows which menu items are safe to order. Huge time saver! )
Oils
NO vegetable oil
YES Canola, Corn, Olive, Coconut, Peanut
Butter
NO real butter or margarine (aka “vegetable spread” aka “bricks of soy”)
YES Coconut oil (sorry! I could not find any other sub for butter)
Cream
Try Coconut cream! Put canned coconut milk into the fridge for 24 hours. The cream separates from the water and accumulates at the top of the can. Carefully scoop it out. It can be eaten as is, whipped into cream, used to make ice cream, added to recipes, etc.
Peanut Butter
Almost all brands of peanut butter seem to have soy! One common brand I found WITHOUT soy is the Peter Pan brand peanut butter. (They’re not paying me. It’s just true!)
Sandwich bread
Good luck. I couldn’t find a brand of sliced bread without soy. Only a couple of artisanal, expensive-ass breads.
Safe Snacks
- Fresh fruits: Grapes, berries, bananas, oranges, apples, mangos, pineapple, kiwi, watermelon, etc.
- Celery sticks with soy-free peanut butter (like Peter Pan)
- Roasted veggies (carrot sticks, sweet potato fries, zucchini)
- Bean dip, Hummus (most Sabras varieties have soy. Check for other brands or make it yourself!)
- Dairy free ice cream (Some of the NadaMoo brand and SO Delicious brand products are both soy AND dairy free. These things saved my life).
- Nuts (careful if you buy flavored nuts. Check the ingredients!)
- Granola Bars (The brand “Kind” has an oat and honey granola bar with no dairy or soy—one of the ONLY ones I could find.)
- Chocolate almond/coconut/ cashew milk (Cashew is SO creamy!)
- Homemade corn chips (baked tortillas) and salsa
- Oatmeal (certain varieties)
RECIPES:
[POULTRY]
Crockpot Cilantro Lime Chicken
Honey Lemon Chicken with Angel Hair Pasta
Stuffed Turkey Breasts with Butternut Squash and Figs
Chicken Avocado Burritos (minus the cheese)
[PORK]
Skinny Pineapple Teriyaki Pork Chops
[BEEF/ LAMB]
Beef or Lamb Kefta (kabobs)
[SEAFOOD]
Pesto Salmon and Italian Veggies in Foil
Spicy Honey Lime Shrimp Kabobs
[VEGETARIAN] (check the sides, soups, and desserts sections as well!)
Black Bean Chili Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Spiced Sweet Potato Lentil Soup (for the crockpot)
[SOUPS/ CHILI]
Pasta Fagioli (Just omit the parmesan)
Roasted Pumpkin Soup (Perfect for fall!)
Vegan Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup
Decadent Tomato Basil Soup (Recipe by me!)
[SIDES/ SALADS/ SNACKS]
Honey Roasted Butternut Squash
Roasted Cauliflower with Red Chile Cilantro Lime
Zucchini Tots (Recipe by me!- soy free, not dairy free)
[BREAKFAST/ BAKED GOODS]
Sweet Potato Hash with Sausage and Eggs
Paleo Pancakes (Gluten Free)
Baked Avocado with Eggs (the egg is baked in. Delicious and healthy!)
[DESSERTS]
Banana Ice cream (All you need is bananas!)
SO Delicious Brand Chocolate Covered Ice Cream Bars
That’s about it! Phew. It took a TON of trial and error on my part to figure all this junk out, so I hope this saves you a little time and sanity if you find yourself in this situation! If I come across more great recipes (or make my own), I’ll be sure to add them (and share the updates on my social media accounts). If you have a website with dairy/soy free recipes, I’d be happy to link them here for my readers! Lastly, feel free to contact me with any questions you may have. I’ll do my best to help you out if it’s something I know! Moms, I know this may seem daunting, but hey, you just created a tiny human. You can totally do this. Plus, look at this face: Wouldn’t you go to the ends of the earth for that face? I would.
