5 of the Best Lactose-Free Replacements and Where to Find Them

I never thought about the struggles of living with a food intolerance until I was diagnosed with one. The thought of having to find a substitute to all the delicious goodness that one once enjoyed never crossed my mind until the very day I was left standing in the middle of the dairy aisle wondering, what on earth am I supposed to eat now? No matter what you’re intolerant to, finding products that you can actually consume without having some sort of bodily reaction to, proves both costly and timely.

If you’re newly diagnosed as lactose intolerant, or in search of the best replacements out there to fulfil your lactose-free needs, I’ve done the research and tasting for you.

Ice-cream

This delicious spoon of icy goodness has been, by far, the most difficult food to find a lactose-free replacement for. There are plenty of dairy-free options out there, but none that taste as good as ice-cream truly does. That wasn’t until I found Peters lactose-free vanilla ice-cream. Although a little pricey at $7.60 for a 1.2L tub, there is no better lactose-free substitute that provides the same great taste as real, delicious and creamy ice-cream.

Cheese

Some dietitians say cheese has very low lactose levels that most lactose-intolerant patients can stomach, but if you’re like me and want to be on the safe side, Liddells’ range of lactose-free cheeses is the perfect replacement. They have slices, blocks, shredded and spreadable cheeses suitable for any recipe, from toasted sandwiches to lasagne.

Milk

With a variety of lactose-free milks on the market it is difficult to know which one to choose. Do you go for the better brand or the lowest price point? Not to mention the wide-range of non-dairy substitutes. The cheapest and tastiest option is Woolworths lactose-free milk. It tastes exactly like real milk, just without the lactose.

Margarine

I have stuck with Nuttelex since the day I was diagnosed with my intolerance. They have a huge range of margarines to choose from no matter your tastebuds or cholesterol levels. And their range is gluten and dairy-free too!

Yoghurt

Like ice-cream, there are plenty of dairy-free options for yoghurt lovers, but none that taste as good as those with dairy. Liddells also produces lactose-free yoghurt in two delicious flavours; vanilla and strawberry. Personally, I would go strawberry, but I’ll leave that up to you.

Don’t let your intolerance stop you from consuming the foods you once loved.