On reading this post, you may think that it is sponsored by Arla. I assure you it is not! But they are one of my go-to brands for lacto free products that still taste good. They are a life saver for us poor, intolerant souls. So what products would I really recommend if you’ve found out you’re lactose intolerant?
- Arla Lacto Free Milk*
This is a dairy free DREAM. It tastes just like milk, it comes in full fat, semi and skimmed and it is readily available at most supermarkets. It froths like normal milk for lattes and it keeps for ages – even once it’s opened. I have heard some reports that drinking a lot of soy products can have a negative effect on your oestrogen levels – this article from The Observer (via The Guardian) from back in 2004 claims that just two glasses of soy milk a day can alter a woman’s menstrual cycle. Clarification of this since have been mixed, but even from a pure taste perspective, soy is very sweet, frothy and tastes funny in tea – it takes a bit of getting used to! The second best thing about Arla Lacto Free is that you can also get it in single serve UHT portions – ideal for slipping into your handbag if you think you might not be able to get your hands on some when you’re out and about! They are BRILLIANT. And you can get them from Tesco! Winner.
2. Arla Mature Cheddar*
I simply could not live without cheese. I think my body would just give up. (Truth is my body would more likely give up if I ate cheese, but I refuse to believe it). I miss cheese. I crave it! But, much to my dismay, the world of dairy free cheese is not very well developed. This cheese is the best of a bad bunch. It isn’t all bad – it has *some* taste – but it’s pretty much just an attempt at dairy free cheddar. The mature version is so much better than just the normal version, but neither cheese melts very well and can become a little bit plastic-y. It’s good on a sandwich, it’s infinitely better than the disgusting mess that is soy cheese and it’s made my life without brie a lot more bearable. And for that, I salute it! Oh, and they also do a spreadable cheese version if that’s more your thang.
3. Swedish Glace Non-Dairy Frozen Vanilla Dessert
I imagine this is called a dessert because they’re not legally allowed to call it ice cream if there is no cream in it. But that is neither here nor there because this tastes like really good vanilla ice cream! Even Andrew will eat it, and that is saying something. Grab a few scoops, chuck over some blueberries and shave some dark chocolate on. Lovely after dinner treat and you can get it from Sainsbury’s, my supermarket of choice!
4. Dairy Free Spread
This one is a little bit of a cheat because I haven’t found a dairy free spread yet that I really like. I oscillate between a few different products: Pure Sunflower Spread tastes OK, Vitalite Spread is meh, but the problem with ALL of them is that they don’t melt onto my toast. They taste a little bit like plastic and they don’t melt when you keep them out of the fridge. I never used to eat margarine, always butter, which is why this is one of the biggest downsides of the dairy free life for me. So instead of making a suggestion here, I’m asking for yours! Which are the best dairy free spreads you’ve used? Help!
5. Super Lactase Enzyme Capsules
OK, truth be told, these aren’t strictly food. But we’re talking about products, so I think these fit. These little tablets from Holland & Barrett are well worth the £11.49 price tag (and H&B often has offers on, so keep an eye out) for those occasions where you can’t guarantee you won’t be able to avoid dairy completely – if you’re going out for a meal, if someone else is catering and you’re not in a position to make requests, or if you just want to eat that little naughty treat. The idea is that you take two tablets just before you are consuming something with lactose in. The tablets release the lactase enzyme which breaks down the lactose you consume in your digestive tract. BE WARNED though, they won’t eliminate symptoms completely – for me it got rid of the tummy pains but not the bloating. So they’re really only there if all else fails.
If you have any other vegan or dairy free products I’d love to hear them. Please comment below and I’ll check them out!
♥ JH
*Please note – these products are not suitable for you if you are allergic to milk or have galactosaemia.