let’s break this thang down, shall we?

lactose-free🚫🥛

lactose-free foods are foods where only the lactose has been removed. dairy is often still present.

fyi, i’m lactose intolerant, but typically opt for dairy-free foods. vegans would not be able to eat lactose-free foods though because dairy (milk proteins like casein & whey) is still present.

dairy-free🚫🥛

dairy-free means there is absolutely NO dairy at all present and the food is made with plants or nuts instead.

non-dairy🤷🏽‍♀️

non-dairy is a term actually regulated by the FDA that allows for milk proteins to be present in a product. #YTho🤔 you would think that non-dairy means no dairy is present, right! but that’s not always the case. you must read your labels and see for yourself before purchasing or ingesting non-dairy foods.

now, let’s get into some of my fave dairy-free & lactose-free cheeses and which foods they work best with!

when going vegan, dairy-free, or even lactose free, you and i both know that cheese is a very big deal. i didn’t want to give it up either, guys! however, i was sick (pun intended) of the havoc dairy cheese wreaked on my body. the older i get, the worse my lactose intolerance becomes. i no longer have just a scoop of Sonny’s brownie ice cream sundae or a handful of the kids’ snacks (MAN i loved goldfish) because I don’t want to disrupt my body’s dairy-free flow! thankfully, there are SO MANY OPTIONS available for us these days that were just not around even 2 years ago. i for one am excited about finding vegan feta recently! i could not believe my eyes and purchased it immediately. it’s so creamy, crumbly, and salty, just like feta should be. i opened up my fridge drawer last week and realized i had the biggest variety of vegan/dairy/lactose-free cheese i have EVER had to date, ha. i figured this was a great time to get this post goin’. so here we go.

Sonny actually brought this cheese home by accident. he purchased the wrong kind and i planned on taking it back…. but like 2 weeks passed and it was still in the fridge. so, i cracked it open and i’m so glad i did.

vegan, gluten-free

ingredients: filtered water, coconut oil, modified corn and potato starch, potato starch, fermented tofu (soybeans, water, salt, sesame oil, calcium sulfate), sea salt, natural flavor, olive extract (antioxidant used as a preservative) and beta carotene.

serving size: 1 slice

cals: 60

f: 4.5g

c: 4g

p: 0

it’s great for grilled cheese sandwiches (hot or cold sandwiches in general) and my boys couldn’t even tell it was ‘different’. very creamy and tastes most like the real thing to me/us.

i rave about this butter in my IG stories way too much! how does it taste better than butter butter!? 🤷🏽‍♀️

vegan, gluten-free, cruelty-free, cholesterol-free, lactose-free, soy-free

ingredients: organic coconut oil, filtered water, organic sunflower oil, organic cashews, organic sunflower lecithin, sea salt, ultures.

serving size: 1 tbsp

cals: 90

f: 10g

c: 0

p: 0

I have to conduct a Come to Jesus meeting about not eating the entire block of this butter with my spoon😳. guys it’s that good. i’ve seen it go for as hight as 7.99 but I know where to get it for 4.99!! if you’d like to know where, DM me on Instagram so i know you read this😜. this plant-based butter makes some amazing vegan vanilla maple icing (recipe in my dairy-free recipe subscription!).

about that feta!

100% Vegan

ingredients: filtered water, coconut oil, potato starch, salt (sea salt), glucono delta lactone, flavor (vegan sources), olive extract, vitamin B12.

serving size: 1 oz

cals: 90

f: 8g

c: 3g

p: 0

creamy, salty, & crumbly, just like feta should be! i’m sold, guys. have you tried it? what did you think? the feta went perfectly with my One Pan Chicken Thighs & Quinoa dish.

add some fig jam to the top of this cheese wheel (i’d even suggest heating it up or letting it sit at room temperature for a while first) and you’ve got yourself a quick Fall, holiday, or year-round party appetizer. it’s tart and the sweetness of the fig spread (or spread of your choice) truly balances out the flavor.

organic, nonGMO, free of cholesterol, lactose, gluten & soy

ingredients: organic cashews, filtered water, organic coconut cream, sea salt, cultures

serving size: 1 oz

cals: 110

f: 10g

c: 4g

p: 3g

you can’t go wrong with crackers, pretzels, or veggies. there are nine other varieties of cheese wheels available.

i have to admit- i wasn’t expecting this cream cheese to be so tart, but it works great in the dessert i linked below. the consistency is really thick, and the taste doesn’t really compare to dairy cream cheese to me. it’s definitely in a league of its own and would do very well in savory dishes.

organic, nonGMO, free of cholesterol, lactose, gluten and soy

ingredients: organic cashews, filtered water, organic coconut cream, sea salt, cultures

serving size: 1 oz

cals: 90

f: 7g

c: 4g

p: 3g

the thick consistency of this cream cheese truly helps these Strawberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars set quickly and stand on their own.

as soon as you rip open the package, you get a good, strong whiff of this cheese! i prefer it to be melted inside a hot sandwich (not just a cheese sandwich but with other toppings) and not eaten on its own.

dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free, egg-free, no peanuts, no tree nuts, no fish, no shellfish

ingredients: filtered water, coconut oil, potato starch, tapioca starch, vegan natural flavours, sea salt, tricalcium phosphate, pea protein isolate, xanthan gum, lactic acid (vegan), konjac gum, fruit and/or vegetable (color), inactive yeast, potassium chloride, yeast extract, vegan enzyme

serving size: 1 slice

cals: 60

f: 5g

c: 4g

p: 0

because this cheese has a particularly strong flavor, turkey burgers and chicken sandwiches are our preferred choices.

this vegan parmesan cheese is awesome for recipes using breading and coating.

vegan, gluten-free, soy-free

ingredients: filtered water, organic palm fruit oil†, modified food starch, canola oil, natural flavors (plant sources [contains autolyzed yeast]), vegetable glycerin, less than 2% of: lactic acid (vegetable source), calcium lactate (vegetable source), sea salt, sodium phosphate, carrageenan, bamboo fiber, nutritional yeast, calcium phosphate, organic chickpea miso (organic handmade rice koji, organic whole chickpeas, sea salt, water, koji spores), sunflower lecithin, citric acid, annatto. † rainforest alliance certified

serving size: 1 oz

cals: 100

f: 7g

c: 8g

p: 0

try it in dishes like meatballs, home-made chicken nuggets, those Bacon Zucchini Fritters above, or my dairy-free Creamy Au Gratin Parmesan Potatoes below!!! here’s the recipe just in time for Turkey Day☺️

Creamy Au Gratin Parmesan Potatoes

Yield: 8

Author: Leah K. Egwuatu

prep time: 10 Mcook time: total time: 10 M

no dairy in sight but as cheesy as ever! this side is the perfect addition to any Thanksgiving spread.

ingredients:

2 large russet potatoes, sliced thin
2 cups unsweetened non-dairy milk
3/4 cuplow sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 tbsp vegan butter
1/4 cup yellow onion, minced
1 chicken or vegetable bullion cube
1/3 cupnutritional yeast
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp tumeric (just for color)
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup vegan parmesan cheese
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
chopped green onion for garnish

instructions:

How to cook Creamy Au Gratin Parmesan Potatoes

wash, peel, and thinly slice potatoes.
submerge potatoes in an ice bath until you are ready for them.
to a sauce pan, add 1 tbsp butter over medium-low heat.
once melted, add minced onion and sauté until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes (do not burn!)
add milk, stock, nutritional yeast, bullion cube, garlic powder, onion powder, turmeric, paprika, thyme, half of the parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.
combine well and turn your heat to high.
once mixture is boiling, combine cornstarch and cold water in a small separate bowl; add to the cheesy mixture.
keep the fire going and stir continuously; let mixture thicken and bubble for 2-4 more minutes.
shut off the heat and drain your potatoes.
to a casserole dish, create of layer of potatoes on the bottom. now, alternate between the cheesy mixture and a layer of potatoes until you run out (should make about 4-5 layers depending on the size of your casserole dish). shake the pan to ensure the mixture gets into the nooks and crannies of the stacked potatoes.
top with the remaining parmesan cheese and cover tightly with foil.
bake for 25 minutes.
uncover and bake for another 20-25 minutes
let cool slightly and top with chopped green onion!

Calories

121

Fat (grams)

Carbs (grams)

Fiber (grams)

Sugar (grams)

Protein (grams)

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @fitfoodiele on instagram and hashtag it #fitfoodiele

Created using The Recipes Generator

this plant based mozzarella doesn’t stretch or brown like dairy mozzarella but it did melt under the broiler. it also became slightly greasy! i’m hoping for better results when baked.

organic, nonGMO, free of cholesterol, lactose, gluten and soy

ingredients: filtered water, organic cashews, organic coconut oil, organic tapioca, agar, organic cultured sugar*, sea salt, organic sunflower lecithin, cultures. *used as a natural preservative. contains no added sugar.

serving size: 1 oz.

cals: 70

f: 5g

c: 3g

p: 0

i believe this mozzarella would work heated and mixed into a spinach and artichoke type dip. maybe i’ll try that next😉.

these cheddar and mozzarella shreds are great on hot baked potatoes, breakfast omelets, or as soup/chili toppers.

100% vegan

ingredients: filtered water, coconut oil, food starch-modified (potato & corn), corn starch, salt (sea salt), cheddar flavor (vegan sources), olive extract, paprika extract & beta carotene (color), vitamin B12, powdered cellulose added to prevent caking.

serving size: 1/4 cup

cals: 80

f: 7g

c: 6g

p: 0

it melts great when folded into an omelette or mixed in with spaghetti and meatballs and the texture mirrors dairy cheese as well.

mac n cheese is still one of Dego’s (age 5) top meals! he requests it often so i keep my pantry stocked with this sauce. it has a velveta-like thickness when melted so it coats the hot noodles perfectly.

dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free, egg-free, no peanuts, no tree nuts, no fish, no shellfish

ingredients: filtered water, tapioca starch, non-GMO expeller pressed: canola and/or safflower oil, coconut oil, sea salt, vegan natural favours, pea protein isolate, tricalcium phosphate, cane sugar, lactic acid (vegan), xanthan gum, yeast extract, titanium dioxide (a naturally occurring mineral), annatto (colour), onion.

serving size: 1/4 cup

cals: 150

f: 12g

c: 9g

p: 2g

super cheesy but not overpowering. i’m a big fan too.

lactose-free cream cheese makes for a suuuuuper creamy sauce. it’s awesome on whatever you enjoy dairy cream cheese on of course. hot bagels are definitely one of my favorites. remember, this is NOT vegan-friendly, guys. it doesn’t disturb my tummy at all thankfully.

organic, gluten-free, contains milk!

ingredients: pasteurized cultured cream (milk) lactaze enzyme, sea salt, and live and active cultures

serving size: 2 tbsp

cals: 90

f: 10g

c: 1g

p: 1g

my roasted red bell pepper sauce goes great with any type of cooked pasta. add protein and you’ve got a complete, balanced lunch or dinner!

lactose free cottage cheese is the perfect protein packed snack or breakfast to start your day. i mean, if you’re cool with the texture and all, lol! i know that can be a turnoff to some people but it’s all good with me.

lactose-free, contains milk!

ingredients: cultured pasteurized skim milk and cream, whey protein concentrate, whey, salt, natural flavor, lactase enzyme*, xanthan gum, locust bean gum, guar gum, lactic acid, sorbic acid carbon dioxide (to maintain freshness), phosphoric acid and enzymes, contains milk

serving size: 1/2 cup

cals: 110

f: 5g

c: 5g

p: 13g

have a bowl and top it with fresh fruit, nuts, and sweetener of your choice.

if i need to go completely vegan for a cream cheese recipe, this is one of my top dairy-free cream cheese alternatives.

vegan, dairy-free, kosher parve, gluten-free, lactose-free, milk-free, no butterfat, no cholesterol, non-geo, halal

ingredients: water, expeller processed natural oil blend (soybean, palm fruit and olive), maltodextrin, non-geo (soy protein, tofu) non-dairy lactic acid, blend of natural gums (locust bean, guar, cellulose, and earthen, organic sugar and salt

serving size: 2 tbsp

cals: 60

f: 5g

c: 2g

p: 1g