Dairy-free diets - any advice on good calcium rich substitutes please?

[Pages]

Especially finger feeding, ie for lunchboxes or snacks?

DS1 is lactose intolerant and has gone off cereal (which he normally has soya milk on) or anything where he has to eat from a spoon.

I used to rely on soya yoghurts and desserts but if a spoon is involved he isn't interested atm. I hope it is just a phase but in the meantime am worried about his calcium intake. He eats a fair amount of oily fish which I know is calcium rich but he can't always have that, every day.

Any tips please?

[r3dh3d]

Dunno about finger foods specifically. Our staples are:

Green leafy veg.
Tropicana orange juice (they do a calcium fortified one)
Tahini (as a spread instead of peanut butter)

But, btw, there are a number of cheeses which by virtue of their manufacturing process, are very very low lactose. Emmenthal, Gruyere, Parmesan and some very specific types of cheddar. More info here though parmesan has been added to our list since that was written.

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Oh thanks - that's great news for me too as I am also lactose intolerant and love cheese!! I am able to eat sheeps and goats cheese so do give the boys this from time to time but the psychologist advocated no dairy at all at the time DS1 was having glue ear and I have always been a bit anxious since reading on here of someone's baby having a rare allergy to cows milk that caused brain damage, as it was when I first put DS1 onto regular formula milk that all his problems started (probably coincidence or maybe just didn't help.)

[Peachy]

I am wondering if the rare allergy was a casein reaction, that's what we have in our family, and it has been questioned whether there is a link with autism (both my casein reactive sons are ASD but that could be complete coincidence)

Don't give up on yoghurts etc- they make excellent dips with biscuits, fruit etc.


Sardines / pilchards etc (with bones in)- if your child doesn't like them straight, mix them with masha nd sweetcorn to make fishcakes, apparently i was addicted as a toddler

Also apricots are supposedly good, the occasional ice cream amde with dairy free dessert (swedish glace or home made from sya yoghurts)

Greeen leafy veg, minute maid also do a high calcium orange now

remember to watch levels of vitamin D as this si essential for calcium and is found in milk too

[Pages]

Thanks, when you say don't give up on yogurts do you mean regular or soya yoghurts? Regular ones have cow's milk in don't they?

[Peachy]

I meant soya, not much call for regular ones in my world LOL (actually Dh and one son can have them, but they're in a minority LOL)

[Peachy]

(you can get nice goats one though)

[Pages]

Do you have sheep and goats milk then? Is it just cows milk you avoid?