Going Milk Free
All foods derived from mammalian (cow, goat, ewe, etc.) milk proteins must be removed from the diet:
This includes milk, skim milk, reduced fat milk, powdered milk, evaporated / condensed milk, buttermilk, butter, cream, sour cream, all types of cheese, cottage cheese, whey, yogurt, custard, ice cream, kefir, dulce de leche, clabber, casein, etc. There are many other kinds of fermented and cultured milk products not listed here that should also be excluded.
All prepared foods that contain milk proteins must be removed from the diet:
Examples include: Pizza (cheese), lasagna (cheese), breads that contain butter or milk, sauces that contain butter or milk, mashed potatoes with butter, cream of tomato soup (milk), cream of mushroom soup (milk), pudding (milk), etc. Milk and butter are used extensively for cooking. The list of milk products included in food is too large to be completely listed here. Any participant must actively confirm the absence of milk in what they eat. Refer to the link Alternates to Milk for possible milk substitutes.
All processed (purhased) foods that contain milk must be removed from the diet:
It is necessary to read the ingredients label for all processed foods to determine if milk products are present. Typical added milk products include but are not limited to milk, powdered milk, butter, whey, cheese and cream. Some, but not all, ingredients labels indicate if milk is present at the end of the ingredients list. The presence of milk products in some foods (such as bread and crackers) will vary by manufacturer. If an ingredient label is unavailable, confirm with the manufacturer that milk products are absent or do not consume that product. Sample ingredient labels indicating the presence can be viewed in Purchased food labels.
Extreme care must be used when eating out:
Milk and butter are used extensively in restaurants. Often the server and sometimes the cook cannot tell you if milk products (dairy) are present. Use caution when asking if “dairy” is present as this term is ambiguous and not well understood. Since many products (such as bread) are purchased by restaurants, they often cannot tell you if milk products are present in these foods. Many chain food restaurants list the ingredients of their foods online. It is wise to identify what foods are milk free before ordering. It is generally easier to avoid milk at restaurants with extensive salad bars, Chinese restaurants and grocery store take out (raw fruit, vegetables, precooked chicken, smoked salmon, etc.)
Supplements and Medication
Some supplements such as probiotics can be derived from milk proteins. Probiotics that do not use milk are available. Closely review the ingredients of everything you consume since milk can be present in unexpected areas.
Going Milk Free