Milk Sensitivity

Milk is the primary source of nutrients in infancy and continues to function as a valuable contributor of protein, energy, calcium, and riboflavin during childhood and into adult life.  Calcium can be provided in the form of a milk substitute such as Isomil, and Meat Base Formula (MBF). Goat's milk (which has a different lactalbumin) is sometimes tolerated.  Macrocytic anemia due to a deficiency of vitamin B12 can occur with the use of goat's milk.  At times a supplement of dolomite powder tablets or bone meal may be necessary, but as with any substitute dietary supplement or food, consultation with your physician is necessary.  The protein ordinarily obtained from milk can also be found in other foods as eggs, meat, fish, whole grains, peas, vegetables – especially dark green leafy and dark yellow – and fruits – especially dried.  Non-dairy creamer (if it is casein-free) can be used instead of milk.  When making hot cereal, for instance, just use a little more water than usual and add a little zest to the taste with brown sugar, honey or molasses.  Omelets and scrambled eggs are light and fluffy when water is used.  Butter can be replaced by any of the milk-free margarines.  Cheese can be replaced with goat cheese, soybean tofu cheese, Fisher's Chees-ola, or some generic cheese foods.  When cooking, use oil rather than animal fat.  Coconut milk on cereals and Magic Milk made from eggs can be used in cooking.  If much Magic Milk or Magic Cream are used, you may want to cut down on the regular consumption of eggs.  Juices can also be used on cereals.  Butters made from nuts, such as peanuts and sesame (tahini) are flavorful.

Type of Food

Foods Allowed

Foods Avoided

Carbonated drinks, Kool-aid, fruit juices, cocoa made with water, lemonade, tea, special formulas, coconut milk

Coffeemate, fresh, dried or evaporated milk, malted milk, milk shakes, cocoa made with milk or milk solids, alcoholic drinks with milk or cream

French bread, rye bread, Rye Krisps, homemade bread made without milk, pretzels, Ritz, Triscuit, graham, saltine, soda, Kosher bread

Baking powder biscuits, milk, pie crust, zwieback, waffles, pancakes if made with milk or buttermilk, pastries, muffins, noodles/macaroni, doughnuts, most commercially made breads

Any cereal served with fruit juice or milk substitute

Meat, fish and Poultry

All, if prepared without sauce made with milk or cream

Hot dogs and bologna if milk solids are added in processing, or if meat has milk base coating and/or fried in butter or lard, creamed meat, meatloaf

In any form if milk is not added and not fried in butter or animal fat

None, as long as milk is not added, Egg Replacers

Cheese

Cheese foods – check labels, tofu

In all forms

Fruit, Popsicles, fruited jello, homemade puddings without milk (tapioca, junket and cornstarch pudding), fruit ice, water ices, homemade pies, cakes and cookies made without milk or butter

Coolwhip, ice cream, sherbet, puddings, custards, cakes, pies and cookies made with milk or milk cream, sauces, crepes, souffl?s, cheese cake, frostings, pie crust made with butter

Butter, cream, sour cream, margarine with added milk solids, salad dressing

Potato & Substitutes

Mashed potato or any substitute made with milk, cream, butter or cheese

Broth, clear consomm?, bouillion 

Creamed soups, bisques

All

None if milk, cream or butter are added or used in sauces (augratin, scalloped or mashed)

Fruits

All

None

Miscellaneous

Moderates amounts of sugar, jams, jellies, lollipops, hard candy, peanut butter, nuts, corn chips, potato chips, popcorn (without butter), pickles, olives, meat juice, gravy

Label Reading for Milk Products

Look for:

• Lactose
• Caseinate
• Sodium caseinate
• Casein
• Lactalbumin
• Curds
• Whey
• Butter
• Oleo
• Margarine
• Cream cheese
• Fresh milk
• Buttermilk
• Dried milk
• Powdered milk
• Condensed milk
• Evaporated milk or yogurt
• Hamburger and other restaurant meats should be questioned 

Other Facts

The milk protein lactalbumin is commonly the culprit in milk allergy.  Lactalbumin varies in the milk of different species so that milk substitutes such as goat's milk or sheep's milk may be possible.  If your milk allergen is casein, this protein is similar to all milks so that drinking goat's milk or sheep's milk is not a solution.

If your problem is whey, you may find that boiling milk for 20 minutes or using evaporated milk may help.  Be careful of substitutes like goat's milk since it may contain casein.

Be sure “non-dairy creamers” are indeed non-dairy. Some of them contain casein, so read the labels carefully.

Kosher products (margarines, processed meats) that are labeled “pareve” are reliably milk-free.

Some physicians will allow you to experiment with butter, since it is low in milk protein. Check with your doctor