Snack and Meal Ideas for a Little One with Dairy Sensitivity
We discovered Leo had dairy sensitivity when I tried to feed him yogurt. Not only did he make a face like it was the worst thing he had ever tasted, he also started breaking out in hives around his mouth and on his chin: the clear sign of a food sensitivity or food allergy. We immediately stopped feeding him any dairy products. Luckily, it's not anaphylactic, and he should grow out of it. However, it makes for a daunting task as a parent to come up with new foods for a picky toddler, when most kid-friendly foods have dairy as a main ingredient (mac-n-cheese, pizza, ice cream! etc).
(***Please note that I am NOT a doctor and all foods given to your allergic child should be cleared by your pediatrician***)
Here a list of things that we like to feed Leo, for snacks, meals, or a mix of both:
- fresh fruits: bananas, pears, peaches, plums, blueberries, strawberries, etc
- fruit cups: the kinds that are in light syrup or water
- black beans
- avocado
- soy cheese
- soy yogurt
- chicken nuggets (I like the kind in the natural food section... all white meat and wheat breading. A little more expensive but I serve less nuggies with more veggie and fruit sides)
- turkey sausage or meatballs
- sliced deli meat and soy cheese in wheat tortilla roll-ups
- grilled cheese (made with soy cheese)
- ritz crackers with jam (we taught Leo how to 'dip' and he loves it!)
- cereal bars or soft granola bars
- broth based soups (ministrone, chicken and rice, chicken veggie, etc)
- cooked veggies (peas, broccoli, carrots, edamame beans, etc)
- sweet potato, microwaved, skinned and cut into cubes OR sweet potato fries (basically cut into stripes, dipped in oil and baked in the oven)
- cheerios or any wholesome cereal
- toast with jam (I use Olivio instead of real butter)
- soynut and jelly sandwiches (Leo's absolute favorite)
To increase the calcium lost by not having a dairy intake, try to buy:
- calcium fortified cereal
- calcium fortified orange juice
- calcium fortified soy milk
Important fact: There are dairy / food allergies, and food sensitivities. Leo is in the sensitivity category, so he can have things that come in contact with dairy, and still be okay. PLEASE always consult your doctor about what your child can and cannot have. This is only a list of ideas if you child is cleared for most items due to a dairy sensitivity.
Here are some websites/articles with great info:
http://www.faiusa.org/
http://www.kidswithfoodallergies.org/
http://www.foodallergy.org/allergens/index.html
http://www.allergykids.com/
http://kidshealth.org/kid/ill_injure/sick/food_allergies.html
http://www.cookiemag.com/brain/kidhealth/2009/02/allergies
Good luck, and please comment / email if you have any other info.
If you have any doubt that there are toddlers who like black beans, check out this video:









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