If you or someone in your family suffers with lactose intolerance, then you are certainly aware of the challenges of preparing a meal that makes everyone in the family happy. Preparing meals for your family while meeting the needs of someone with lactose intolerance does not mean that the whole family must alter their eating habits. Here are some quick and easy meal ideas that will meet the needs of everyone at your table.
Pizza Night
In many families, sharing pizza is a time honored once a week tradition. It is possible for everyone, even the dairy free diner at your table, to enjoy this family favorite. If you are ordering in, simply order one individual pizza without cheese. Be sure to explain that you are ordering for someone who has lactose intolerance and ask to review the contents of the crust and any other toppings to ensure there are no hidden sources of dairy. Many pizzas come with special crusts so it is necessary to specifically request that no butter or cheese is added to the crust.
If you choose to make the pizza at home it is even easier to customize. Make your own dough or just purchase a kit that you have reviewed and determined to be dairy free. Simply form the dough into individual sized portions and each person can top their pizza as desired. Cheese free pizzas work best with thick sauce as they lack the holding power cheese usually provides.
Taco Night
Traditional tacos consist of a folded corn tortilla filled with meat, cheese, and various other desired toppings such as lettuce, tomato, and sour cream. When serving tacos to a group that includes someone who cannot eat dairy, present the meal buffet style. Simply fill the shells with meat and pile them on a platter. Present the various toppings in bowls and let each person top their tacos as they would like. Include a bowl of refried beans, which gives the lactose intolerant person a nice alternative to cheese.
Chicken does not have to be dipped in milk before rolling it in a coating. Rinsing the chicken in water will work fine for dipping chicken into a finely crushed coating such as crushed (dairy free) soda crackers. Once coated, fry the chicken in the oil of your choice or for a healthier alternative, try baking the chicken instead.
Nothing goes with fried chicken like mashed potatoes, but most methods for mashed potatoes call for milk and butter. Try making the potatoes as usual but substitute olive oil for the butter. Use water reserved from boiling the potatoes in place of milk. Add slowly and adjust the amounts to taste.
Spaghetti and Garlic Toast
Spaghetti and garlic toast are one of the classic pairings that many families enjoy on a regular basis. Surprisingly, jarred spaghetti sauce from some of the leading manufacturing companies can sometimes contain cheese. Even those that don´t have cheese in the name may have cheese hiding in the list of ingredients. Be sure to read the label carefully before buying or make your own.
Delicious garlic toast can be prepared using olive oil in place of butter. Try it for the whole family, they just might like it more! If you choose only to use the olive oil for the person who must avoid dairy, be sure to clearly separate the two varieties of garlic toast. To avoid any confusion, just place the buttered garlic toast and the garlic toast with olive oil on separate platters.
Preparing meals without dairy does not have to limit the menu choices available to your family. With a little planning and creativity, it is possible to prepare most of your favorite meals in a way that meets the needs of everyone at your table. Let these four examples provide you with the inspiration you need to explore many other dairy free options.
