Some of us are born with a problem called lactose intolerance. It means that we have a tough time eating dairy products. If your child has been diagnosed, here are some ways that they can still enjoy delicious meals.
What is Lactose Intolerance?
Lactose intolerance means that the body displays a negative reaction to the sugar lactose. Lactose is found in milk and other dairy products like cheese and yogurt. Because the body lacks the enzymes to break it down, it has to be eliminated. The experience of this can be quite uncomfortable.
Those who are lactose intolerant often find out after repeatedly eating dairy products and suffering the ill effects. This includes diarrhea, abdominal cramping, nausea, bloating and gas. It can occur anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours after eating a dairy product.
If you’ve ever thought about it, this can eliminate a lot of foods from your dietary list. It also means reading a lot of food labels to see what contains any form of dairy and what does not. For children, this can mean watching their friends enjoy pizza and knowing that they can’t have any or it will make them feel really bad.
Healthy Delicious Dinners
But, there is another way. Kids can enjoy some of the same foods that their friends eat but without the lactose sugar that can make them feel sick. It takes a bit of creative thinking, but it will be beneficial to your child and the entire family.
Other members of the family need to watch what they buy when there is a lactose intolerant child in the house. Any dairy products need to be clearly labeled so the child doesn’t eat them.
This is also an opportunity to get your kids involved in cooking in the kitchen. You are not only having fun but showing them how to create meals that they love that won’t hurt them.
Here are some ideas for lactose-free dinner meals.
- Macaroni and cheese – Who doesn’t love Mac and Cheese? Instead of using regular milk to make the cheese sauce, try plain soy milk. There is a product on the market called nutritional yeast. It has a nutty flavor and the consistency of a powder, and can be used as a kind of thickener for sauces instead of cheese. It can also be added to cheese substitutes for better flavor.
- Pizza – Pizza is an incredible food and your children will probably want to eat it. You can use or make your own pizza dough for the crust. Since cheese is out of the question for a topping, create a cheese sauce using soy milk and nutritional yeast. Add pizza sauce to your dough and then cover with your dairy-free cheese sauce. Top with your favorite toppings and bake.
- Lasagna – Your cheese sauce will come in handy again. There is also dairy-free ricotta cheese to add as a filler between the layers. Don’t forget to add your favorite pasta sauce and meat or vegetables to the layers of the lasagna.
Just because your kids can’t eat dairy, doesn’t mean they can’t still eat delicious foods. Try these examples above.