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What if I Don’t Like Dairy?

If you don’t like milk or other dairy products or if you are lactose intolerant, you may be able to increase your tolerance by adding a bit of dairy to your meals. Many people find that the symptoms of lactose intolerance are relieved when they eat milk, cheese or other dairy products with meals.

Milk

  • Start drinking a little milk every day and increase the amount gradually over time: Begin with ¼ cup to ½ cup of milk with meals for 3 to 4 weeks. Then gradually increase the quantity. Consider chocolate milk.
  • Enjoy a quick vegetable soup — purée cooked vegetables with a splash of milk.
  • Add a bit of powdered milk to cooking and baking.

Yogurt

Most people with lactose intolerance can tolerate partially digested milk products that contain live bacterial cultures as yogurt, so include yogurt in your menu:

  • Prepare your dressings or dips with yogurt.
  • Add plain yogurt and fresh chives or green onions to your baked potatoes and enjoy them!

Hard Cheese

  • Shop for hard cheeses (e.g. cheddar cheese, Swiss cheese, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese) instead of soft ones that contain more lactose. Avoid any cheese that lists added milk solids or whey in the ingredients.
  • Get into the habit of adding small portions of grated hard cheese to your soups, pastas, salads, grilled vegetables, omelets, etc.

Sour Cream

  • Add a dollop of sour cream to all kinds of foods (especially hot and crispy foods) to enhance their flavor and texture.
  • Add a tablespoon of sour cream to mashed or baked potatoes, scrambled eggs, pancake batter, tacos, chili, guacamole and more.

Posted: 10/4/2016; Revised: 12/1/19. 
As a service to our readers, American Bone Health provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of the last review on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

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