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    Milk Allergy Diet for Children

    General guidelines for milk allergy

    When your child has a food allergy, they must follow an allergy-free diet. This means your child can't have the food they are allergic to or any products containing that food. The items that your child is allergic to are called allergens.

    A milk allergy is the body's abnormal response to the proteins found in cow's milk. Milk allergy is most common among infants and young children. As they get older, many children will outgrow a milk allergy. Milk and milk products are found in many foods. People often think of milk as an ingredient in cream, cheese, butter, ice cream, and yogurt. Milk and milk products may also be hidden sources in commonly eaten foods. To stay away from foods that contain milk products, you must read all food labels.

    Milk is an important source of calcium. Your child needs calcium for healthy bones, teeth, and nerves. Talk with your child's healthcare provider about foods with calcium that you can give to your child. Some examples are green leafy vegetables, orange juice with calcium added, figs, tofu, and dried beans.

    Important information about not consuming milk and milk products

    • The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) is a law that requires food products regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to state clearly on the label if they contain milk.

    • The word "nondairy" on a product label means it does not contain butter, cream, or milk. But the product may have other milk-containing ingredients.

    • The word "lactose-free" on a product label does not mean dairy-free. The product may still have milk or milk products. Always read the whole label to be sure.

    • Kosher food labeled "pareve" or "parve" almost always means that the food is free of milk and milk products. A "D" on a product label next to the circled "K" or "U" means there is milk protein. Don't use these products.

    • Foods that don't contain milk could be contaminated during manufacturing. Advisory statements are not regulated by the FDA. They are voluntary. These include labels such as "processed in a facility that also processed milk" or "made on shared equipment." Ask your healthcare provider if you can eat foods with these labels. Or you may need to stay away from them. Some foods and products are not covered by the FALCPA law. These include:

      • Foods that are not regulated by the FDA

      • Cosmetics and personal care items

      • Prescription and over-the-counter medicines and supplements

      • Pet foods

    • Processed meats often contain milk or are processed on milk-containing lines. This includes hot dogs, sausages, and lunch meats.

    The lists below may not include all products that could contain milk. But they can help guide your food decisions. It is up to you to carefully read all food labels.

    Foods

    Allowed

    Not allowed

    Beverages

    Carbonated drinks

    Coffee

    Tea

    Soy substitute-milk formulas, water

    Fruit drinks

    All milks (whole, low-fat, skim, buttermilk, evaporated, condensed, powdered, hot cocoa)

    Yogurt, eggnog, milkshakes, malts

    All drinks made with milk or milk products

    Breads

    Milk-free breads

    French bread (water-based)

    Wheat, white, rye, corn, graham, gluten, and soy breads made without milk or milk products

    Graham crackers or rice wafers

    Wheat, white, or rye breads

    Biscuits, donuts, muffins, pancakes, waffles, zwieback, crackers, saltines, rusk

    Most commercially made breads and rolls contain milk or milk products

    French toast made with milk

    Cereals

    Any cereal that does not have added milk or milk products

    High-protein cereals

    Prepared and precooked cereals with milk solids, casein, or other milk products added

    Desserts

    Meringue, gelatin, ice pops, fruit ice, fruit whip, angel food cake

    Cakes, cookies, and pie crusts made without milk or milk products

    Cake, cookies, custard, pudding, cream desserts, or sherbet containing milk products

    Ice cream, cream pie

    Pastries brushed with milk, junket, popover

    Eggs

    Prepared without milk

    Scrambled with milk, creamed eggs, egg substitutes

    Fats

    Vegetable oil, meat fat, lard, bacon, shortening, milk-free gravy

    Peanut butter (made without milk solids)

    Margarine without milk solids

    Kosher margarine

    Butter, cream, margarine

    Salad dressing or mayonnaise containing milk, milk solids, or milk products

    Some butter substitutes and nondairy creamers

    Fruits

    Fresh, frozen, or canned fruits and juices

    Any served with milk, butter, or cream

    Meats, fish, poultry, and cheese

    Baked, broiled, boiled, roasted or fried: beef, veal, pork, chicken, turkey, lamb, fish, organ meats, or tofu (prepared without milk or milk products)

    Sausage, deli or lunch meats, or ham if made without milk products

    A small number of people with cow's milk allergy may develop a reaction to beef. People with cow's milk allergy should be careful when having beef or foods containing beef. 

    All cheese, cottage cheese, cream cheese

    Some sausage products, bologna, hot dogs

    Breaded meats, meatloaf, croquettes, casseroles, hamburgers (unless made without milk)

    Commercial entrees made with milk or milk solids

    Potatoes and substitutes

    Macaroni, noodles, spaghetti, rice

    White or sweet potatoes made without milk, butter, cream, or allowed margarine

    Au gratin, buttered, creamed, scalloped potato, or substitutes

    Macaroni and cheese

    Mashed potatoes made with milk or butter

    Frozen French fries sprayed with lactose

    Soups

    Bouillon, broth, consommé, or soups with broth base plain or with all allowed foods

    Bisques, chowders, creamed soups

    All soups made with milk or milk products

    Sweets

    Corn syrup, honey, jam, jelly

    Hard candy, candy made without milk or milk products

    Granulated, brown or powdered sugar

    Candy made with milk, such as chocolate, fudge, caramels, nougat

    Vegetables

    All fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables without milk or milk products added

    All vegetable juices

    Au gratin, buttered, creamed, or scalloped vegetables

    Batter and dipped vegetables

    Vegetable souffles

    Miscellaneous

    Ketchup, olives, pickles, nuts, herbs, chili powder, salt, spices, condiments

    Any foods that have no milk, cheese, or butter. Also foods that don't have powdered milk or whey.

    All items containing milk, cheese, butter, whey casein, caseinates, hydrolysates, lactose, lactalbumin, lactoglobulin, milk solids, or artificial butter flavor

    Nondairy substitutes containing caseinate

    How to read a label for a milk-free diet

    Don't have foods that contain any of the following ingredients:

    • Artificial butter flavor

    • Butter, butter fat

    • Buttermilk

    • Casein

    • Caseinates (ammonium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium)

    • Cheese, cottage cheese, curds

    • Cream

    • Custard, pudding

    • Ghee

    • Half-and-half (a blend of whole milk and light cream)

    • Hydrolysates (casein, milk protein, protein, whey, whey protein)

    • Lactalbumin, lactalbumin phosphate

    • Lactoglobulin

    • Lactose

    • Lactoferrin

    • Milk (derivative, protein, solids, malted, condensed, evaporated, dry, whole, low-fat, nonfat, skim)

    • Nougat

    • Pudding

    • Rennet casein

    • Sour cream

    • Sour cream solids

    • Whey (delactosed, demineralized, protein concentrate)

    • Yogurt

    Other possible sources of milk or milk products

    • Brown sugar flavoring

    • Caramel candies

    • Caramel flavoring

    • Chocolate

    • High-protein flour

    • Lunch meats, hot dogs, sausages 

    • Margarine

    • Natural flavoring

    • Milk-based fat substitutes

    Online Medical Reviewer: Deborah Pedersen MD
    Online Medical Reviewer: Jessica Gotwals BSN MPH
    Online Medical Reviewer: Marianne Fraser MSN RN
    Date Last Reviewed: 4/1/2022
    © 2000-2024 The StayWell Company, LLC. All rights reserved. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your healthcare professional's instructions.
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    Southern New Mexico
    Surgery Center

    2301 Indian Wells Rd. Suite B
    Alamogordo, NM 88310
    www.snmsc.org

    Phone: 575.437.0890
    Fax: 575.437.0905
    Email: info@snmsc.org

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