Lactose-Free Dairy, Uncategorized

Bactose Probiotics- Do These Lactase Producing Capsules Actually Work?

Bactose is a company that produces capsules that claim to produce lactase enzymes for people who are lactose intolerant. These capsules are exclusively sold on Amazon, as far as I could see from searching the web.

Found on the Bactose Amazon store front.

What are their claims?

“Throw Away Your Lactase Pills! A probiotic that actively produces excess lactase enzymes directly in the gut helping your body naturally digest lactose.”

“Use only 7 days, Bactose works the entire month.”

“L. Acidophilus super strain- Our unique strain does an amazing job at digesting lactose.”

“Eat the Foods you love! No longer worry about foods that contain dairy.”

“Healthier gut. It’s not just for dairy- it’s super for gut health.”

“BACTOSE DOESN’T CONTAIN LACTASE, IT PRODUCES IT! Bactose is a L. Acidophilus Super Strain that works like little factories producing excess Lactase enzymes directly in the gut and adheres better to the intestinal lining where it does its work, effectively creating a one of a kind Lactose Intolerance Supplement.”

Found on the Bactose Amazon store page.

Understandably, I was equally excited and skeptical when I first heard about this product. They make some bold claims when it comes to helping people with lactose intolerance.

There are lots of people out there with varying degrees of lactose intolerance, yet it doesn’t mention anything about that. There isn’t an option for a stronger or a weaker dose based off of how much dairy you can handle. This seemed strange to me, since people have to figure out how many lactase pills to eat at a certain meal for an allotted amount of dairy. It’s hard for me to believe that one “miracle” probiotic can help every lactose-intolerant person out there.

Since Bactose is a dietary supplement, it has not been approved by the FDA, and so Bactose doesn’t claim to fix or cure lactose intolerance.

Bactose claims that dairy is no longer a concern, but it made me wonder- how well does it work? Can I have half of a pizza and then a scoop of ice cream without negative effects? Or do I have to make sure to not eat too much dairy at one time?

After deliberating for a few weeks, I decided to take the plunge and try it out for a month.

My Experience with Bactose

I ordered the probiotics on Amazon and they came within the next week. I started taking them, one capsule with breakfast and one with dinner, for 7 days.

I then tentatively started trying dairy products out to see how much it actually helped- or if it was all the placebo effect.

Ice cream was first, and I didn’t have any of my usual side effects. However, if I had large amounts of cheese or milk, I felt very uncomfortable. Not as bad as I would have without any lactase at all, but I definitely noticed the gas. (As did my hubby- sorry, honey!)

I continued to test the limits with my newfound freedom and learned how much dairy I could comfortably eat in a day. It was a relief to not have to check everything for dairy or carry lactase pills with me at all times.

The Bactose Amazon store front claims that the effects can last up to a month, but some people might find that the effects end sooner than that. Unfortunately, I was one of the people that found the effects wearing off within three weeks of taking the pills.

How Much Does Bactose Cost?

A pack of 14 Bactose capsules costs $34.99 on Amazon. That’s $2.50 a capsule- Ouch! It’s pretty expensive to it’s counterpart, lactase pills.

That being said, lactase pills have to be taken with every meal, snack, or dessert that contains dairy. Bactose only has to be taken every three to four weeks. So if a person is eating dairy in every meal, Bactose would be more cost effective for them. I tend to eat lactose-free dairy or occasionally use lactase tablets, so buying bactose isn’t as useful for me.

Is Bactose Worth it?

Personally, I don’t know that I would buy Bactose again. It’s pretty expensive and it doesn’t last the claimed four weeks, at least for me. While it was a relief to not have to worry about what was in my food, it was frustrating that I could only eat so much dairy. The way that Bactose advertised the capsules made me think I could eat dairy like my husband does, but no dice.

Maybe for other people that don’t have as severe lactose intolerance, this probiotic would work really well for them. If you decide to try out Bactose, let me know about your experience!

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Dinner, Uncategorized

The Best Crockpot Pork and Beans Recipe

Beans were a cheap and easy meal for my mom to make when I was growing up. I loved (and still love) salted pinto beans in a crockpot with cornbread.

However, when I got married, I quickly realized my husband didn’t feel the same way. For the longest time I couldn’t figure out what recipe to use that my husband would actually like.

As beans are super cheap, filling, and nutritious, I like to use them often. My poor hubby had to eat a lot of beans that he didn’t really like… Until I figured this recipe out. He sat down for dinner and was surprised that he actually loved them!!

Other recipes for ham and beans have left me wanting more. They often use a ham bone, which is fine if you like that flavor. It never really appealed to me.

Then one day, it hit me! I had some pork I needed to use, but I was tired of pork chops and potatoes. So I tossed the pork chops with our favorite pork rub into the crockpot, added some pinto beans and water… And got this delicious recipe!

This isn’t your typical pork and beans- it has a nice kick of spice and only a little sweetness to it. I don’t enjoy canned pork and beans mainly for the sweetness overload. If you try this recipe out, please let me know if you enjoyed it in the comments below!

Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 2 Cups rinsed pinto beans
  • 1 1/2 Quarts of chicken or veggie broth or water
  • 1 Quart of water
  • 3 Pork chops/ pork cut of your choice (Or more- This recipe ends up being more beans than shredded pork.)
  • 1 1/2 Teaspoon of chili powder
  • 1 1/2 Teaspoon of paprika
  • 3/4 Cup brown sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons salt
  • 2 Tablespoons garlic powder
  • 1 Teaspoon thyme

Directions:

  1. Place all of the ingredients in the crockpot (Except for the 1 quart of water) and set it to high.
  2. Let it cook for 12-36 hours. I tend to let it cook for at least 24 hours because I like the more mushy texture.
  3. Add in the 1 quart of water as needed- it can be the texture of chili or soup. Just make sure it doesn’t dry out and burn!
  4. Shred the pork chops and mix them into the beans.
  5. Serve with cornbread. (Optional, but highly recommended!)

Notes:

  • If you want a shorter cook time, I recommend soaking the beans in water overnight. Then cook them on high for at least 12 hours. I like to make sure the beans are cooked and mushy for better flavor and less gastrointestinal distress.
  • I have used pork roast or pork chops in the times I have tested this recipe and they have both been delicious! I think you could use any cut of meat that you like with beans. I just happen to like pork with pinto beans.
Dinner, Uncategorized

Great Northern Bean and Kielbasa Soup

Where I live, spring is full of chilly days that are asking for a bowl of soup and a cozy blanket. This is a soup that I turn to regularly for dinner when I don’t have time (Or don’t want to cook!). It has a few simple ingredients that make a hearty, and dairy-free, soup.

I highly reccomend using homemade chicken broth to up the deliciousness, but boullion works in a pinch. If you need some more ideas for improving your soup recipes, you can find more ideas here.

Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 Medium onion
  • 4 Cloves of minced garlic
  • 1 Package of kielbasa sausage
  • 2 Cans of great northern beans
  • 1 Can of tomatoes (diced, whole, etc, whatever you like)
  • 1 1/2 Teaspoons of Italian seasoning
  • 1 to 2 Teaspoons of salt
  • 1 1/2 Cups of water or bone broth broth (I just used one of the bean cans to measure)
  • Cracked black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon of chicken bouillon (optional)

Directions:

  1. Preheat a skillet to medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
  2. Dice the onion and mince the garlic.
  3. When the pan is hot enough, add the onion and garlic. Stir occasionally until they are fragrant.
  4. Slice the kielbasa sausage into rounds or half-rounds.
  5. Add the kielbasa to the pan and continue to stir it until the onions are transparent and the sausage has gotten crispy and golden brown on the edges.
  6. Turn the heat down to medium, then add the cans of beans and tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, and broth. Add pepper to taste.
  7. Stir it occassionally and bring to a boil. Let it boil for five to ten minutes.
  8. Serve with buttered bread or crackers.

I love using beans in soup- it adds protein, vitamins, and texture. They are so cheap too! I like to cook dry beans in my crock pot or Instantpot and then freeze any leftovers. It makes the next time I cook soup even easier! I used cans of beans in this receipe because it’s what I had on hand. Either option works great!

However, if beans aren’t your thing, you could add some noodles instead to increase the satiety factor. I would boil the noodles in the soup itself so the noodles soak up all that flavor, then add another cup of water or broth if needed.

If you try out this recipe, let me know how it turned out for you! I would love to hear any comments you have about the recipe.

Uncategorized

5 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Your Lactose Intolerance

I’m sure we have all met at least one person that says “Yeah, I’m lactose-intolerant but I eat whatever I want anyway.”

Ummm….are y’all ok?

For me, the symptoms of lactose intolerance are not easy to ignore. I definitely feel it if I eat something I shouldn’t!

For those of you that eat whatever you want anyway… Here’s a quick list of why you should consider NOT doing that.

1. There are lactase chewables, tablets, powders, and liquid drops all at your disposal. These enzymes make life so much easier and less painful. Why wouldn’t you take advantage of them? (Not using them doesn’t make you any cooler- just gassier.)

2. Spend less time in the bathroom. If you know… You know. Nobody wants to watch a full season of a Netflix show in the bathroom.

3. Keep your gut healthy! Your gut health affects everything else in your body because it’s where your nutrition and energy come from. Having a healthy gut can help your energy and mood! My poor husband knows very well that a bloated wife is not a happy wife.

4. Expand your palate. There are so many ingredients out there that are dairy or lactose-free and just as tasty! I have learned so much more about food and what I like as I have experimented with vegan alternatives.

5. Stop dreading the effects of food. Food should be delicious (of course!!), but it shouldn’t make you feel like dirt after eating it. The association of pain and discomfort with food shouldn’t be an everyday occurrence.

I don’t know that I convinced you to use these tools in your life, but when you are ready to embrace the lactose-free life, you know where I am! I work hard at these recipes to not only feel good in my life but to help everyone out there in the world looking for solutions.

Baking

Dairy-Free Monster Cookies

Cookies come in so many shapes and sizes- so why not monster size?

Jokes aside, these are some seriously delicious cookies. Chocolate chips, allergy-friendly M&Ms (Known as No-No’s!), peanut butter, and oatmeal make up these amazing treats.

There are many versions of the monster cookie, but this one just happens to be gluten-free and dairy-free! The incredible thing is that you can’t even tell- and this is coming from someone that made sawdust cookies with my roommate who has celiac disease. (Unfortunately, the cookies we made left much to be desired.) Thankfully, these are moist, chewy, and chocolatey!

Recipe

Instructions:

  • 1 cup shortening, lactose-free margarine, or vegan butter
  • 2 1/2 cup of peanut butter
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 2 cups white sugar
  • 6 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 4 teaspoons baking soda
  • 9 cups oatmeal (use gluten-free oats if you need that!)
  • 1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips
  • 1 cup No-No’s from No Whey!

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
  2. Cream shortening/margarine/vegan butter and peanut butter together.
  3. Add sugars and mix well.
  4. Mix in the eggs and vanilla. At this step, make sure your mixture is nice, creamy, and fluffy! This is an important step to any good cookie.
  5. Mix in dry ingredients. Since there is no flour in these, mix the dough until well-mixed. (If you mix flour-based cookies they can get tough if you overmix the dough.) In fact, the better mixed the dough is, the better the cookies!
  6. Scoop the cookies onto the cookie sheets- I used my 1 1/2 tablespoon scoop for nice big ‘monster’ sized cookies!

Side Notes:

  • If you have a peanut allergy or just don’t like peanuts, I bet you could use sunflower butter in its place. If you just aren’t a fan of peanut butter… still give this recipe a try! My husband doesn’t like normal peanut butter cookies, but he thoroughly enjoyed these.
  • I love the brand No Whey! but this post is not sponsored. I highly recommend their products, and it brought me so much joy to bake with vegan/ allergy-friendly candy-coated chocolate! You can find their website here.
  • I used 1/2 cup of lactose-free margarine and 1/2 cup of shortening (because it’s what I had) and the cookies turned out delicious as ever! This is a forgiving recipe.
Baking, Breakfast

Dairy-free Poppyseed Muffins

Muffins have such a wide range, from almost-cupcakes to healthy breakfast options. In the past, I have struggled with finding ways to make muffins dairy-free. They generally have sour cream or Greek yogurt, butter, milk, or a combo of all three.

Obviously, this makes it a little hard for me to easily find a muffin recipe on pinterest. I don’t always want to make vegan muffins- sometimes I just want a dairy-free muffin!

Thus, I took a muffin recipe that my husband already liked and I tweaked it to fit my needs. I was a little worried that the coconut milk would flavor the muffins too much, but you can’t tell that I used coconut milk at all!

Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups flour
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup + 2 tablespoons full-fat coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup oil of your choice (I used olive oil)
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 – 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • Turbinado sugar (optional)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder and soda, and salt to a large bowl.
  3. In another bowl, mix the coconut milk, oil, eggs, poppyseeds, and extracts.
  4. Combine the dry ingredients with the wet ones.
  5. Stir until just mixed.
  6. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin pans two-thirds to most of the way full.
  7. Sprinkle turbinado sugar on top. (Optional)
  8. Bake for 13-16 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  9. Cool in pan for 10 minutes then move to a wire rack.

Side Notes:

  • If you are a person that doesn’t like coconut, never fear! You can’t taste the coconut in these muffins.
  • For the coconut milk, you can either: 1) Leave a can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight and scrape the cream off the top, then add a little liquid from the can to make a thick yogurt texture. 2) Shake up a can of coconut milk. I have tried it both ways, and the muffins turned out delicious no matter what!
  • I have added sliced almonds to these muffins, and they turned out great! I would use a 1/4 cup of sliced almonds.
  • You can replace the almond extract with lemon extract and add a teaspoon or two of lemon zest to make these lemon poppyseed muffins. Yum!
  • This recipe makes 12-16 muffins.
  • I have not tried using a flax egg in this recipe to make it vegan. If you do, please let me know how it goes!
Lactose-Free Dairy, Uncategorized

9 Products to Make the Holidays More Lactose-intolerant Friendly

Food intolerances and allergies are no fun, especially when it comes to the holidays. All that dairy, gluten, and sugar come together to make such tasty treats- buuut my stomach doesn’t see them as gifts.

Dark Chocolate Lime Ganache Truffles

Over the years, I have found lactose-free and dairy-free options to still make my favorite treats. It just takes a little extra time at the store and finding what works in the recipes. (Although the whole reason I am making this blog is so you don’t have to stress over how to change the recipes.)

Since Christmas is this week (What?! Where did the time go??), I thought you might need a little help finding these products so you can make every treat you can think of.

Without further ado, here is my list of products that I like to keep on hand during the holidays.

1. Lactose-free Evaporated Milk- You can find it here. It’s great to have on hand in case you want to make a last-minute pumpkin pie.

2. Lactose-free Sweetened Condensed Milk- You can find it here. I like to use it to make a quick caramel.

3. Coconut Condensed Milk- You can find it here. I like having options in my cupboard when I get the urge to be creative- vegan recipes, here I come!

4. Green Valley Products- You can find them here. I highly reccomend these products, as they are organic and high-quality. They produce yogurt, butter, cream cheese, and more!

5. Homemade Lactose-free Butter- You can find my recipe here. Butter is always great to have on hand, and you can easily store it in the freezer until you start baking!

6. Cool Whip- You can find it here. Did you know that on-brand Cool Whip is lactose-free? Crazy, right?! If you look closely at the nutrition facts, it says that it contains 0 grams of lactose. Please note that you HAVE to buy the brand Cool Whip, as I have not found any off-brand versions that are lactose-free. (There are plenty of dairy-free versions in the same area of the store though!)

7. Dairy-free Hot Cocoa Mix- You can find my recipe here. Who doesn’t like to have a warm cup of cocoa after some holiday fun? And it always makes a wonderful gift!

8. Dairy-Free Chocolate Chips- You can find some Guittard chips here. I tend to like Guittard in my cupboard, but you can also find dairy-free and vegan options at regular places like Smith’s Marketplace and your local grocery store. (I have even found bulk dairy-free chocolate chips at WINCO!)

9. Cocoa Butter (To temper chocolate)- You can find it here. The reason I suggest having cocoa butter on hand to temper chocolate is that I can’t use almond bark or candy melts. They both contain milk. Trying to dip treats in non-tempered chocolate results in chocolate-y, sticky fingers every time. No thanks! Tempering your chocolate is a little extra work, but worth it.

I hope you guys regularly refer to this list and make plenty of holiday treats! I have been busy making oreo balls and dark chocolate lime ganache truffles. Let me know in the comments what you get up to!

Peppermint Oreo Balls (Made with Green Valley Creamery Cream Cheese)

Side Notes:

The reason why almond bark and candy melts set up at room temperature is that they have oils as the fat instead of the typical cocoa butter. Cocoa butter forms “crystals” that allow us to temper chocolate by heating and cooling it to certain temperatures. If you’d like to know how I temper chocolate (the easy way!), I can write another post soon. I also highly recommend checking out Ann Reardon’s video on chocolate.

You might notice that none of the links on this post go to Amazon. While you can find just about anything on Amazon, I don’t love referring to it. If I can find it locally or buy it directly from the company itself, I will. I like to support small(er) and local businesses if possible.

Drinks, Uncategorized

Dairy-free hot chocolate mix

Hot chocolate is a quintessential winter drink that everyone thinks of when it gets chilly. It’s so easy to change up hot chocolate with whipped cream, peppermint candy, cinnamon, and more!

It’s hard to find hot chocolate mixes at the store that are allergy-friendly. A couple winters ago I decided to make my own mix so I could enjoy a warm drink with my husband.

The only downside to this recipe is that you do need to have milk of your choice on hand. There are bags of coconut and soy milk powder that you can buy at the store to mix with water, but I think they alter the flavor too much. Somehow coconut milk from the carton just tastes better in this hot chocolate recipe.

I decided to use Fair Life lactose-free milk when I made the hot chocolate today, but I also love making it with almond milk.

Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • Pinch of salt

Directions:

  1. Mix all the ingredients together.
  2. Add 3-4 tablespoons to a hot cup of milk of your choice.
  3. This mix makes 4-5 cups of hot chocolate.

Notes:

  • I used high quality cocoa powder. That will affect the flavor of your hot chocolate.
  • The kind of milk you use (lactose-free, almond, soy) should be unsweetened to avoid a sugar overload- unless that is what you are going for. No judgement here.
  • You can easily add 1/4 cup of add-ins to your mix, such as peppermint candy, marshmallows, or chocolate chips.
  • There are great options for whipped cream- Cool Whip is lactose-free and there are plenty of non-dairy whipped creams that come in the typical canister you find other whipped creams in.
  • In case you are wondering, I found these vegan peppermint marshmallows at Natural Grocer’s. The brand is Dandies. They are just as sweet and fluffy as your typical marshmallows!
Breakfast

Dairy-Free Waffles

The great debate: Pancakes or waffles?

My husband is a huge fan of waffles and is apathetic towards pancakes. I love both! It’s so easy to customize waffles by adding oats, chocolate, or fresh fruit. I particularly enjoy adding ground flax seed for a little extra protein.

The great thing about waffles is that the waffle pattern is perfectly made to catch melted butter and maple syrup. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water!

Of course, every family has their waffle recipe. I particularly like this one because it is quick to mix together and has a great flavor and texture!

Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups of milk of your choice (almond milk makes it a bit harder to brown the waffle- I like using coconut milk or a couple teaspoons of powdered coconut milk and water)
  • 2 eggs, slightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 6 teaspoons oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups flour
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1-2 tablespoons sugar (Optional- I like to add some sugar to help the waffles crisp up)
  • 1/4 cup ground flax seed (Optional)
  • 1/4 cup of add-ins: chocolate chips, blueberries, pecans, etc.

Directions:

  1. Mix milk, eggs, vanilla, and oil together.
  2. Add flour, salt, baking powder, sugar, and ground flax seed.
  3. Mix until just combined. If you mix too much it will turn tough. It’s ok if there are lumps.
  4. Cook in a hot waffle iron, top with butter and syrup, and enjoy!
Baking, Lactose-Free Dairy, Uncategorized

Lactose-Intolerant Friendly Chocolate Chip Ranking

If you are like me, chocolate is a versatile (and delicious) pantry staple. I always have chocolate chips in my cupboard in case I have an urge to make some chocolate chip cookies or I want to try my hand at tempering some chocolate to make truffles for a party.

Being lactose-intolerant can make it difficult to find chocolate chips that are smooth, decadent, AND friendly to my stomach. I went to a couple different local grocery stores near me and grabbed the options they had for chocolate chips that didn’t have dairy in the ingredients.

I tried out 9 different chocolate chips. Four of them are from Guittard at varying percentages of cocoa and two of them are from Simple Truth Organic. I was curious to see how the recipes varied between the types of chocolate. You might be surprised to know what I thought!

I evaluated them right out of the bag and then later in an oatmeal cookie. I chose to bake them in an oatmeal cookie for the mild flavor so the chocolate chips would stand out.

My verdict:

  1. Guittard – 55%: hard chip texture, nice light cocoa flavor, lightly sweetened, very nice vanilla flavor. BAKED: Smooth after being baked, good amount of presence without being overbearing. A good amount of bitter and sweet.
  2. Guittard 46%: Buttery texture in the mouth, sweet without causing a toothache. BAKED: Sweeter than the other chips, but a stronger chocolate flavor. Still not too sweet, which I appreciate in a cookie.
  3. Guittard 48%: Also buttery smooth, pleasantly sweet, prominent vanilla flavor. BAKED: Has a richer flavor than expected for its percentage. Since the chips are bigger, it is a good amount of chocolate in a bite. I thought these would be my favorite, but after comparing them all… maybe I like the 55% or 46% better?
  4. Guittard 63%: Harder chip texture, doesn’t melt as easily on the tongue, robust cocoa flavor and very lightly sweetened. BAKED: Doesn’t have as powerful of a presence as others. I like the level of cocoa.
  5. Kroger’s Private Selection 62% cacao: Harder texture of chip, deep cocoa flavor and sweeter than the Guittard 63%. BAKED: Lighter flavor than the Ghirardelli, but I prefer it in a cookie. It is just as of a rich flavor, but not as bitter.
  6. Ghirardelli 60% cacao (contains milkfat): Very smooth chip, more buttery on the tongue, not very sweet. BAKED: Almost an oily texture? Nice dark flavor, but not so dark that it overpowers the cookie. After baked, they are even more velvety and smooth than before. Not my favorite chip- a little too bitter for me. Not sure why they taste more bitter than the 62% and 63%- maybe the vanilla they used?
  7. Simple Truth Organic- semi sweet: Typical level of sweetness for a regular chocolate chip, no bitter flavor, soft with a nice chew. BAKED: Not super sweet, has a weird tang to it? Almost fruity? Not my favorite.
  8. Simple Truth Organic- allergy friendly: They are sweeter than Enjoy Life, true semi-sweet, has a bizarre bitter flavor. BAKED: Barely any flavor when inside a cookie- no recognizable chocolate flavor- I can feel the texture of the chips, but it it overpowered by the mild cookie flavor
  9. Enjoy Life- semi sweet mini chips: Instantly starts melting on the tongue, it has a bitter flavor- potentially from the vanilla? Not very sweet for a semi-sweet chip. BAKED: Very light flavor- can barely taste it in the cookie. It has a very fruity aftertaste. There is a slightly funky flavor that I can’t identify.

So, what did you think? Clearly, I am a fan of Guittard chocolate. The flavor and quality of the chips are unparalleled. I also love that they contain Fair Trade Cocoa and are made in a peanut free facility. I was disappointed by the allergy friendly chips, since I want a chocolate chip to stand out in a cookie. Maybe they would be better in trail mix, if you can get past the strange bitter flavor.

Let me know what brand of chocolate chips are your favorite! I am always excited to find new brands that are lactose-free and dairy-allergy friendly. I hope the list helped narrow down your search for a tasty chocolate chip!

Notes:

The only chocolate chips that are technically dairy-free are the allergy-friendly chips. Otherwise, the chocolate chips most likely were produced in factory with dairy or might have milk fat in them. Ghirardelli always has milk fat in all of their chocolate products. Milk fat doesn’t contain much lactose, so the chocolate chips haven’t bothered me yet. I would make sure to read the backs of the bars and bags from Ghirardelli because they don’t list milk on the list of allergens although it does have milk fat. To all those with milk allergies, please read labels!