Help... Need Dairy Free Menu; I'm On Food Program

[LysesKids]

Hey all,
I do respite care for a Foster family for 14-26 hrs at a time once a week... Just got notice that little man will start this Friday at 7am instead of next week (he's 16 months and will be here thru Saturday breakfast) and he is special needs.

Food program already said it's OK to add him; we have medical papers for Dairy free but I can't do Soy or Gluten and little guy is use to soy alternatives... only 3 kids eat with me (all under age 2) so just need help working out a plan for once a week... 26 hrs at a time (yes, i know I can only count 2 meals and one snack every 24 hrs ). Thanks in advance

[melilley]

I have a gluten free and dairy free dcb. I just give him what we eat, but substitute gluten free grain products. Yes, I buy premade gluten/dairy free bread, boxed pancake mix, frozen waffles, Chex cereal, gluten free noodles, gluten free pretzels, rice cakes/crackers etc... We have a section at our store that has gluten free and or dairy free items. They even have gluten free and dairy free mac and cheese (frozen)!

For lunches I give him what we have, but if the meal I'm making has milk in it, I either make a substitute of what we have, for instance, if I make AugGratin potatoes, I just make him a baked potato or sweet potato. If it's something like spaghetti, I just make his noodles separate and add the meat and sauce later. If the dish has cheese for the protein, I will make something with beans or lentils instead. A lot of lunch meat is labeled as gf.

So today here is what dcb ate:
B- Gluten free oatmeal, banana, almond milk (my fp sponsor allows it)
AM Snack: Rice Crackers, Almond milk
Lunch: Tuna noodle salad (I made some of his noodles), peas, and Almond Milk
PM Snack will be: Gf pretzels (we are having soft pretzels) strawberries

I just realized that you are Gf, so you probably already know that part.
Hope this helps a little!

[LysesKids]

I can do the gluten part, it's the cheese and milk issue for cooking; little guy drinks a special toddler formula that is 4 scoops soy protein to 6 oz of water (that is not a typo) because of failure to thrive (among other things) the babe has 6 specialists that he sees including a neurologist and a nutritionist...

I know about Daiya cheese so that can be used on the pizza because it melts well and I can use it for his grilled cheese too... I just don't want to be stuck with the same old stuff everytime he shows. because he will be here for for up to 3 meals and 3 snacks at a time

[melilley]

I can do the gluten part, it's the cheese and milk issue for cooking; little guy drinks a special toddler formula that is 4 scoops soy protein to 6 oz of water (that is not a typo) because of failure to thrive (among other things) the babe has 6 specialists that he sees including a neurologist and a nutritionist...

I know about Daiya cheese so that can be used on the pizza because it melts well and I can use it for his grilled cheese too... I just don't want to be stuck with the same old stuff everytime he shows. because he will be here for for up to 3 meals and 3 snacks at a time

Awwww, poor little guy. Well you could try substituting milk with the formula. I'm not too sure how good it would taste though. I don't buy the dairy free cheeses so I don't know much about them. I just substitute with something else.

[Blackcat31]

I have a dairy free DCK. I just don't make any meals with milk in them when the child is present. It's not hard to do at all.

We use gluten free pasta and use sauces that aren't milk or dairy based.
You could use tomato based sauces or vinegrettes.

It's easy to skip the cheese too and serve meats/legumes instead for protein.

Can he have eggs?

My little one is a HUGE meat eater so that helps alot. Mine also likes eggs and beans. Especially navy beans and kidney beans.

If we have to, we substitute cheese with a "cheese" product made from tofu.

I also check this site for lots of recipes and ideas too

http://www.godairyfree.org/

[LysesKids]

He can eat soy.. I cannot and neither can another babe. I hate to make 2 meals for 4 people because my costs are already higher due to my being gluten free. We are talking all kids under 2 years of age too, so I am just trying to come to a happy medium

[itlw8]

I would just serve dairy free except for the drink chicken bites of veggies fruit. you can do pizza make it in individual and put each persons cheese on that they can have. save time by making dishes and freezing in individual portions. As a child grandma made me custard from my soy I remember it being nasty. You can do the same meal for the group and substitute 1 item for the person with the allergy it is not much work that way.