Dairy-free & Egg-free Foods for Kids

When your child is diagnosed with dairy and egg allergies, suddenly every kid-friendly food you can think of contains an allergen -- pizza, pasta, salad dressing, cookies, ice cream -- and who knows what's hiding in packaged and processed foods. Feeding your family takes a two-pronged approach of identifying foods that are allergen-free and adapting favorites that aren't.

Breakfast

• After removing the ubiquitous egg from your breakfast table and switching from cow's milk to soy, almond or coconut milk, you're left with quite a few options. Many cereals are made without dairy, and most contain no egg; basic bread recipes don't contain milk or eggs; and fresh fruit is always a healthy breakfast choice. If you want to treat your child to pancakes, use dairy-free milk and substitute 2 tbsp. of water for the egg, food.com suggests.

Lunch

• As long as you only buy or make bread free of dairy and egg, lunch time is full of options -- hold the cheese. Sandwiches such as peanut butter and jelly, turkey (with mustard, no mayo) and homemade burgers work, as do many soups, chili and salads. Make your own homemade chicken noodle soup with egg-free noodles; chicken tenders rinsed with water or dipped in orange juice and coated with seasoned flour before pan-frying; and pizza made with dairy-free crust and soy cheese substitute.

Dinner

• Dinner time can be tricky, but if you are freshly cooking most family meals, it's much easier to avoid dairy and egg. Pasta often contains eggs, but one kids' favorite, macaroni, does not. Serve it with olive oil and seasonings, or make a dairy- and egg-free macaroni and cheese, using soy milk and cheese. Use egg-free spaghetti, and top it with a cheese-free tomato sauce and fresh, egg-free meatballs bound with breadcrumbs and a mixture of olive oil and water instead of egg. Try a healthy stir-fry, which requires no dairy or egg. Remember that a simple meal of grilled or roasted poultry, fish or meat, potato and vegetables is both balanced and free of dairy and egg, as long as you omit butter and cheese toppings.

Sweets

• When your child's birthday -- or a friend's party -- rolls around, traditional cake and ice cream are off the table. There are alternatives, though, including homemade dairy- and egg-free cakes, soy ice cream and water ice. Most commercial candy contains a laundry list of ingredients, often including dairy and egg products, but you can make your own candied fruit, sugar pops and even chocolate candy. Look for vegan recipes for candy and baked goods, since they contain no animal products, and, therefore, no dairy or egg.