I’ve been dairy free for 5 years this year and honestly it’s been a journey!  You can read more about the reasons behind my decision to cut dairy out of my diet here but in general, I was having some major health issues 5 years ago and decided to try cutting dairy from my diet and it took away nearly all of the symptoms I was experiencing.  In the last 5 years, I’ve learned so many ways to make it easier to be dairy free, especially while traveling, and after years of figuring out how to stay healthy, here today are all my tips for making being dairy free easier and the products that I swear by.

Milk for My Coffee

One of the things I knew early on in my dairy-free journey that I couldn’t give up was my morning latte.  I don’t usually have multiple cups of coffee but I need my latte in the morning to get my day started.  After years of using milk in my latte, when I went dairy free, I tried multiple options for plant-based milks and Oat Milk is definitely my favorite.  I use a couple different kinds of oat milk at home and while traveling (see below) and most of the world now offers Oat Milk as an option at restaurants and coffee shops (except for places like Italy) but when in doubt, just ask!

My favorite Oat Milk Brand that I Use At Home

In Europe, This Brand is Often Easier to Find

When In a Pinch, I Use this Powdered Version of Oat Milk

Cooking With Vegan Butter or Olive Oil

When I am able to cook my own food or have access to a grocery store when traveling, I immediately stock up on this vegan butter and a good quality olive oil.  Between those options, you can pretty much cook whatever you need totally dairy-free.  I even bake with this vegan butter and you’d never know it’s dairy-free!

Know Which Chain Restaurants and Coffee Shops can accommodate Dairy Free

I’ve gotten pretty good at knowing which places to eat at or which coffee shops can accommodate being dairy free over the years.  Starbucks is a good option anywhere in the world because they’ll always have plant based milks available.  I have also found most coffee chains in the UK and throughout Europe have great dairy free options.  This also goes for chain restaurants – it’s good to know which spots you can go to and always know that it’s dairy free.  In the US, Chipotle is a good example of this where it’s easy to eat dairy free.  Whether at home or while traveling, figure out the places that you’ll have locally that will have good options.

When in Doubt, Just ask.

I have found that most places, especially restaurants, will make an effort to accommodate your dietary needs if you just ask.  Let them know what you need nicely and more than likely, they’ll work with you!