Just a couple weeks ago I shared that the Stone fam was going dairy free for at least two weeks. If you missed that post you can find it below!
Going dairy free was a last resort attempt in trying to get some unwanted symptoms the kiddos were experiencing.
Well, to say the least, it didn’t go as planned.
Why Our Family Is Going Dairy Free
Update On Dairy Free Living
As you can imagine, going dairy free can be tough! There is dairy in EVERYTHING!
I have gone dairy free 3 times for our babes when breastfeeding due to 4 of our babes having the cows milk allergy. At that time, it was a no brainer and I quit dairy and soy cold turkey. Never once cared that I couldn’t have it because it was all for my babes to get better.
Well, trying to get these kids off dairy now is like trying to get them to stop arguing with their siblings. It’s just not going to happen. Ugh!
Two Weeks
My goal was to cut dairy from our household for a minimum of two weeks so I could see if there was any change in any of our kiddos.
I got rid of all the dairy in our house, which not surprising to me, wasn’t a ton but enough to fill a small box and give to my sister.
I was able to keep my older boys off dairy for about 4 days. Every meal I have made since I made the decision, has been dairy free, and for me it is super easy because I know all the ins and outs of dairy free living. However, being on sports teams, birthday parties, and family members houses, my kids went ham on everything they weren’t having at home.
So, with that said, the older kids are not doing dairy free.
The Twins
Now, the twins on the other hand, are dairy free. We had a small hiccup where my husband gave them premade meatballs at a birthday party not knowing that anything premade/prepackaged is going to have dairy in it.
So, a little over a week of dairy free, Vincent had almost clear skin. He has had TERRIBLE eczema since I can remember and nothing has helped. Lotions, soaps, breastmilk baths, medicated lotions, nothing. So dairy free was really a last ditch attempt to help him.
As a mother always knows best, after a little over a week, Vincent’s skin was almost clear! I was so excited, happy, and relieved that his skin was clearing up and we could finally provide him some comfort!! But those dang meatballs caused a major flare up so we were back to the beginning.
Just knowing that dairy fuels his eczema is a huge relief and I am hoping that we can get it cleared away completely by keeping him dairy free. Fingers crossed!
Now, Madeleine on the other hand doesn’t have eczema nearly as bad but has some little spots here and there. I didn’t notice a difference too much with her, however, her dirty diapers have been more regular. Sorry if TMI but I would say the dairy free may be what is best for her as well, at this time.
Moving Forward
Moving forward, I am still planning on cooking and baking dairy free for the whole house. If the older kids want to add cheese to their meals while on their plates that is up to them. But as of now, I have switched the whole house over to almond milk instead of whole milk, and I even found dairy free heavy whipping cream I am excited to try in my coffee.
When I first started dairy free almost 6 years ago, there weren’t nearly as many options as there are today! Silk had just come out with their dairy free coffee creamer and it was a total game changer! Now there are readily available options almost everywhere! But be careful if you are going dairy free because there are plenty of hidden ingredients that are actually dairy even if the package claims there is no milk.
I hope this gives you a perspective as to what it is like going dairy free with kiddos. It can be difficult if the kids are older and not fully convinced they need to go dairy free. But just making meals homemade and dairy free with help cut the dairy even if just a little bit, I think every bit helps! If you have any questions, please feel free to ask! I will gladly share my knowledge with you!
Until next time,
