Food Ideas for Milk Protein Allergy and Soy Allergy

All my kids suffered from Milk/Soy Protein Intolerance (MSPI). It was even more frustrating then because it was a very new diagnosis in 1995. When my daughter was born in 1998, a pediatrician scoffed at the idea because where he went to Med School it wasn't even taught. (He didn't last long in the practice) Anyway, I nursed them all on a Milk and Soy free diet. It CAN be done. Check out the Allergy Network online for great support. There used to be a MSPI online support group too, so do an online search. You can get emails when a product is recalled for having allergans by mistake. I used the ALLERGY FREE COOKBOOK faithfully, because it gave great alternatives. I could go on and on, but the Community has grown so large since 1995 that you should be able to find plenty of support online. As for your family, that will always be a chore until they see the affects on your child personally. When they see his pain, they finally get it-sometimes. Good luck, M..

A little about me: Mom in Nebraska to 3 kids, 12,9 and 4 year old with Down Syndrome. All survived MSPI.

My daughter has severe animal protein milk intolerance. She can't have any of it. We found out when she was about eight months old. At first I thought that I had to change all of my menus as well, and then I learned to set small portions aside and make her dinner seperately with things she could eat. She drinks Rice Dream rice milk and loves it, and we feed her lots of vegetables, fruits, and good meat protein. Basically what I found is she can eat fresh foods, and not a whole lot of precooked/packaged stuff. It is frustrating at first, but hang in there you will get used to it. Also, not that she is three, the intolerance has gotten less severe. I have found that she can handle small amounts of cooked milk in foods. Apparently, the cooking process breaks down the proteins so they don't cause so much of a reaction. I hope this helps a little.

How does your son react to the milk/soy when family members give it to him? Are they able to see the reaction (hives?) or does he tend to get really gassy/fussy and have problems w/bm's? It's easier to get people to avoid giving him things if he has an immediate reaction that they can see....vague symptoms could be caused by anything (to well meaning family members, that is).

Is he able to tolerate rice milk? We've substituted that for dairy in lots of recipes and it seems to work well. It's hard to make the entire family happy on a diet that restricted, but if you go to a whole foods store (or a co-op) you can probably find quite a few options to try. Did anything else show up on the allergy tests? Does your son also have problems w/things like reflux, or vomiting? Have you had him tested for tolerance to goats milk? That may be an option. Go as natural and as fresh as possible. Other than that I don't have any other ideas now. We are trying to figure out the same thing for our family, although we just have soy allergy and lactose intolerance, so it's much easier. Hang in there. You're doing a great job!

My niece had the same allergies and when she was ready for regular food, my sister didn't know what to do. I told her to put the formula right on the cereal as she wouldn't know the difference as that was what she was used to. I would think that the formula that you are using could be used as a substitute for milk in many recipes for your son.

Avacodo! It is soft and fun to eat, mild in taste and sooo good for little ones. That was my daughters first food at 1 years old- she still could eat 2 or 3 in one sitting!

I babysit for a 9 year old girl who is severely allergic to soy. She can't have ANYTHING with soy in it, including soy oil, or her throat closes up and she can't breathe. It is very scary! I hope your son's allergy is not that severe. WHen I am babysitting, I carefully read all labels and am very conscious about what I feed her. Her family makes sure they buy her canola oil mayonnaise, special breads, crackers, etc--soy is in so many things, as I am sure you are finding out. Sticking to foods that are unprocessd helps, too. Have you tried Rice Milk? I am sure it does not have the fat content of cows milk, but it probably has calcium suppliments in it. A health food store might have some alternative options for you. I have an adult friend who has milk and soy "sensitivity", which is not severe, but she does not eat either thing. She makes Walnut milk; I could find out the recipe for you if you like (email me if you want it), though I don't know if you have given your son nuts yet (I haven't fed them to my 17 month old yet).

Do you have any natural food stores in your area? The staff there may have some ideas for your son. Or try googling milk protrein/soy allergy recipies. Good Luck
K.

Good websites: www.kidswithfoodallergies.org, www.seattlefoodallery.org, www.askdrsears.com and www.foodallergyinitiative.org
We went thru it to... T. V

My daughter is in the same situation, however we did not discover this until she turned 1, 3 months ago. She suffered from congestion when I was breastfeeding, now we know that she was also alergic to that. Have you found anything that works? Her diet is so limited and she is started to get tired of the same things over and over. Any advise you could prpvide would be great. Thank you so much.

My children have milk and soy protein allergies too (but they so far have all outgrown them by age 2). It is really frustrating how many foods you can't eat and eating out is really tricky.

I know this hard, but making things from scratch has really worked for me. If you cook, you can use substitute ingredients or leave out things your children can't have. And fruit, veggies, meat, grains and beans are all okay. (just watch the sauces).

Also, try going to the grocery store at night or another time when someone else can watch the kids. Then you will have time to sit and read every label on every package. Once I find a brand that is milk and soy free, I just stick with it. For example, Prego spagetti sauce is safe if you buy the mushroom flavor. I buy a local bread that is milk and soy free. Sunbelt original granola bars (the crunchy, not the chewy) are okay and Super Walmart sells them. Mission tortilla chips are soy free and salsa is always okay. =)

I also go to the health food store. There you can get things like crackers that will be soy free. Things there can be pricey so I watch for sales.

For snacks we have used things like juice, raisins, applesauce, carrot and celery sticks, fruit roll-ups, sorbet, dried fruits, and I make muffins and cookies that are safe. My kids also like jerky which you can find in the store without soy (usually the original flavor) but I make that at home so it's soft.

We generally do oatmeal or toast and fruit for breakfast but if they kids want cereal, we just get it damp with water and it works great (don't soak it, just pour in enough to get it damp.) For drinking, rice milk is okay but almond milk is delicious!

I use hummus instead of mayo on sandwhiches and once you find a good bread you can make all kinds of sandwhiches.

For dinner, you can make almost anything if you do it from scratch. I think dinner is the easiest of all. For instance, if you make home-made pizza then you know the crust and sauce are safe, the kids don't really even miss the cheese.

Good luck! I hope this helps.

Have you heard of FAAN? The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network has great resources, including recipies and email alerts about foods to watch out for. You should also start paying attention to Vegan cooking resources. Vegan's eat Soy, of course, but they don't eat dairy, so they have many creative substitutes for dairy in cooking.
Food allergies and sensitivities are becomming so common, that resources are now more easily available for parents like you. Spend a little time googling, and check out Amazon for cookbooks. You are definitely NOT ALONE!

PS Almond milk is SUPER healthy, and is readily available in supermarkets :)

Hi,
I only have a moment, so quickly - my 5 year old is allergic to milk, tree nuts and eggs. Truely empathize with you for having to learn to live with milk and soy allergies. You're going to have to do alot of your own cooking and baking. Rice milk is a great substitute. I'll try to respond in greater length when I have a few more minutes. It helps to shop at places like Whole Foods and Trader Joes where things are clearly labeled and geared towards the "high need" purchaser.
Good luck

Have you tried Rice Dream Milk? That is what my daughter uses. There are lots of alternatives at harvest health food store.

Hi D.,
My son has seven food intolerances, including milk and soy. You will want to talk to your ped. and allergist because Rice Milk cannot be used as an infant formula. However, for vitamins I used the infant vitamin drops that you can get at Meijer in the baby section of the store. Another great place to check for vitamins is Melaleuca.com.

Regarding recipes I love Leanne Ely's cookbooks Saving Dinner. Her website is www.savingdinner.com and she has free sample recipes for you to try. Most of the recipes are made in 30 minutes or less and use fresh meats and veggies.

Also, home-made chicken soup with organic chicken stock is a great option for the whole family. The stock is a bit more expensive, but really worth it. I also use rice instead of noodles for the soup, it makes it easier for little ones to eat without making a mess.

Here's the recipe:

1lb. Chicken cut into small cubes
olive oil (or canola oil)
crushed garlic
onion, diced
celery, diced
carrots, sliced
red pepper, sliced
1 cup shredded kale (it's a leafy green and like lettuce)
organic chicken stock
1 cup uncooked rice
water
Seasoning suggestions: cayenne pepper, cumin, currey, tumeric, and/or nutmeg.

Heat the oil in the bottom of a large soup pot over medium heat and brown the chicken. Add the veggies and a touch of salt and cook for 2-5 minutes. Add the rice and brown for 3-5 minutes. Now add the box of chicken stock and any water to cover. Use any seasonings you wish, bring to a boil and simmer covered for at least 30 minutes.

My husband stretches this soup by adding more ingredients each meal such as diced potatoes, or more carrots if needed. We were able to feed our family of three for four meals with this soup by stretching it a bit. Add a touch of water each time if necessary.

Good luck!

My son (almost 3)is also allergic to soy as well as nuts, sesames & peas. FAAN is great source and UFAN locally (utah food allergy network): http://utahfoodallergynetwork.googlepages.com/
Soy allergy is overwhelming, you have to constantly read everything...everything processed has soy including a lot of baby food. I just basically make everything from scratch. I have heard about the Rice milk that some have mentioned. For my son at 14 months, it was a lot of tiny pancakes and waffles...simple and easy.

Have you tried to give your son some raw milk? Usually, when a child is diginosed as allergic to milk they are allergic to the homiginzation process. So, by getting milk from a farmer in its raw state and processing it on your own would be better for him. Also try goat milk and cheese.

My twin sister is allergic to both milk and soy and her 2y/o son is also sensitive to both, but is outgrowing them slowly. They both drink the orange juice inhanced with calcium. You have to be very careful about breads and cerals too since they have either milk or soy in them (if you make your own this can be solved).

My mother also had a hard time cooking with our family allergies since a few of her 7 children were allergic to milk, soy, eggs, nuts, sugar and wheat. Dinners became a roast, vegetable and potatoes or rice. Spelt and rice flour replaced regular flour at their home for a long time. find cookbooks specially designed for people with the 10 popular allergies like The Fat Flush Cookbook.

H.

My daughter was allergic until about age one to the same - we tried Almond and Rice Milk which seemed to work just fine. I heard some suggestions for goat milk, but we didn't try it out (yuck, I think). And we tried Almond Cheese - though she didn't like too much. I had to watch the ingredients for soy lecithin, etc. - simply had to wait it out, then at about age one she just was done with the allergy - a great relief.

Good luck!

Hi D.,
I don't know if you've ever considered trying raw cows milk, but my family has been drinking it for over a year now. I used to be allergic to pasturized store-bought milk, so I started drinking soy milk... long story short, it left me with other side effects and frequent headaches. My mom gave me a cookbook that has become a wonderful resource for my whole family. It's called "Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon. It is a wealth of information, along with traditional nutrient-dense recipes for all occasions. Also, go to westonaprice.org and you can find lots of info about raw milk and its wonderful health benefits, plus a load of other info about your son's allergy. That's my 2 cents! Hope you find some help!
Bethany
ps. sorry for getting so lengthy!

I don't have any specific recipes, but have you tried almond milk as a substitute? It has a better texture than rice milk for cooking.
I am borderline allergic to both milk and soy (they REALLY upset my stomach). I make shakes daily for myself, and my little girls. They have a vegetable protein base, as opposed to a soy or mild base. If you want to try that as a dietary supplement to make sure he's getting his protein and vitamins email me. ____@____.com

Good luck!

Hi D.!!

We do the same thing mentioned by Anne B. for our 4 year old son, who has been allergic to all dairy/milk proteins since birth. If we make a casserole, we take some out before adding any dairy. When we order pizza, he gets breadsticks, minus any cheese. We have to be very particular at restaurants because they often forget to leave out the cheese. When the milk is baked in, (like in cakes/cookies, etc.) it changes the milk protein, so he can eat it if it is baked in...but if it is in ANY form still runny (like frosting, for example) he can't have it because he has a severe allergic reaction. My kids are the same ages as yours...except my youngest is only 4 months..and I know that it is difficult to accommodate one child without altering your family's meals too much. My best advice is to make sure to always have a special equivalent for the child with food allergies to make sure he knows he isn't being left out. We try to downplay our child's food allergy. He knows what he can and can't have for the most part, and I don't think he feels left out at all. Check out Amazon.com for some cookbooks for people with food allergies. I have a good one called Dairy Free Living...but you might want to search for one for dairy and soy allergies...because I think in the cookbook that we have, a lot of soy products are used as substitutes. What about rice or goat's milk? Could those be possible substitutes in things you make?? Good luck!!!!

Dear D.,
I know how frustrating allergies in children can be. I recommend that you do some reading about the benefits of raw milk, not pasteurized. It has been shown to significantly reduce or completely eliminate auto-immune reactions such as allergies, asthma, ezcema and many other conditions and diseases. Google "raw milk + allergies" and you will have more resources and stories than you can read in a week. I had not had a glass of milk since my twenties (I am now 46)and have always been reactive to milk products. I now drink a glass of raw milk a day, at least, and have found many benefits from it and no reaction. Both my children love it and both are allergic to processed milk. Also look at the Weston A. Price Foundation "Campaign for Raw Milk". You will also find information that warrants never using soy milk for anything. It does more damage than good and there is a reason your son is allergic to it. Good luck!

D., There is a cookbook I purchased from Methodist Hospital called The Milk Soy Protein Intolerance Guidebook/Cookbook by Tamara Field. It has some great recipes and also information on where to find foods that are milk/soy free. I bet you could buy it online from Amazon or something also. Good Luck!

Hi D., I am a mother of a 8 year old son who is allergic to everything from peanuts,shellfish,milk,eggs,wheat,malt,barley,oat,rye,plus dust,mold,grass,trees,pollen to just name a few.
I highly suggest Rice Dream Milk it is made out of rice. My son has been drinking it since he was 1. When he was younger we made fruit smoothies with his milk. We just put strawberries or what ever fruit you wanted with milk and blended. When recipies call for milk I just substitute rice milk for it.When going anywhere where there is food I always bring safe food for my son to eat.

My cousin is pretty much allergic to everything too. She uses rice or almond milk, which you can usually get at places like Whole Foods or Wild Oats Markets. You will probably also want to watch him for wheat and sugar allergies. You can buy rice flour and other things like that at bobsredmill.com. Hope this helps.

D.:

Just a thought, have you had him tested for gluten sensitivity? Or celiacs disease? I am gluten sensitive, diary sensitive and soy sensitive. They ofttimes go together.

You might have this testing done. If so you can go online and type in gluten sensitivty, or celiacs disease and get a miriade of information. There are also many links to recipes. Very yummy! The simple way is feed him lots of fruits and veggies. Rice (preferably brown, more nutrition, beans any kind and meats like chicken, fish, pork, redmeat (small portions and less of the red) Online and at health food stores there are many wonderful things to choose from. Brown rice bread and etc. Also,he can probably have corn tortillas, gluten free, dairy free, soy free. Original corn chips, potatoe chips that don't have soybean oil. There are a few brands. There is also rice milk, almond milk, potatoe milk, all kinds of other milks to drink. As he gets older he can also have nuts. Providing he is not allergic to peanuts. Enjoy life is a brand of foods that are very good. And would be beneficial. Granola bars, cookies, snacks and other.

I hope this is helpful....It really isn't all that bad! Just an adjustment. But well worth the benefits, really even to all of the family. Can't hurt them. Even some very bad behaviors are tied to these allergic responses....

S.

We are also dairy and soy-free. I've found the best thing for my daughter (15 months) is smoothies. I use lots of different fruits, spinach (lots of nutrients and you hardly notice it is in there) a banana to make it sweet, and a little water or juice to blend it. Kids that little are still use to the ease of drinking a lot of their nutrition, so smoothies make it easy.

It takes a short time to get used to it but cooking without soy or milk can be pretty easy. If you need a milk substitite in cooking you can make cashew milk from raw cashews and water. It is really good! If you are interested I could send you some recipes. My parents were vegan for a time and I still use the recipes- they are so yummy! Good luck to you!