Best/worst gluten and dairy substitutes?

[ccnyc]

GF Pasta:
Tinkyada Brown Rice pasta which can be found at Whole Foods and most health food stores. Trader Joe's has brown rice pasta also.

Treats:
Pamela's Cookies are gluten-free and most are also dairy free. Their Biscotti and mini-chocolate cookies are delicious IMHO.

Stay away from Food 4 Life breads. They are truly awful. However their brown rice tortilla is really good.

I'm gluten intolerant and casein (in dairy) intolerant, and I'm also a Clinical Nutritionist, so I've studied and lived, in-depth, the GF and DF life.

BTW, if you eliminate grains from your diet you won't be missing much nutritionally. Non-starchy veggies actual have more of the nutrients that are found in grains and have at least as much fiber. Plus they're not acid-forming as grains are.

HTH

[JennK13]

Add me to the Udi's products and Bobs red mill list. Love it!

[bluebug32]

Thanks everyone, this is really helpful! Keep the recommendations coming.

Are there any cheese substitutes you like?

[Melalvai]

I tried out Daiyya (a cheese substitute that is not soy). My family hated it. I thought it was ok but it gave me a stomach ache every time I ate it. I know--you asked for what I liked, not what I disliked, but that's all the info I have.

I just tried it to see, I haven't gone dairy-free. Yet.

[OakLeaf]

When I crave junk food I like the Food for Life rice tortillas.

They're not organic, though, and I really HATE buying anything from rice that isn't organic. Rice is some of the most toxic environmentally destructive stuff on the planet, when it's grown in non-traditional ways.

[divingbiker]

I tried out Daiyya (a cheese substitute that is not soy). My family hated it. I thought it was ok but it gave me a stomach ache every time I ate it. I know--you asked for what I liked, not what I disliked, but that's all the info I have.

I just tried it to see, I haven't gone dairy-free. Yet.

Huh, I loooove Daiya. It's changed my world, after 19 years of not eating cheese or the nasty cheese substitutes.

I like quesadillas and cauliflower with daiya.

Love love love it.

[Atlas]

A lot of gluten free stuff has been covered so I'll go with dairy-free. Daiya is the only cheese substitute I'll eat. I know there are some awesome ones available in Europe and bigger cities, but where I live Daiya is my one and only. Teese is not good, Follow Your Heart is passable, Tofutti is ok for cheese singles since they taste like Kraft and work for nostalgic grilled cheese, there are a couple over brands that are soy based but watch out for casein which makes its way into a lot of them.

Tofutti also makes sour cream and cream cheese that is pretty good. Granted, I haven't had the real thing in years so I'm not sure how someone used to dairy versions would find them. There are lots of delicious ice cream options as well.

For milk I love Organic Valley soy milk, but Almond Breeze is a close second. Silk is ok for when I'm not near a coop or health food store. For the asceptic packages of milk Soy Dream has always been my favorite.

[Owlie]

No direct personal experience, but my vegan roommate has discovered:
She hasn't found a cheese substitute she likes. She also really likes the So Delicious coconut milk ice cream, but it can be hard to find around here.