Ask Dr. Gourmet

Do you have lactose-free recipes?

Can you please give some good recipes for no butter, no cream, no cheese and no milk.

Dr. Gourmet Says...

An entire section of our site is dedicated to living with lactose intolerance, and every recipe is labeled as to whether it can be generally regarded as safe for those with lactose intolerance.

We've also categorized our recipes in three ways, specifically for the use of those with lactose intolerance. Here's our master guide to lactose in our recipes.

Lactose-free Recipes: These recipes contain no milk, cheese, or cream. They may contain butter, as butter actually contains no lactose. Many of these recipes are completely dairy free and you should be able to easily find recipes that are safe for you.

Borderline Recipes: Lactose intolerance varies from person to person. Some may be able to tolerate harder cheeses, as they contain less lactose than a younger, softer cheese. Likewise, small amounts of milk or dairy might be tolerable. These recipes may be safe for some with lactose intolerance, but only you know how much lactose you can ingest without concern for side effects.

Recipes Containing Cheese or Milk: These recipes contain somewhat larger amounts of cheese or milk and will generally be labeled as unsafe.

Here's a list of amounts of lactose in certain foods. I hope this will help you find recipes you'll enjoy safely.

Thanks for writing,

Timothy S. Harlan, MD, FACP
Dr. Gourmet