To say that dairy and I have a toxic relationship is an understatement. Every time I reach for the Mersey Valley Cheddar on the supermarket shelf I think, “surely this time it will be different”. But alas, it seems that dairy products are just always going to make me feel sick. As someone who is most likely lactose intolerant, giving up a lot of dairy products has been a journey fraught with pain and disappointment. It can be difficult to find good substitutes. So I’ve made a list for you of my favourite dairy substitutes, and yes, it even includes cheese!

• Milk – This is one of the easiest dairy products to substitute in my opinion – every café seems to have a wide selection of plant-based milks to choose from. My personal favourite is unsweetened almond milk, but you can always try soy, rice, oat and cashew milk.

• Ice cream – There are all kinds of dairy-free ice cream available, and they all taste amazing! You can always have sorbet, but if you’re after something more creamy my recommendation is Halo Top – they use a coconut cream base and have a huge range of flavours.

• Cream – The best (and most popular) substitute for heavy cream is coconut cream. You can even whip coconut cream, as long as you chill it first.

• Butter – In cooking, olive oil is a great substitute for butter (and has healthier fats). For spreading on hot toast, I like Nuttelex with coconut oil – it still gives that “buttered toast” feel without the stomach cramps!

• Cheese – I’ll be honest here. I hate most vegan cheese with a vengeance, and I didn’t think I’d find any substitute that I would enjoy. Then I discovered cashew cheese! It’s easy to make at home, and I’ll begrudgingly admit, it tastes pretty good. Who knew?!

What are your favourite dairy substitutes? Tell me about them in the comments!