Dairy-free Treats

Those who choose to forego dairy (either for their ethics or health) do not have to go without the nicer things in life, as there are a host of delicious alternatives available to traditional indulgence foods.

Chocoholic Bliss

Who doesn't like chocolate? And what a sad world it would be without it. For vegans who eschew dairy products because of their beliefs or for those with a dairy intolerance there is a wide range of choccies available, some with soya, both organic and non-organic bars, regular or flavoured with orange oil, ginger or even cayenne pepper for a sweet kick. Carob is a naturally sweet alternative to chocolate that, like cocoa, grows in pods – but contains half the fat. It contains vitamins and minerals but no oxalic acid (which binds to minerals so reducing their bioavailability) or caffeine.

Carob and dairy-free chocolate also work well in cooking so can be used to make cakes and biscuits – even more chocolatey goodies.

Cakes and Bakes

Beware of ready-made cakes and biscuits that may contain dairy ingredients in one form or another, even if they're not listed as milk or cream. Careful reading of labels will tell you what you can eat or if you're feeling adventurous, soya, either sweetened or unsweetened can be used in home baking as an alternative to milk, as can oat milk, rice milk and nut milks. Add to this ingredients such as oats, nuts, honey and seeds to make delicious – yet still nutritious – dairy-free treats. Watch how many of them you eat though if you're also watching the calories.

Just Desserts

Dairy-free cream works well with fruit and cakes or try dairy-free chocolate spreads on bread or biscuits for an indulgent snack or quick dessert.

Of course there's a whole world of treats that have nothing to do with dairy or dairy alternatives at all – such as fresh fruit, dried fruit and nuts, fruit spreads, honey or on the savoury side, nut butters.

Just because you don't do dairy doesn't mean you don't do indulgence.

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