Children's Health

Milk Allergy Diet for Children

General guidelines for milk allergy

When your child has a food allergy, they must follow an allergy-free diet. This means your child can't have the food they are allergic to or any products containing that food. The items that your child is allergic to are called allergens.

A milk allergy is the body's abnormal response to the proteins found in cow's milk. Milk allergy is most common among infants and young children. As they get older, many children will outgrow a milk allergy. Milk and milk products are found in many foods. People often think of milk as an ingredient in cream, cheese, butter, ice cream, and yogurt. Milk and milk products may also be hidden sources in commonly eaten foods. To stay away from foods that contain milk products, you must read all food labels.

Milk is an important source of calcium. Your child needs calcium for healthy bones, teeth, and nerves. Talk with your child's healthcare provider about foods with calcium that you can give to your child. Some examples are green leafy vegetables, orange juice with calcium added, figs, tofu, and dried beans.

Important information about not consuming milk and milk products

The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) is a law that requires food products regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to state clearly on the label if they contain milk.
The word "nondairy" on a product label means it does not contain butter, cream, or milk. But the product may have other milk-containing ingredients.

The word "lactose-free" on a product label does not mean dairy-free. The product may still have milk or milk products. Always read the whole label to be sure.

Kosher food labeled "pareve" or "parve" almost always means that the food is free of milk and milk products. A "D" on a product label next to the circled "K" or "U" means there is milk protein. Don't use these products.
Foods that don't contain milk could be contaminated during manufacturing. Advisory statements are not regulated by the FDA. They are voluntary. These include labels such as "processed in a facility that also processed milk" or "made on shared equipment." Ask your healthcare provider if you can eat foods with these labels. Or you may need to stay away from them. Some foods and products are not covered by the FALCPA law. These include:
- Foods that are not regulated by the FDA
- Cosmetics and personal care items
- Prescription and over-the-counter medicines and supplements
- Pet foods
Processed meats often contain milk or are processed on milk-containing lines. This includes hot dogs, sausages, and lunch meats.

The lists below may not include all products that could contain milk. But they can help guide your food decisions. It is up to you to carefully read all food labels.

Foods	Allowed	Not allowed
Beverages	Carbonated drinks Coffee Tea Soy substitute-milk formulas, water Fruit drinks	All milks (whole, low-fat, skim, buttermilk, evaporated, condensed, powdered, hot cocoa) Yogurt, eggnog, milkshakes, malts All drinks made with milk or milk products
Breads	Milk-free breads French bread (water-based) Wheat, white, rye, corn, graham, gluten, and soy breads made without milk or milk products Graham crackers or rice wafers	Wheat, white, or rye breads Biscuits, donuts, muffins, pancakes, waffles, zwieback, crackers, saltines, rusk Most commercially made breads and rolls contain milk or milk products French toast made with milk
Cereals	Any cereal that does not have added milk or milk products	High-protein cereals Prepared and precooked cereals with milk solids, casein, or other milk products added
Desserts	Meringue, gelatin, ice pops, fruit ice, fruit whip, angel food cake Cakes, cookies, and pie crusts made without milk or milk products	Cake, cookies, custard, pudding, cream desserts, or sherbet containing milk products Ice cream, cream pie Pastries brushed with milk, junket, popover
Eggs	Prepared without milk	Scrambled with milk, creamed eggs, egg substitutes
Fats	Vegetable oil, meat fat, lard, bacon, shortening, milk-free gravy Peanut butter (made without milk solids) Margarine without milk solids Kosher margarine	Butter, cream, margarine Salad dressing or mayonnaise containing milk, milk solids, or milk products Some butter substitutes and nondairy creamers
Fruits	Fresh, frozen, or canned fruits and juices	Any served with milk, butter, or cream
Meats, fish, poultry, and cheese	Baked, broiled, boiled, roasted, or fried: beef, veal, pork, chicken, turkey, lamb, fish, organ meats, or tofu (prepared without milk or milk products) Sausage, deli or lunch meats, or ham if made without milk products A small number of people with cow's milk allergy may develop a reaction to beef. People with cow's milk allergy should be careful when having beef or foods containing beef.	All cheese, cottage cheese, cream cheese Some sausage products, bologna, hot dogs Breaded meats, meatloaf, croquettes, casseroles, hamburgers (unless made without milk) Commercial entrees made with milk or milk solids
Potatoes and substitutes	Macaroni, noodles, spaghetti, rice White or sweet potatoes made without milk, butter, cream, or allowed margarine	Au gratin, buttered, creamed, scalloped potato, or substitutes Macaroni and cheese Mashed potatoes made with milk or butter Frozen French fries sprayed with lactose
Soups	Bouillon, broth, consommé, or soups with broth base plain or with all allowed foods	Bisques, chowders, creamed soups All soups made with milk or milk products
Sweets	Corn syrup, honey, jam, jelly Hard candy, candy made without milk or milk products Granulated, brown or powdered sugar	Candy made with milk, such as chocolate, fudge, caramels, nougat
Vegetables	All fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables without milk or milk products added All vegetable juices	Au gratin, buttered, creamed, or scalloped vegetables Batter and dipped vegetables Vegetable souffles
Miscellaneous	Ketchup, olives, pickles, nuts, herbs, chili powder, salt, spices, condiments Any foods that have no milk, cheese, or butter. Also foods that don't have powdered milk or whey.	All items containing milk, cheese, butter, whey casein, caseinates, hydrolysates, lactose, lactalbumin, lactoglobulin, milk solids, or artificial butter flavor Nondairy substitutes containing caseinate

How to read a label for a milk-free diet

Don't have foods that contain any of the following ingredients:

Artificial butter flavor
Butter, butter fat
Buttermilk
Casein
Caseinates (ammonium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium)
Cheese, cottage cheese, curds
Cream
Custard, pudding
Ghee
Half-and-half (a blend of whole milk and light cream)
Hydrolysates (casein, milk protein, protein, whey, whey protein)
Lactalbumin, lactalbumin phosphate
Lactoglobulin
Lactose
Lactoferrin
Milk (derivative, protein, solids, malted, condensed, evaporated, dry, whole, low-fat, nonfat, skim)
Nougat
Pudding
Rennet casein
Sour cream
Sour cream solids
Whey (delactosed, demineralized, protein concentrate)
Yogurt

Other possible sources of milk or milk products

Brown sugar flavoring
Caramel candies
Caramel flavoring
Chocolate
High-protein flour
Lunch meats, hot dogs, sausages
Margarine
Natural flavoring
Milk-based fat substitutes

Online Medical Reviewer: Amy Finke RN BSN
Online Medical Reviewer: Marianne Fraser MSN RN
Online Medical Reviewer: Rajadurai Samnishanth Researcher

Date Last Reviewed: 11/1/2024

Find a Physician

Find a Location

Access OSF MyChart

View Classes & Events

Explore Careers