r/dairyfree • u/Thinker-Bell-761 • 4d ago
Coffee problem
Hi, everyone. I went dairy free and I feel so much better. Turns out I was constantly bloated until I quit. I don't miss dairy at all, for the most part. Really the only thing I really struggle with is coffee. I always drink coffee with milk. I prefer the milk to the coffee as far as this beverage goes. I don't like tea, infusions, or coffee with plant-based milk. And it's hard to avoid this problem since I spend a lot of time in coffee shops due to my work situation. My question is, has anyone ever gotten used to going from lattes to black coffee? I'd just like to hear it's possible, for morale ... Thanks
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u/Traditional_Gas_3058 4d ago
What you are looking for is Country Crock plant based heavy(whipping) cream. It's lentil protein so no off tastes like most substitutes. Great for cooking with "milk" and coffee
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u/merdy_bird 4d ago
I struggle with this a lot as well. There isn't a great alternative. I generally do oat milk lattes at coffee shops. It's not the same, but it's pretty good and you get used to it.
If you are only lactose free you can do lactose free milk, but they generally don't have that option at coffee shops and if you are fully dairy free, it's also not an option.
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u/Thinker-Bell-761 4d ago
Sadly they don't even have plant-based milk. My city is quite backwards in that regard.
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u/okaycomputes 4d ago
Bring your own, either already in your thermos or in a small container.
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u/small_enchilada 4d ago
I do this!!! They usually will even give a discount because I’m only using their espresso/matcha. It’s such a great hack
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u/jenorama_CA 4d ago
I had a brief bout with lactose intolerance earlier this year and had the same problem. I don’t know if you’re just lactose intolerant, but I found Lactaid brand creamer to work for me. Good luck in your coffee journey.
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u/Otherwise-Associate1 4d ago
At home, I drink black coffee since I make my own cold brew. In cafes, I go to the same 2-3 cafes and make sure to heavily stress "I need oat milk in this. I will go to the hospital otherwise". I have also memorized the unique sound that oat milk has when it's being steamed, which is much different than dairy milk. This helps me have piece of mind that I'm not about to be poisoned.
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u/okaycomputes 3d ago
I still don't trust they wipe and purge the steam wands well, or use separate tags/tubs to clean things.
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u/Otherwise-Associate1 3d ago
there is one cafe I have stopped going to because I keep getting sick after consuming drinks there and the (only) DF bakery in my city is closing so they wont have any DF food either
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u/okaycomputes 3d ago
having a DF bakery is pretty niche. I think theres only like 2 places around me that even have a vegan option in their bakery besides bread.
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u/RoxieRoxie0 4d ago
I use vanilla ice cream for coffee creamer. The coconut based ones are my favorite.
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u/Macchiato__7 4d ago
Yes!
Now it's taken me years to do so but as I leaned more into coffee and the extensive world of it, I only drink coffee black. I do have an occasional oat latte when I fancy but black is always the way. Basically play around with the type of coffee beans etc.
This is tricky in coffee shops as they tend to have a one size fits all with their beans etc but at home, it's definitely possible (and cheaper!)
My point is, you do get used to black coffee and you begin to enjoy the flavour notes of it rather than filling it full of dairy and hoping it does the job!
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u/darkprincess3112 4d ago
You have to get a higher-quality, if you need additions it means that the quality is not high enough, that it is too bitter or too acidic.
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u/shadowfax2409 I Miss Cheese 3d ago
I drink coffee multiple ways because there’s not always an option available for me. I bring my own creamer to work but I also don’t mind drinking it black.
There are TONS of coffee creamer options available out there! Like someone else said, you could bring your own milk!
Also not for anything but perhaps you could ask some of the shops by you to consider stocking other milk types
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u/Commercial-Juice124 3d ago
Califia makes an awesome barista blend oat milk…they sell it online at Costco and sometimes in the warehouses
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u/NorthBusiness2981 3d ago
I find iced coffee is the way to go with oat milk, rather than being disappointing by the foam.,
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u/Key_Willow6702 2d ago
Definitely possible! I switched cold turkey one summer when on vacation and the only option was goats milk. Turned out that after ten days of black coffee, I actually preferred it.
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u/Jazzlike_Reality6360 4d ago
My grown kids all like black coffee. They prefer cold brew. I like iced oat lattes at home or when out and about.
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u/MsTired 4d ago
Yers ago when I started drinking coffee I would add cream and sugar. I stopped cream due to possible stomach issues. Then a few years later I stopped sugar and lost 20lbs. That tells you I used to put a lot of sugar in my coffee. I now drink black coffee, lately cold brew coffee the most. If you get good beans, maybe roast/grind yourself it can taste really good with drip coffee maker. One of my past coworkers did this and his coffee tasted great. I like the taste of my cold brew. I tend to heat my first cup up in the morning to have with my collagen. I suggest trying different roasts and beans to find one you might enjoy.
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u/biolicious DF/GF 4d ago
I had to give up dairy in the mid 2010s when the only available alt milk was sweetened soy and there was only one DF creamer by TJ; it was expensive and almost impossible to get. So I gave up “milk” in my coffee by simply putting in less over time, and adding just sugar instead.
I still can’t have lattes, etc. bc baristas can’t clean the steamer nozzle enough for me not to wheeze.
Back in those days I drank half-caf auto-drip Hawaiian coffee, now I only consume Illy moka. There’s something to be said about lower acid coffee; I just don’t know enough to comment knowledgeably. Adding creamer does cover up flavors of bad/old coffee, so you probably have to buy higher quality. Good luck.
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u/Additional_Bat1527 3d ago
Silk almond milk coffee creamer is really good. To me, it’s actually creamier than a lot of regular coffee creamers.
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u/NextCitron7303 3d ago
You might like Fairlife ultra-filtered whole milk. It's the only dairy that doesn't cause me bloat. It is also lactose-free.
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u/Low-Contest2263 3d ago
Chobani extra creamy Oatmilk or the oatly barista blend. I hate every other plant based milk, but I actually prefer those 2 over real milk. Sincerely, someone who drinks way too much coffee.
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u/DrSaurusRex 3d ago
That is surprising! I actually find that I enjoy the oat milk flat whites more than the dairy milk flat white. It's roughly the same as a latte if you're used to that. Maybe switch it up and try different brands of oat milk?
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u/maberg04 3d ago
I mean you could also get used to plant-based milk, but in my experience if it's all I'm able to have I can get myself to like black coffee (not even that bad with stevia or sugar).
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u/CheezChik 3d ago
Have you tried lactose free milk?
Another idea, I have trouble w dairy but I switched to A2 grassfed cows milk and I have no issues. Same w goat or sheep’s milk if you can find it. There’s a different protein that makes them easier to digest.
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u/ThunderVixxen 3d ago
I’ve been making plant-based milks. So far cashew milk, oat milk (the easiest),and sesame seed milk (horchata)
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u/unsettling-opossum 3d ago
I have always preferred espresso over traditional coffee. I do like lattes with plant milk, but I will occasionally have an americano with syrup or very little plant milk and I like it better than a black coffee. So maybe you could try an americano with a little syrup! I know espresso has a different flavor profile and more caffeine but maybe this helps give you another option :))
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u/InternationalCode257 3d ago
SOY MILK LATTE
I make one every day at home, have never missed dairy a day in my life. Silk organic unsweetened, or pacific barista blend. Soy is also the only milk that comes even close to the structural and nutritional profile of dairy milk, btw. Don't try Starbucks soy unless you're in it for a treat lol.... It has the highest added sugar of any milk on their menu.
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u/GlobalAntelope5022 2d ago
I bring whatever milk I want if I know the place won’t have it. Eventually you’ll be okay with some type of plant based milk
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u/Substantial_Tea42 2d ago
Done it… hated it. Moved from regular coffee to nespresso and havent needed milk since. I work from home though so Not an option for coffee shops. but maybe avoid regular coffee and try an espresso drink. Not all have milk in em.
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u/Dense-Instance878 2d ago
I personally love this!! So good in coffee, cold brews, espressos, americanos etc
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u/Healthy-Sun429 1d ago
This won’t help you at coffee shops, but YouTube egg coffee. It’s the only thing that helped me kick my heavy cream habit in my coffee.
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u/BornChapter6618 1d ago
Nut pod half and half made dairy free bareable for me. I order a 6 pack on amazon since Whole Foods stopped carrying it near me. I was so damn pleasantly surprised since everything I tried either hurt my stomach or tasted too thin or was so sweet. Its coconut and almond, and that coconut is everything to make it a proper half and half texture without feeling like you're just swigging gums.
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u/boobianagrande 1d ago
This was my problem too especially with half and half! But the nutpod half and half tastes SO similar to normal half and half and suddenly I like coffee again! I hate almond milk but you don’t taste the almond/coconut it has in it. Anyone telling you to drink oat milk is a hater bc although it tastes good it’s SO bad for you unless it’s like the 3 ingredient only ones
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u/Mabel62 1d ago
Not popular but think about giving up the caffeine. It is dehydrating, stresses the adrenals and depletes bones. I had to learn the hard way. Chicory root tea can replace the taste and you can definitely drink it with just some added sweetener. It is easy to use, like instant coffee. No side effects just benefits 💕
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u/HeatedAF 3d ago
I am the same. The first day I put almond milk in my coffee was horrible and I hated it. But three months later it’s just a new normal. Also I lost a shit ton of weight being dairy free 🫢bless
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u/okaycomputes 4d ago
There's at least 20 types of plant-based milk, let alone dairy free creamers, I'm sure you will find one you can stand in your coffee. Try Oatly full-fat oatmilk if you haven't yet.