Dairy Replacements

For every dairy product, there is a cruelty-free alternative. In addition to being more humane than cow's milk, soy-, rice-, and nut-based milks and cheeses are generally lower in fat and calories and contain no cholesterol.

Milk: Soy, rice, or nut milk can replace cow’s milk in any recipe. Soy and rice milks are available in a variety of flavors including plain, vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry. If you cannot find a nondairy milk, try making soy milk at home.

• For desserts, try using almond, oat, or coconut milk.
• For whipped cream, try Rich's brand nondairy whipping cream, beaten until stiff peaks form. You can find it at most Kosher or specialty baking stores.
• For buttermilk, combine one cup soy milk and one tablespoon vinegar.
• Silk brand creamer makes an excellent coffee creamer.

Cheese: You can make vegan cheese at home; check out our recipe section or The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook by Joanne Stepaniak, available online at the PETA Mall. There are also plenty of convenient alternatives to cheese, such as the following, available at the grocery store or online:

• Vegan Gourmet Cheese Alternative by Follow Your Heart brand comes in mozzarella, nacho, Monterey jack, and cheddar flavors and contains no casein (a milk derivative). You'll find it in natural food stores or online at ImEarthKind.com.
• Tofutti brand makes a wide variety of soy cheeses, including nondairy cream cheese, as well as vegan sour cream and ice cream.
• Replace cottage or ricotta cheese with crumbled, seasoned tofu.
• For parmesan cheese, try Soymage brand vegan parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast flakes.
• If you cannot find vegan cream cheese, make your own with our recipe.

Yogurt: Try Silk, Whole Soy, or Stoneyfield Farm O'Soy brand vegan yogurts alone or in a recipe. You can also make vegan yogurt at home with our recipe. For a sweeter version, omit the mustard and add sugar or fruit.

Ice Cream: There is a wide variety of vegan ice cream available on the market. Try Soy Delicious, Soy or Rice Dream or Tofutti, brand. If you're feeling adventurous, check out our vegan ice cream recipe to find out how to make homemade nondairy ice cream.

Don't forget to check out our vegan shopping guide and delicious recipes.

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