- Gluten Free Dairy Free Mac And Cheese For Kids
- Make Mac And Cheese Without Milk
- Mac And Cheese Without Dairy
- Best Dairy Free Mac And Cheese For Kids
Swapping out lactose milk for dairy-free milks like cashew milk, almond milk, and soy milk are an easy and by far the most direct way to keep dairy out of your kid’s diet, but several of your favorite dinners and desserts require dairy ingredients that go far beyond milk. Getting the creamy, rich consistency and flavor that comes with the addition of milk or cheese in a variety of recipes can be replicated by getting creative, instead of just reaching for a packaged dairy-free alternative. And while it is more than acceptable to reach for these when needed, being able to use vegetables in place of dairy in many recipes not only keeps dairy out of the picture entirely, it adds necessary nutrition that your kids need.
Working around a dairy allergy or lactose intolerance can be challenging, especially when so many kid-friendly meals use dairy. From pizza and mac & cheese to casseroles and even sweet treats like cookies, milk, cheese, and butter are more prominent in everyday cooking than you may realize. Thankfully, omitting dairy entirely or swapping in another ingredient to replace dairy is simple, and makes your weeknight dinners even more kid-friendly than usual. Want to get that creamy, cheesy sauce on mac & cheese without butter and cheese? Using butternut squash and cauliflower instead deliver that same luscious, rich consistency in your “cheese” sauce without any dairy at all, while also sneaking in a healthy portion of vegetables. Even quesadillas filled with hummus instead of melted cheese can still achieve a velvety finish while also adding protein to the traditional handheld snack. Keep the dairy off your next shopping list and go dairy-free; we’ve got you covered with 12 of our favorite dairy-free recipes for kids.
This vegan mac and cheese recipes looks just like conventional mac and cheese but is dairy-free. Mac and cheese is so popular with kids, that I get a ton of emails from parents of picker eaters requesting mac and cheese recipes utilizing vegetables. I always recommend using cauliflower, carrots, sweet potato, butternut squash, or pumpkin. Cook macaroni noodles and drain. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a saucepan, melt 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter over medium heat. Slowly add milk, stirring. Bring to a boil and stir for 2 minutes. Turn off the burner and add the cheese, salt, and pepper, stirring until the cheese is melted. Dairy-free mac ‘n’ cheese is a thing—a very delicious thing. It even comes in different shapes, sizes, and flavors. It even comes in different shapes, sizes, and flavors. Luckily for us vegan cheese lovers, lots of different brands make it, and you can find it in stores all across the country. In a medium size stainless steel skillet, heat the ghee over medium heat. Scoop the cream off of the top of a can of full fat coconut milk, add the chicken stock, and whisk together with the ghee. Season with salt and pepper, nutritional yeast, and turmeric, and whisk until all of the ingredients are combined.
Kid-Friendly Skillet Sloppy Joe Casserole
While most casserole recipes are heavy and packed with cheese, this sloppy joe casserole has enough seasoning and a deeply flavorful sauce that you won’t even miss the dairy.
30 minutes 510 calories Easy
Healthy
Visit the page to learn more: Kid-Friendly Skillet Sloppy Joe Casserole.
Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Swapping out butter for oil in these chocolate chips makes them safe for kids who are dairy-free, but also means you won’t need a mixer for the batter – just a wooden spoon or whisk.
15 minutes 200 calories Easy
Healthy
Visit the page to learn more: Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Tuna Casserole
This casserole is gluten and dairy-free, and is the perfect healthy weeknight dish to make ahead and serve throughout the week for lunch or dinner.
25 minutes 200 calories Easy
Healthy
Visit the page to learn more: Tuna Casserole.
Dairy-Free Mac & Cheese
Believe it or not, mac and cheese without the cheese isn’t only delightfully creamy, but it’s packed with vegetables for a nutritious and hearty meal.
35 minutes 375 calories Easy
Healthy
Visit the page to learn more: Dairy-Free Mac & Cheese.
Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Energy Balls
These vegan peanut butter chocolate balls need only six ingredients, are easy to make, and your kids will love rolling out each ball themselves.
2h 05m 115 calories Easy
Healthy
Visit the page to learn more: Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Energy Balls.
Gluten and Dairy-Free Enchiladas
A delicious twist on traditional enchiladas, this simple recipe takes only a few minutes to prep and comes together with a tasty homemade sauce.
55 minutes 200 calories Easy
Healthy
Visit the page to learn more: Gluten and Dairy-Free Enchiladas.
Vegan Cinnamon Apple Baby Muffins
Apple sauce keeps these healthy, dairy-free muffins moist and delicious, and a fun sweet treat for kids of any age.
45 minutes 100 calories Easy
Healthy
Visit the page to learn more: Vegan Cinnamon Apple Baby Muffins.
Chocolate Oat Thumbprint Cookies
Oats, bananas, orange juice, and dairy-free chocolate buttons are all you need to throw together these fun and tasty sweet treats.
10 minutes 70 calories Easy
Healthy
Visit the page to learn more: Chocolate Oat Thumbprint Cookies.
Tortilla Rollups with Dairy-Free Veggie Cream Cheese
Tortilla rollups with dairy-free veggie cream cheese and fresh, raw vegetables make for a simple and nutritious snack or light lunch for kids.
15 minutes 165 calories Easy
Healthy
Visit the page to learn more: Tortilla Rollups with Dairy-Free Veggie Cream Cheese.
Hummus Quesadillas
Swapping out cheese for hummus in these quesadillas makes them dairy-free and healthy, too.
15 minutes 250 calories Easy
Healthy
Visit the page to learn more: Hummus Quesadillas.
Spanish Noodles with Ground Beef
Crispy bacon adds a delightful crunch to these flavorful, hearty noodles.
25 minutes 400 calories Easy
Healthy
Visit the page to learn more: Spanish Noodles with Ground Beef.
Cashew Chicken with Noodles
Put away the takeout menu and make this tasty and easy to make dish at home instead.
20 minutes 640 calories Easy
Healthy
Visit the page to learn more: Cashew Chicken with Noodles.
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Have you had good gluten-free Macaroni and Cheese since going GF? Today, I’m here to help with an easy and wonderful recipe for Mac and Cheese. Extra Cheesy Gluten-Free Macaroni and Cheese.
My mom has traditionally been the one who makes Macaroni and Cheese for all our family gatherings. She started making gluten-free Macaroni and Cheese during the holidays several years ago so that I could enjoy it with everyone else. I was so grateful, especially because I know my mom can make it truly safe for me. (As we know, not everybody understands how to do that.)
Gluten Free Dairy Free Mac And Cheese For Kids
This year at Thanksgiving, Mom wasn’t planning to make Macaroni and Cheese. She told us that her contributions to Thanksgiving for our driveway sharing of menu items before eating safely on our own would be mashed potatoes and deviled eggs.
And we were quite happy that she chose to make those two dishes as both are much-loved recipes of hers. As an added bonus, she’s been making her mashed potatoes without dairy whenever Son will join us at the table and they’re always as delicious as ever.
However, Mom has not ventured into making her Macaroni and Cheese dairy free. I get that. Using dairy-free “cheese” successfully in recipes can be more complicated—sometimes a lot more complicated—and dairy-free cheese is not always readily available in our area.
Son requested gluten-free, dairy-free Mac and Cheese this year so I decided to break my personal hiatus from making Macaroni and Cheese and make a version that he could enjoy. Because my mom always delights us with her recipe, I’ve only made the classic dish myself a handful of times.
Surprisingly, the last time I remember making it, I actually made it in the microwave. It was my same basic recipe, with an attempt to expedite its completion by using the microwave. It worked but quite unsurprisingly, it didn’t have that same baked goodness without actually being baked in the oven.
So, I planned to skip the microwave this time and make a gluten-free Macaroni and Cheese dish that would taste wonderful whether it was made with “regular”—aka dairy-full cheese—or dairy-free cheese.
I also have strong opinions on Macaroni and Cheese recipes and which ingredients should be included—or which ingredients should be left out. I’m a big fan of recipes that focus on the macaroni and the cheese. I’m not as keen on recipes that have a bunch of other add-ins.
I’m not saying that Macaroni and Cheese recipes that include other ingredients like eggs and gluten-free flour can’t be delicious. I’m sure there are many such recipes that are special but as always on gfe, I like to keep things as simple as possible.
But because I was making a dairy-free version for us, I wanted to be sure that the cheese factor lived up to our expectations. At the last minute, that meant adding three different kinds of cheese—ones that I had on hand—and the combination of those cheeses with the usual basic ingredients in my Macaroni and Cheese worked. They worked so very well!
At the last minute, Mom actually did make her gluten-free Macaroni and Cheese this year and gave us a small container to take home. We all ate the Mac and Cheese recipe that I’d made for our Thanksgiving meal but later when the leftovers came out, Son’s girlfriend ended up eating Mom’s Mac and Cheese.
Make Mac And Cheese Without Milk
She loved it—as she has always loved all of Mom’s cooking—but she reported that it was not quite as good as my Extra Cheesy Gluten-Free Macaroni and Cheese. Wow.
Hearing her review, I beamed of course. Admittedly, I think the fact that three different types of cheese are used in this recipe definitely take it up a notch.
Oh, and we all agreed that we would never share the “even-better-than-Grandma’s” assessment with Mom. Never ever. So, keep that tidbit quiet! Please.
I apologize for the lack of photos of this dish but we felt famished by the time we got home from our visit and quickly chowed down on our Thanksgiving meal. It was only when we were re-heating leftovers that I had time to snap photos—and that was of a single serving after reheating.
Of course, I could make you wait until I make this Mac and Cheese again and have time to take lots of photos but I really don’t want to do that. Because you’ll want to make this recipe soon!
It should not be reserved just for holidays and other special occasions either but it is certain to make any meal special. And that’s always a good thing in my opinion.
Plus, we officially head into Winter next week and winter is the ultimate season for enjoying comfort food. This Extra Cheesy Macaroni and Cheese is Comfort Food with a capital “C” and a capital “F.” Enjoy!
Oh, and try to stay warm and cozy like my grand dog, Mochi, clearly was at the moment I took this photo. As you can see, as soon as Mochi left the spot but only after I turned the heater off, Dozer took her place. With his size and all his magical fibers of joy and love flying around, I’m really glad he waited until the heater was turned off!
More Gluten-Free Comfort Food Dishes
A Few of the Comfort Food Dishes on gfe
~ Chicken and Rice Casserole
~ Creamy Slow Cooker Swiss Steak
~ Easy Mexican Casserole
~ Pot Pie
Some Gluten-Free Comfort Food Dishes from Friends
~Brisket and Cornbread Casserole
~ Cheeseburger Fries
~Potato-Vegetable Chowder (Instant Pot or Slow Cooker)
~Waffled Tater-Tot Tostada
Extra Cheesy Gluten-Free Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
Mac And Cheese Without Dairy
- 12 ounces uncooked gluten-free pasta (elbows, penne, spirals, etc.)
- 4 tbsp butter or margarine (I use the soy-free Earth Balance in pink tub)
- ½ cup milk, whole, 2%, or full-fat canned coconut milk (I use canned full-fat coconut milk)
- 7 ounces American cheese slices, chopped into small squares (see notes and I use Follow Your Heart dairy-free American slices)
- 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese (I used Follow Your Heart dairy-free medium cheddar shreds)
- 2 to 3 tbsp Parmesan cheese, shredded/grated (I used Follow Your Heart dairy-free shredded Parmesan)
- ½ tsp salt (more or less to taste)
- ½ tsp black pepper (more or less to taste)
- ½ tsp paprika (more or less to taste; I used smoked paprika)
Best Dairy Free Mac And Cheese For Kids
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. (I like to add a little extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt after the pasta comes to a boil.) Drain pasta using a colander running a little cold water over the pasta to stop it from cooking further.
- Do a quick hot water scrub, rinse, and wipe of pot in which you cooked the pasta to remove the sticky residue that results from cooking the pasta.
- Preheat oven to 400F. Lightly grease 2-quart baking dish and set aside.
- While pasta continues to drain, add butter and milk to the now clean pot that you cooked the pasta in. Over medium-low heat on your stove top, keep stirring until the butter is melted. Add in drained noodles, American cheese, and cheddar cheese. Stir vigorously a minute or two until most of the cheese melts.
- Pour mixture into greased casserole dish.
- Bake 15 minutes.
- Sprinkle Parmesan evenly over the top of the pasta mixture and sprinkle paprika over all. Turn on broiler, place casserole on second rack down from broiler and broil for a couple of minutes until the cheese on top of the casserole is melted. Watch carefully to ensure the cheese topping does not burn.
Notes
With the American cheese slices stacked on top of each other, I use a knife to make a grid and cut all the way through the slices to get small squares of cheese to ensure better melting when the squares are stirred in with other ingredients.