Higher fat/calorie dairy free desserts?

[sueeltringham]

Hi all,

I'm looking for ideas for dairy free (and egg free), but high calorie/high fat desserts. All the dairy free desserts such as the soya desserts and yoghurts are very low in fat so are not exactly brilliant for a very active and skinny toddler! Cheers,

Sue

[linny]

Alpro do chocolate desserts in pots but I'm not sure of the fat content. They're kept with the custard powders etc in the supermarket i.e. not in the fridge.

[sueeltringham]

Thanks linny,

Unfortunately they are very low fat. Same with the Soya yoghurts too!

Sue

[Copper]

I am sorry that I don't have an answer for you. I bet there is not much out there and so you will have to make something yourself. What about something like apple crumble? I think somebody else had a similar problem and said that they did things like spread plenty of dairy free margarine onto bread, toast etc.

[sueeltringham]

You bet there isn't much out there! I am making most of our food (always have) but the problem comes when she sees big brother eating yoghurts, fromage frais, etc. and friends kids eating stuff she can't have. I reckon there is a massive gap in the market. Our dairy free kids need their calories (at least to keep the dieticians of our backs!). Still, I would be keen to hear if anyone has found anything in the shops!

Sue

[Jo Sawyer]

I have exactly the same problem with Jamie (allergic to cows milk protein) a very skinney hyperactive two and a half year old. I have had to re-train myself to add his Pure spread to both sides of his sandwiches, drench his veg in it and basically add pure or olive oil to pasta and anything else he eats in order to boost his calorie intake. Trouble is he would rather play than eat so what calories i do get into him he burns off. The main deserts i give him are jelly and the swedish dairy free icecream but i struggle too.

[sueeltringham]

I find Jelly good (but still lacking calories) and the icecream is way to cold for a 12 month old (at the moment) she just pulls a face:o. Oil and marg is added to everything possible and I'm still breastfeeding her 4/5 times a day (dietician not happy about this). Dairy is just so full of calories and easy to get into kids that doing without is just not easy. I have found tofutti slices great as a calorie rich snack though.

Sue

[HelenB]

Why is the dietician not happy that you are breastfeeding?
Helen

[Jo Sawyer]

Thanks for the Tofutti tip i haven't come across that one, going shopping tomorrow so will definately buy some. Meanwhile I guess we will have to stick to home cooking, just wish there were a few more hours in the day to fit everything in.

[EmmaHen]

The best and quickest home made option we have found is melting dark chocolate or dairy free chocolate in a pan and pouring it over a shop bought biscuit (rich tea or dairy free digestive). Pop in the fridge to set and you have a high calorie and quite fattening, partly home made biscuit. My kids love joining in with this too.

Also, have you tried Jam Tarts (most brands are naturally dairy free - Mr Kipling is ok for us).

Thorntons sell a carton of dark chocolate sprinkles which we add to everything (ice cream etc) and also on top of a cup of hot drinking chocolate made with soya milk and Green and Blacks drinking chocolate.

Good luck - my (almost) 4 year old was in age 18-24 months clothes until this time last year when he was diagnosed - he has now shot up into age 3-4.

[jill]

I was going to suggest chocolate aswell. I'm sure the bag of whizzers mini eggs that I had last night had 22% fat in them. Don't know if the outside coating would be too hard for a little one though.

Just remembered this flan filling that I used to make alot. You could always pour it into old yoghurt pots or similar dishes. Don't know if the fat content would be enough though but its a cold pudding.

1 and a half oz Cornflour
2 level tblsp cocoa
1-2 level tsp instant coffee
three quarters pint milk
1 oz marg
4 oz caster sugar

Blend cornflour, cocoa, coffee with 2 tblsps milk.
Heat remaining milk.
Add to blended mixture
Return to pan and bring to the boil.
Add the marg and sugar, beat until smooth and shiny.
Pour into pastry flan case or suitable dishes.
Leave to set.

I did this at christmas in a pastry case and added a tot of brandy to the chocolate mix. Then sprinkled nuts on the top of the flan. It was yummy.

[sueeltringham]

Why is the dietician not happy that you are breastfeeding?
Helen

She wants me to add formula to food and thinks that she should be on a solids diet (which she is -she eats loads and 3 good meals a day!). She finally agreed that breastfeeding is best, but still wanted me to add formula to her diet! There seems to be a lack of trust in breastfeeding. Another dietician suggested I give up b'feeding in the day and just b'feed at night instead! Anyway, I have just gone with mine and my daughters instincts and nursed her through chicken pox, sickness and diarrhoea, a tummy buy AND she has put on weight!

Sue

[sueeltringham]

The best and quickest home made option we have found is melting dark chocolate or dairy free chocolate in a pan and pouring it over a shop bought biscuit (rich tea or dairy free digestive). Pop in the fridge to set and you have a high calorie and quite fattening, partly home made biscuit. My kids love joining in with this too.

Also, have you tried Jam Tarts (most brands are naturally dairy free - Mr Kipling is ok for us).

Thorntons sell a carton of dark chocolate sprinkles which we add to everything (ice cream etc) and also on top of a cup of hot drinking chocolate made with soya milk and Green and Blacks drinking chocolate.

Good luck - my (almost) 4 year old was in age 18-24 months clothes until this time last year when he was diagnosed - he has now shot up into age 3-4.

Thanks for the ideas about chocolate biscuits and jam tarts. I guess it would work for flapjacks or cake too (dairy free of course!). I have tried dark chocolate and my daughter didn't like it, but maybe if it's added to other things, or sprinkled on that would work well!

Thanks too Jill for your chocolate custard/flan recipe. I will try it this weekend!

Cheers,

Sue

[Copper]

Some dark chocolate is really bitter. Kinnerton make a dairy free bar that is not too bad. Asda sell it down here. Others have found a really nice dairy free chocolate that tastes like Galaxy. It is called Premium Organica Swiss

These are the people who make it
http://www.venturefoods.co.uk/

You need to click on vegan organica and then it is on the third page. The chocolate is in a blue wrapper. They do a white chooclate too. At least you will know what you are looking for.

[HelenB]

Good for you Sue! It is so hard sticking to your instincts sometimes when other people are telling you to do otherwise.

I am still breastfeeding Joshua (just 2) although he usually only feeds morning and night now - his choice! I am finding it much easier to continue feeding him because I am away from home. With Maddy I had enormous pressure from my mother and mother-in-law to give up, which I eventually did around 18 months. However, the dentist in Japan has told me I should stop because the milk will cause his teeth to rot! I will stop when he and I feel the time is right.

Helen

[sueeltringham]

Thanks for the support Helen. And well done you too! :)

I have found the LaLeche League website great for support on extended b'feeding and they have a b'feeding the child with allergies section too! Why is everyone so keen for us mums to give up? I have eventually seen a paediatrician who thinks Rebecca is healthy and her weight is fine so is happy for me to continue. So, :p to all the health professionals who have not been so supportive! Rebecca was born 10lb 9oz (98th centile) and has dropped to below 25th centile which is why people have been giving me grief. But to anyone out there in a similar situation -stick to your guns as my daughter is now putting on loads of weight and I have not changed her diet, nor added formula.

Thanks for the tips about chocolate Copper, I will look out for it!

Sue

[Copper]

I have just remembered that www.buxtonfoods.com (http://www.buxtonfoods.com) make a Peter Rabbit organic range of foods for babies. This range includes a child size bar of dairy free chocolate that tastes nice so I am told. I have not seen it down here in the south.

[sueeltringham]

The Peter Rabbit range is nice (expensive) and we can buy some things in our local Tesco. The chocolate is too bitter for little ones, though. Perhaps my daughter is not so keen on chocolate, though?

They make some great shortbread type cookies that taste fab and are dairy free! She couldn't get enough of them!

Sue

[Jo Sawyer]

A big "THANKS" to you all for your suggestions. The Tofutti slices and jam tarts (why do they always land jam down on the carpet?) are his fav at the moment.

Jamie doesn't seem to like chocolate very much either but i have just ordered some of the swiss organica for him to try as galaxy is his sisters fav choc and it does help if he thinks that he is eating the same as them. So thanks Copper.

Sue and Helen regarding feeding i breast fed Jamie's sister until she was 2 and 1/2 and was looking forward to doing the same with Jamie unfortunately the metabolic condition that he was born with meant that i was unable to breast feed him (i did express my milk for him for 7 months but thats another story ) otherwise i would be there with you regardless of the dieticians!!!!!

[sueeltringham]

I have just found something else my daughter loves -pancakes! I made a pancake mix with soya milk, flour, 1tbsp soya flour (to replace eggs), 1tbsp olive oil. Whizzed in blender and hey presto! Ready for the pan. Even nicer with maple syrup! Yum!! High calorie and great finger food!

Sue

[Copper]

That sounds good. I would not have thought of using soya flour as a replacement for eggs, so I have learnt something tonight. Thanks.

[jaynebryan96]

Asda do mini gingerbread men which are dairy free, not sure how much fat, but callum who is 1 in 2wks time loves them.

We are also struggling with weight, dietician not much help has just given him maxijul to add to his formula, food etc. no other advice or help!!!

[sueeltringham]

It's amazing how little help you get when you really need it isn't it? I've worked most things out for myself now. I find the tofutti cream cheese type stuff great for adding extra calories to just about anything (on crackers, biscuits, mixed in food, sauces). I'm curious what Maxijul is -never heard of it but I presume it's a high calorie/fat additive? Yesterday I made some blancmange type stuff with soya milk and a huge blob of marg mixed in. That went down well (yuck for me, yummy for dd).

Sue

[drodericks]

hi there
my son is dairy and soya intolerant and I have the following ideas you can use:
1. bread and butter pudding with dairy free milk and marg but with eggs gives good calories and protein.
2. rice pudding with dairy free milk and with marg in it
3. i'm going to try ice cream made at home from dairy free milk and also with some neocate formula so that he gets good calories. there are dairy free ice creams but they have a lot of sugar which just doesn't do them that much good.

dana

[sueeltringham]

Ta for that. My dd is now 4 so I thought I'd update this thread.
She's outgrown her dairy allergy, but we had a very rough rocky road. It turned out she was dairy, egg, nut and kiwi allergic so that ruled out just about all processed foods for us to share as a family, including many cakes, biscuits and chocolate because of the risk of nut contamination (one anaphylactic shock and emergency trip to hospital is enough).
Fortunately she can now enjoys milk and milk products, but the egg and nut allergies remain so many foods are still taboo.
For anyone else going through this with a baby, there are products out there marketed as dairy free, but I didn't ever really find any suitable for such a young baby as the calories and fat are just not high enough. I found it much easier to home-cook/make everything and increase calories by adding fat/oil. Dd is now a healthy weight and growing, although still very petite. :)

[Copper]

At last some good news, I am pleased to hear that your daughter has outgrown the dairy allergy.

I guess you probably have an epi pen for her as she still has other allergies.

[evie2007]

Man i find this too! my 3.5yr old can still easily wear 18mth old clothes. Evie is highly atopic and she is allergic to all dairy including goat and all cow products such as gelatine and beef. I went to see a dietician and she advised frying everything which really grossed me out! i make crumbles with PURE and bought dairy free marizipan bars which are very fattening. Tescos do microwaveable treacle and chocolate puddings which she loves-enormous calories in these! I also make chocolate custard with Kara dairy free milk and pour it over poached pears. Biscuits and cakes are easy to make too with PURE and dairy free chocolate buttons/drops.

She is growing but she had the same size feet from 18mths till she was 3yrs old!