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Find the best dairy-free recipes for kids to make feeding toddlers and kids with milk allergies and intolerances easy and delicious. Bonus: Everyone in the family will love these recipes, too!
Dairy-Free Recipes for Kids
Finding nutritious dairy-free recipes that the kids will actually eat can be a challenge—so much kids food has so much cheese!—but I hope this list helps you to have a few more options for easy toddler meals and kid-friendly recipes.
There is almost always a substitution available to make a recipe dairy-free, but there are also so many delicious recipes and foods that naturally don’t contain any dairy. Some of my favorites are below.
(You can always use plain nondairy milk, a nondairy yogurt substitute, or a neutral oil in place of butter—or vegan butter!)
This post includes my top dairy-free picks and you can see all dairy-free recipes for kids that are either naturally dairy-free or have a dairy-free option in the Notes at the end of the recipe.
When a child can’t have dairy, it can help to focus on the foods they can eat. A dairy-free toddler, assuming no other allergies, can eat the following dairy-free foods:
Complex carbohydrates including whole grains
Fruits
Vegetables
Meat, poultry, fish
Legumes, seeds, and nuts
Healthy fats including avocado, hemp, chia, and flax
Plant-based dairy substitutions including plant milk, nondairy yogurts, and more
TIP: Keep a running physical list of all of the foods your child can eat if you often feel stumped for what to serve them.
Dairy-Free Breakfast Recipes
These dairy-free recipes for kids either are free from dairy or offer easy substitutes—and are great options for easy toddler breakfasts.
Chocolate Protein Muffins (With Veggies!)
These simple blender muffins pack a serious nutrition punch and are dairy-free, with a nut-free option. I prefer the flavor of these once they are fully cooled and chilled in the fridge.
These are delicious served warm soon after baking, at room temperature or even chilled, so see what your family prefers. They are naturally dairy-free and can be made gluten-free and egg-free as well. See the Notes section for details.
With just a handful of nutritious ingredients and an easy method, these Healthy Pumpkin Muffins are a perfect treat to share. We love to make and enjoy these each fall for breakfast, snack time, or as a simple side dish for dinner. (This recipe has very little flour—that is not a mistake.)
With naturally sweet flavor and a simple method, these pancakes are a favorite Sunday staple in our house. (I sometimes even hide a few bananas on the top of the fridge to ensure we have super ripe ones ready!)
Use Sunbutter to make these nut-free. You can cut these into smaller bars if desired. If you want them a little softer, serve them at room temperature rather than chilled.
Learn to customize yummy smoothies for your toddler by starting with one simple recipe, then adjusting based on which fruit and veggies you'd like to use.
TIP: You can make any smoothie recipe using nondairy milk or nondairy yogurt. Any overnight oats recipe can be made with nondairy yogurt.
Dairy-Free Snack Recipes
Try these healthy snacks for kids if you need to provide dairy-free options. They are easy to make, easy to store, and super yummy for the kids to eat.
Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
With an easy method, accessible pantry ingredients, and the yummiest flavor, these Chocolate Chip Granola Bars are a snack time staple.
Perfectly spiced and just sweet enough, these Applesauce Muffins are a yummy breakfast or snack. We like these on their own, topped with nut or seed butter, or even with a smear of cream cheese. See what your littles like!
Salty-sweet coconut chips are a favorite snack to make and share with the kids. Feel free to double the recipe and use two sheet pans to make more at once.
Learn the easiest way to make a batch of Applesauce Pouches, with six flavor options, in less than 30 minutes. This is easy, delicious, and versatile—and a perfect way to batch-prep a snack or meal component.
This roasted chickpeas recipe is an easy and delicious way to add nutrition to your toddler’s diet. If you start with dried beans in this salty-sweet snack, make sure to cook them until they are very tender. If making these for a kiddo under one, use maple syrup instead of honey or skip the sweetener altogether.
These no-bake bites taste like a cross between oatmeal raisin and peanut butter cookie dough. I use natural creamy peanut butter (like the kind from Smuckers), and it works really well.
With just 5 simple and nutritious ingredients and no baking, these Fruit and Nut Bars taste like store-bought Larabars but for less cost. You can customize the flavors and store them in the fridge or freezer for weeks.
Try these family-friendly dairy-free recipes for kids for dinner to feed everyone at the table a delicious dairy-free meal.
Easy Stuffed Peppers Skillet
You can use whichever type of rice your family likes best. We rotate through short grain brown rice, basmati, and jasmine. Adults may want to top their portions with shredded fresh basil and/or crushed red pepper.
Crispy on the outside and tender in the middle, these Homemade Chicken Nuggets are both easy and delicious. You can prep the sweet potato up to 5 days ahead if that's easier for you, too. Try serving these with ketchup, ranch, or marinara sauce.
With a short ingredient list and cooking time, these Fish Nuggets are ready in about 20 minutes and are crispy on the outside and tender in the middle. They are such a delicious meal to share with the kids.
Transform pantry staples into the yummiest homemade Vegetarian Burrito Bowls with this easy recipe. (Prep the rice, beans, and veggies ahead if you can or want to. They store well in the fridge and simply need to be reheated.)
With just a handful of simple ingredients, you can make this cozy Pastina Soup to share with the kids in under 30 minutes. Look for little star "pastina" pasta in the pasta aisle.
With plant-based protein and Vitamin C-rich veggies, this brightly flavored Red Lentil Soup—with sweet potato, ginger, and coconut— is a perfect fast family dinner ready in less than 30 minutes.
Use the crock pot to cook up a hearty and nutritious Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup with veggies and lots of kid-friendly flavor. It's easy, versatile, and a great freezer meal
When serving this to a little one, I like to drain off much of the broth. This makes it a little easier (and less messy) for them to eat. If your family likes spice, add in a dash or two of cayenne pepper.
This Lentil Patties recipe has a short ingredient list, the flavor of lentil falafel, and a cooking method that's quick and easy. Plus, each patty is easy enough for little ones to pick up and eat, and they store and reheat well for future meals!
With just a few ingredients and a quick cooking time, these Chickpea Fritters are a protein–packed meal that's ready in under 20 minutes. (And they reheat well for the future, too!)
This simple Pasta Salad with Chicken works well anytime of the year, but the flavors are particularly great in summer. Try it for dinner, a potluck, or to meal-prep lunch.
Learn this easy technique to add iron and fiber to pasta sauce without impacting the flavor or texture. This is a great option to make a meal a little more satisfying and as an iron-rich vegetarian meal. (You can start with half the amount of lentils to start to ensure the kids like the sauce, if desired.)
Refreshing, simple, and ready in minutes, this Mango Sorbet is a seriously delish recipe to share with the kids. You don't need an ice cream maker and yet, it's perfectly creamy! Plan to serve right after making.
This makes a small batch of lightly sweet cookies. Double it to make more. If at any point the dough seems too sticky, pop it into the fridge for 5-10 minutes to firm up a bit. Or dust your parchment paper and cookie cutters with flour.
Flavorful, whole-wheat gingerbread with just a hint of natural sweetness. These are a perfect holiday cookie to make with the kids. Double the batch to make more.
With the exact texture and a similar flavor to classic Rice Crispy Treats, this version boasts only 3 ingredients and a natural sweetener. Plus, these Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats take only minutes to make AND they’re so super yummy!
If a recipe calls for butter, what’s a good dairy-free substitution?
You can usually use melted coconut oil in place of butter in baked goods or olive oil in savory foods. It may vary depending on the recipe.
If a recipe calls for milk, what’s a good dairy-free substitution?
You can usually use a nondairy plant milk (plain unsweetened is best) in place of regular dairy milk in baked goods and other recipes. It may vary depending on the recipe.
Is it a true milk allergy?
According to Jenny McGlothlin and Katja Rowell, MD, authors of Helping Your Child with Extreme Picky Eating, some parents think that their children are allergic when it is a lactose intolerance. In those cases, lactose-free milk, hard aged cheeses, some yogurt, and even chocolate milk are more readily tolerated.
Additionally, some children grow out of an earlier sensitivity and even allergies. Check with your doctor for more detailed information.
Best Tips for Success
In recipes that call for milk, use plain nondairy milk, plant-based milk, or lactose-free milk if that works for your family.
In recipes that call for butter, use vegan butter or melted coconut oil or avocado oil. Some recipes also work with coconut milk for adding a creamy texture.
For recipes that call for yogurt, try Greek-style nondairy yogurt.
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