Here are some of our favourite dairy-free alternatives. As with all foods, everyone’s taste preferences are different, so we recommend trying a few to see what strikes your fancy!
Whether you’re after milk, cheese, chocolate, ice cream, or baking ingredients, here are our top picks that are not only tasty, but kinder to cows and their calves:
Soy milk, oat milk, almond milk, coconut milk, rice milk — most supermarkets stock a range of calcium-rich, plant-based milks, many of which go perfectly in your coffee, tea, cereal, or creamy recipes; you may like to try a few to find what suits you best.
Our top picks are Bonsoy, Oatly Vitasoy, Califia Farms, Milk Lab, Nutty Bruce and Pure Harvest. Find them in the long-life milk and refrigerated sections of supermarkets.
And it’s not just plain milk – there are chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, caramel and coffee-flavoured milks available, too. Check out Toatl, Impressed, Dare Oat Milk and Alpro for when the cravings hit.
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As with dairy-free milk, dairy-free cheese products vary in taste among brands, but whether you’re after a cheddar block, mozzarella shreds, marinated feta, or cream cheese, you’ll find one to your liking.
For a mild but reliable ‘all-rounder’ cheesy substitute, BioCheese shreds, blocks, slices, feta, parmesan and cream cheese are the most readily available between Coles, Woolworths, and independent grocers. Cheer Plant-based, Made with Plants, and Sheese mozzarella shreds and cheddar slices are also at supermarkets and perfect for gooey, melty toasties or pizza toppers. And Melbourne-made marinated feta from YAY! Foods is a creamy winner on Coles shelves.
For more artisanal cheeses, check out Fine Cultures, Botanical Cuisine, The Vegan Dairy, Artisa, NuDairy, Dilectio, and Milkless, available at specialty stores and online. This list is by no means exhaustive – there’s a whole world of delicious, dairy-free delights just waiting to hit your next cheese board!
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Gone are the days of scouring every dark chocolate label in the supermarket for an accidentally dairy-free option (though Whittaker’s Dark and Lindt 70% Cocoa are dreamy!).
Lindt vegan blocks in Classic, Hazelnut and Salted Caramel are on Coles shelves, and Pico blocks in a range of flavours at Woolworths. NOMO individual bars – full of gooey caramel or in classic chocolate – are readily available, and Health Lab has switched up the game by making vegan versions of some of your favourite chocolate bars: treats inspired by the likes of Snickers, Twix, Cherry Ripe, Bounty, and more.
The Pana Organic range of blocks never fail to impress, and their white, dark, and mylk chocolate baking chips take your homemade desserts to the next level.
You can find some of the best from local chocolatiers too, either online or in specialty stores. Totally Vegan by Charlie, Vegan Chocolate Co, The Naughty Vegan, and House of Nestar are just a few of the businesses bringing the smooth, velvety indulgences to happy mouths everywhere. And while we’re talking specialty stores, keep an eye out for Vego, LoveRaw, and GoMaxGo bars – which all have well-deserved cult followings!
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You can’t go wrong with Nuttelex spreads for your toast or in your cooking. They look like margarine but have a rich, buttery taste. If you’re in need of block-style butter for baking, Bu Deli is available at specialty stores and online. You can also find artisanal jarred butters in such specialty stores and online, like Botanical Cuisine’s cultured butter, or Laud’s cultured oat butter, which are both unbelievable.
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Coconut cream or coconut milk can add richness and flavour to dishes like laksa and curries, but you can also find Oatly and Flora plant-based cream at supermarkets. A dollop on a scone, tart, or ice cream sundae is a true delight! Pandaroo’s coconut-based condensed milk is also readily available for all your baking needs.
For sour cream, try Made with Plants, Dibble, Dairy-Free Down Under or Tofutti – or even a scoop of your favourite natural-flavoured coconut yoghurt! On a plate of nachos, for example, it fits the bill for a tart, creamy topping perfectly. For a ready-whipped cream, we suggest Schlagfix from specialty stores.
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Dairy-free yoghurts are abundant nowadays on supermarket shelves. Soy and coconut are the most common bases for these creamy varieties. You’ll find plain, vanilla and fruit yoghurts, Greek-style yoghurts, and even frozen yoghurt, courtesy of Kingland, Nakula, Cocobella, Coyo, Vitasoy, and even Coles own brand, all readily available.
For lovers of Yogo, Alpro have a range of desserts in vanilla, caramel, chocolate, and dark chocolate available at specialty stores which are absolute perfection!
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No-dairy, no problem! We’re spoiled for choice in Australia. With plant-based Golden Gaytime, Magnum, Drumsticks and more, grabbing a single serve treat is simple. And for tubs, find vegan ranges of popular brands like Ben & Jerry’s, Pana Organic, Connoisseur, Coyo, Halo Top, So Good, Nature’s Kitchen and Weis, to name just a few.
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It’s easier than ever! The abundance of dairy-free options available to us has made it easier than ever to cook and bake without cow’s milk. You can swap out dairy milk for a non-dairy option in virtually any recipe — even a creamy classic like tiramisu!
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If you have trouble finding items like dairy-free cheese or dairy-free chocolate in your local supermarket, ask at the counter in case it’s hiding in a special section, or try checking in organic or wholefood shops. Alternatively, you can order everything from the comfort of your home from stores like Vegan Perfection, Kind to Earth, or The Green Edge which will deliver to your door!
Each year hundreds of thousands of bobby calves across Australia are discarded as ‘waste products’ of the dairy industry. Born only to keep their mothers producing milk, they are sent to slaughter within days of being born — so that their mother’s milk can be used instead for commercial dairy products for humans.
It’s no wonder more and more people are ditching dairy. And with loads of plant-based sources of calcium to choose from, including dark leafy greens, seeds, pulses and calcium-fortified non-dairy milks, there’s no reason not to. (Click here to learn more about calcium sources.)
If all this talk about cow-friendly options has you feeling inspired to try more dairy-free food and drinks, check out VegKit.com for even more ideas! You’ll find hundreds of delicious recipes, plus all the support you need; the latest products, best places to dine out, nutrition tips, lifestyle advice and more.
And while you’re at it, grab a copy of our FREE Veg Starter Kit — a handy resource no matter where you are in your journey with plant-based food.
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