Non-Dairy Hot Cocoa

[Ska-T]

Maverick's thread on Chocolate (bars) prompted me to post this related information. Most hot cocoa you find on the grocery store shelves already have powdered milk in it. I no longer eat/drink dairy so I was happy to find packs of fairly good tasting cocoa that contain only the chocolate powder.

Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Premium Hot Cocoa comes in 0.85 oz (24 g) packs that makes a single cup of hot cocoa. Ingredients are: sweet ground chocolate and cocoa (contains: sugar, cocoa, unsweetened chocolate, soy lecithin, vanilla). Target sells them by the each for $0.99.

Gd hot cocoa.jpeg

To the chocolate powder I add a couple of tablespoons of Better Than Milk Soy Beverage Mix, Original. I like the original in my cereal much better than the vanilla, so that is what I carry. I haven't tried the vanilla in hot cocoa. You can buy Better Than Milk in a 25.9 oz container that makes 32 cups of milk (8 qt), which is fine if you use it in cereal and other food like I do, but too much if you only want it for cocoa. [Edit: next two sentences deleted because Mother's doesn't seem to carry it in bulk anymore.]

Better Than Milk is difficult to dissolve in hot water so I use the following procedure:
* Add the powdered chocolate and milk substitute to your cup.
* Add a small amount of cold water and stir until both powders are thoroughly dissolved (small = a couple of Tbsp).
* Add the hot water and stir.
* Enjoy!

[Cross Country]

One can buy lactose free milk and ice cream. I eat goat cheese. Does anyone know of anything else that is made with lactose free milk. Dihydrated milk for BP for example.

[Dave_Ayers]

Mammal milk has lactose, including human, cow, goat, and sheep milks. Those few people that are truly allergic to milk and are not lactose intolerant, can usually consume goat or sheep milk without problems because the allergy is not to lactose but to one or more of the proteins in milk (such as casein or ingredients in whey). The truly allergic cannot tolerate other forms of cow milk like cheese, yogurt, butter, cream, etc. Those that are lactose intolerant have difficulty with goat and sheep milk products, not just cow milk products.

Meyenberg makes goat milk, goat milk powder, goat butter, etc. The milk powder can be found on Amazon in regular and non-fat. Meyenberg.com ships direct too including butter in cool packs from their Turlock, CA facility (at least to the SF Bay Area).

I've not seen sheep milk powder in the US though it seems to be available in New Zealand and perhaps other places.

Non-dairy creamers may also be an option. Some do contain casein or caseinate which may be of concern to a portion of people who are allergic to milks. But they generally don't contain lactose or whey so may be OK those who are lactose intolerant and for those who are allergic to whey. Be sure to check the ingredients.