Raising a Dairy Free Kid - How to Make Almond Milk

Dr Shaklee said if you want to keep your kid healthy, the three things they absolutely must avoid are refined wheat, refined sugar, and dairy.

I buy what Dr Shaklee is selling (literally and figuratively).

It makes sense to me to limit the amount of dairy in my kids diet. I spent my entire childhood and much of my adulthood with chronic ear infections and my husband suffered from severe allergies. Dairy as it is consumed today, cold and homogenized, causes mucus build up. This build up aggravates respiratory symptoms, including problems in the ears, nose, and throat.

I occasionally do give Ikaika yogurt or kefir because I feel like the benefits of the live active cultures outweigh whatever dairy issues may arise (the cultures also help break down the lactose so its not as hard on his system). But, now that we have decided to stop breastfeeding, finding a substitute for milk has become an issue.

One great alternative to whole dairy milk is fresh almond milk. Almonds are not only a great source of absorbable calcium, they also contain essential fats, iron, potassium and magnesium. On top of that, its super easy to make and cheaper than cows milk (at least in Hawaii where milk is $8 a gallon).

MAKING ALMOND MILK AT HOME

Start with 3-4 tablespoons of raw almonds.


Soak them for a 4-6 hours or overnight. Drain the water then peel the skins off by gently squeezing or rubbing them between your fingers.


Put the peeled almonds with 2 cups of purified water in a blender. Start on low and increase the speed until the almonds have been liquified. You can also add a tsp or two of brown rice syrup or pure maple syrup for added sweetness.


Strain through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. Yum yum! Mix with cereal or enjoy in a cup!