The following is a list of products and recipes for substitute foods to replace foods that need to be avoided due to allergies, intolerances, etc. There has been a significant increase in the availability of such substitutes as allergies, food intolerances, and special diets have become much more common in the US in recent years, but many of these products don't taste good or don't work well for a variety of reasons. So although there are a lot more options now it is still very helpful to have suggestions for which products are best. The products and recipes listed below are ones that I have either tried myself and liked or have been liked and recommended by people I know. Of course tastes are very individual so this is no guarantee that others will like them. They are listed according to the food or ingredient that needs to be avoided.
NOTE- many of these foods contain ingredients that are problematic for many people, so it should go without saying to read the labels very carefully. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement of the food or ingredient, it is included so that people can decide for themselves what they want to avoid or not.
How to Make Cooking Substitutions (from New York Times)
ALTERNATIVE SWEETENERS
D'Vash Date Nectar
Organic Coconut Nectar
Organic Cassava Syrup (fructose-free sweetener)
Mesquite Bean Jelly (very similar to honey)
MULTIPLE ALLERGENS
Enjoy Life Products (mostly snacks and some baking ingredients including chocolate chips)
Bob's Red Mill (many varieties of flour, grains, and other baking ingredients)
Coconut Secret (organic snacks, flour, sweetener, sauces, etc.)
Go Raw (Raw, organic, non-GMO, vegan, GF, dairy-free, soy free snacks)
Amanda's Own Confections (mostly chocolate and other candy, all top 8 allergen free)
Pascha Chocolate (Organic and no cross contamination)
Heavenly Organics (chocolate patties, organic cane sugar, honey)
Eating Evolved (Organic, vegan, GF, dairy free chocolate products)
Unreal candies (Organic, non-GMO, GF, dairy-free, some are peanut free)
Sun Cups (Sunflower butter cups that are nut-free and gluten-free, some flavors are free of other allergens as well)
Star Anise Foods (Vietnamese foods that are free of GMOs, gluten, soy, dairy, MSG, and more)
Yai's Thai (Thai sauces and condiments that are non-GMO, no MSG, GF, dairy-free, and many are nut free)
DAIRY and MILK
So Delicious dairy-free alternatives (Dairy-free milks, ice cream, yogurt, cheese, and more. Many products are organic, non-GMO, gluten-free, soy-free, and free of other allergens)
Laird Superfoods (dairy-free creamer, coffee, and coconut water hydrating drinks)
Teese vegan cheese
Daiya Foods (dairy substitutes including cheese, cream cheese, yogurt, sauces, dressings, and frozen pizza and cheesecake)
Rebel Kitchen (organic coffee and tea drinks made with coconut milk)
Cocomels (organic and non-GMO caramels made from coconut milk)
Ollois homeopathic medicine (made without lactose)
Make your own vegan "butter" (aka margarine) Ingredients that you need to avoid can be replaced.
Avocado can be used in place of some soft cheeses (such as cream cheese).
Whipped coffee foam is a good substitute for whipped cream with no dairy or egg.
CORN
Siete Foods (tortillas and tortilla chips)
The Real Coconut (tortillas and tortilla chips made from coconut flour)
Luke's Organic Brown Rice Chips
Forager (Organic, non-GMO, GF, dairy-free, corn-free, vegan vegetable chips)
Thrive Market organic coconut flakes cereal
Dr. Bronner's soaps (The Baby Unscented Pure Castile Soap is the mildest. This company uses citric acid from beets rather than corn)
Pamela's baking powder
PEANUTS and/or TREE NUTS
Dastony nut and seed butters (organic, many options of seed butters and unusual nut butters)
NuttZo Peanut-free nut butter
Sunbutter
Free2b suncups
Pumpkin seed butter
Almond cashew coconut butter recipe
Free2b (top 12 allergen-free chocolate and snacks, including peanut-free sunflower butter cups)
SOY
Coconut Secret (Organic, non-GMO, gluten-free, soy-free replacements for soy sauce and teriyaki sauce. They also make baking and cooking ingredients such as flour, vinegar, sugar, and candy)
Sir Kensington's condiments (Non-GMO, GF, soy-free mayo in several varieties, one is also egg-free)
South River Miso Company (soy-free miso)
Garbanzo tofu recipe
Make your own miso from chickpea
SPINACH
Spinach can be replaced with arugula in many recipes (especially for raw spinach).
WHEAT and GLUTEN
Tinkyada rice pasta
Ancient Harvest and POW! (Organic, non-GMO, GF pasta and hot cereal)
Chebe mixes (bread, breadsticks, focaccia, pizza crust, cinnamon rolls) Chebe recipe page
Watusee Foods (GF chickpea substitute for bread crumbs)
Yehuda Gluten-Free Matzo-Style Squares (and onion flavor)
I Heart Keenwah (snacks and hot cereal made from quinoa)
Otto's Cassava Flour (excellent gluten-free flour)
Authentic Foods Bette’s Gourmet Featherlight Rice Flour Blend
