The Top Dairy-Free Protein Sources for a Healthy, Balanced Diet

Trying to eat more protein, while avoiding dairy?

Here are some of my favorite options!

Over the past few months, I have worked with several health coaching clients who follow a dairy-free diet. While personally, I love including high-quality dairy into my family's diet to reach our protein goals, I know it is not for everyone! Even in my own life, there have been seasons where we have chosen to avoid dairy for certain reasons (trying to heal my kiddos eczema mainly). And honestly, it was tricky finding great options to support my protein intake.

That is why I am finally getting around to this post: a comprehensive guide to healthy, nourishing, protein-packed, and dairy-free options!

Some Reasons Avoiding Dairy May Be Right for You

I am a big advocate for bio-individuality in wellness-- that is basically just a fancy way to say that there is no "one size fits all" and that we all have different goals, beliefs, lifestyles, and accessibility to certain foods. Dairy is no exception to this. Here are some reasons you may choose to have a healthy lifestyle without dairy products:

• Lactose intolerance- common symptoms of lactose intolerance are gas, poor digestion, acne, bloating, diarrhea, to name a few

• Milk allergy - true allergies are different than intolerances and can potentially be very dangerous, even life-threatening.

• Inflammatory symptoms- eczema is an example of a skin issue that is correlated with inflammation in the body. For some people, removing foods that can sometimes trigger inflammation (like gluten and dairy) can help bring healing.

• Accessibility - Unfortunately, many dairy products are packed with fortifiers, artificial ingredients, and fillers. And in others, accessing high-quality grass-fed dairy products comes at a steep price, making it hard to include in one’s budget.

• Personal Preference- if dairy products aren’t for you, for whatever reason you choose, you do you! I’m hoping this post can help educate and inspire you to nourish your body with whatever foods you feel best with.

The Importance of Getting Enough Protein

Whether you are chugging cow's milk, or looking for dairy-free options, one fact remains true: prioritizing protein is essential for adequate nutrition and maintaining health. Not only does prioritizing protein help to promote lean body tissue but it also:

• supports muscle growth and retention

• promote healthy hair, nails, and skin

• helps maintain healthy blood sugar balance

• supports feelings of satiety and can help to prevent overeating or bingeing

Read More:

• The Best Healthy Protein Sources to Have on Hand

• How to Build a Metabolically- Supportive Meal

Dairy-Free and Animal- Free Protein Options

Dairy is a direct animal product— removing it from certain diets completely. This list is free of both dairy and animal products— but still packed with protein and nourishing micronutrients.

• Coconut milk - This is one of my favorite milk alternatives because compared to nut milks or soy milk, you can often find a minimally processed option fairly easily. (watch the ingredient list of dairy-free milks as many of them are filled with gums, and stabilizers, and additives)

• Nutritional Yeast - I think this is one of the most underrated ingredients to support protein intake. It is also an amazing source of b vitamins, fiber, and minerals. One of my favorite ways to incorporate it into my diet is sprinkling it on rice bowls, salads, or scrambled eggs! It's got a savory flavor that is often described as being "cheesy" or "nutty" and is such a simple way to add dairy-free protein to your meal!

  • This brand is free of any fortifiers and is certified organic

• Beans- black beans, garbanzo beans, kidney beans-- you name it! This is a common food group that can cause some GI discomfort or poor digestion. That said, most of those symptoms can be minimized when prepared correctly! To support digestion when eating beans make sure you are soaking them before cooking well. 

• Seeds- Nuts and seeds have gotten a bit of a bad wrap in the "pro-metabolic" or "ancestral eating" spaces online.. and while I think most people do better when seeds and nuts are not a main source of their protein intake, they can be a great source for supplementing protein content. I love having trail mix for an occasional snack, or incorporating some nuts and seeds into a homemade granola for diy yogurt bowls! Here are some of my favorite seeds to include:

  • pumpkin seeds

  • sesame seeds

  • chia seeds

  • hemp seeds

• Plant-based protein powders- if you are avoiding all animal products, supplemental protein powders can be a good option. They can also be the perfect solution for high-protein snacks that are easy to take on-the-go. One of the best plant-based proteins I have ever tried is Truvani-- all clean ingredients, certified organic, and some of the yummiest flavors. My husband and I both love the chocolate peanut butter and the vanilla chai. 

Dairy- Free Animal-based proteins

The easiest, nutrient-dense protein shake— organic grass-fed why protein, chai colostrum powder, and organic grass-fed milk 👏

I am a big advocate for high-quality animal products to help you reach your protein goals. Not only are they more protein-dense than their plant-based alternatives, but they are packed with essential nutrients like essential amino acids, healthy fats, and help with feelings of satiety. Plus, per ounce they generally contain more grams of protein making them great options for meeting your protein goals! 

• Beef, chicken, pork, lamb, etc.

• Fish, tuna, shellfish

• Eggs - I am a big fan of eggs! Not only are they versatile, but they are packed with healthy fats and vitamins. I have eaten eggs nearly every day for years now and I don’t think i will ever go back.

• Meat sticks - these are a great source of protein for on-the-go snacks and traveling! I always have a few of these in my. bag as an easy way to get protein in on the go. 

• Beef jerky- watch the nutrition facts on popular jerky brands that you might find at the grocery store or convenience store... Many of them have a lot of added sugar. I recently found this brand and was super impressed 

• Sardines- a great option for quick, on-the-go protein! I love having a can of sardines with crackers and cut-up veggies for a quick, nourishing snack or meal.

• Oysters- Such a great source of vitamins and minerals— especially copper and zinc!

• Protein powder- while I always recommend real food before supplements, I think there is for sure a time and place for protein powders! Here are some of my favorite protein powder options that include bio-available animal proteins

  • Equip Beef Protein Isolate

  • Promix Grassfed Whey Protein

• Collagen Powder- one of the easiest ways to get protein into your diet is collagen, especially if you are a coffee drinker. I have been using collagen in my morning coffee for years and love what it has done for my hair, skin and nails.

Hopefully, this list can help you include diverse sources of protein in your diet to help support holistic health and wellness. If you have any other favorites that are missing from this list, let me know in the comments.

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