Over the last few years there’s been a huge move to non-dairy substitutes.

As part of the move to veganism and/or sustainability, plus diets that are kosher or lactose-free, more consumers seek animal-free dairy products.

You can now find delicious milks, yogurts, ice creams and cheeses made from non-dairy plant products.

Some examples in the milk category alone:

 
Non-dairy ice cream has long been made from coconut milk. But more recently, flavor scientists have developed alternatives that provide superior creaminess without the coconut undercurrent.

Most of us wouldn’t realize that we’re eating a non-dairy frozen dessert (which is the proper term for non-dairy ice cream).

Haagen Dazs’s Non-Dairy flavors are made from a base of almonds, sunflower oil and coconut oil.

Graeter’s Perfect Indulgence line is made with Perfect Day®’s animal-free dairy proteins (more about that in a minute).

Eclipse Foods’ non-dairy ice cream—“cowlessly creamy,” they call it—has a base made from cassava, corn, oats and potatoes, plus canola oil.

Note that non-dairy doesn’t mean lower calorie. These products have calories equal to the dairy-based originals.
 
 
1. PERFECT INDULGENCE FROM GRAETER’S ICE CREAM

Graeter’s, America’s oldest family-owned and operated ice cream producer, has joined the non-dairy movement with its handcrafted ice creams.

The company has turned its favorite ice cream flavors into a dairy-free line called Perfect Indulgence.

The line is named after a product developed by Perfect Day Foods, which has developed a Non-Animal Whey Protein Isolate*.

This non-animal whey protein has the same nutrition profile and culinary functionality as whey protein from cow’s milk.

But it’s vegan; free from lactose, cholesterol, hormones and antibiotics; and has a smaller environmental footprint than conventional whey protein isolate.

It also provides a rich, creamy, smooth, and indulgent eating experience.

Note that while Perfect Indulgence is vegan and lactose-free, the animal-free dairy proteins that are produced still contain certain milk allergens.

Those with sensitivity to dairy products should read the ingredient panel closely.

 
Our favorite conventional Graeter’s flavor, Black Cherry Chocolate Chip, tasted as good or maybe even better as Perfect Indulgence.

The other flavors also hit it out of the park.

> Discover more at Graeters.com.
 
 
ECLIPSE NON-DAIRY FROZEN DESSERT

The Eclipse line is nut free, and divided into the “classic” flavors plus the Chef Collection.

As with Graeter’s and Häagen-Dazs (and other brands not covered here), no one will realize they’re eating a non-dairy ice cream.

The classic flavors:

 
The Chef’s Collection is made in collaboration with leading chefs, with proceeds going to the charity of each chef’s choice.

The collection currently includes:

 
The Chocolate and Vanilla are excellent. Chocolate, made with Alter Ego chocolate, is one of the best chocolate ice creams you can try—dairy or non-dairy.

[1] The new plant-based ice creams are indistinguishable in looks and taste (photo © Häagen-Dazs Nondairy).

[2] Graeter’s classic flavors are now available in non-dairy versions (photos #2 and #3 © Graeter’s Ice Cream).

[3] Dairy-free Perfect Indulgence Cookies & Cream from Graeter’s.

[4] Eclipse’s outstanding nondairy Chocolate ice cream (photos #4, #5 and #6 © Eclipse Foods).

[5] Eclipse’s Vanilla is an intense vanilla experience.

[6] At left, a chocolate chip ice cream sandwich with Eclipse Vanilla; at right, a dish of Chocolate accompanied by squares of Alter Ego chocolate.

The Vanilla is super-charged with vanilla flavor. It, too, is indistinguishable from its dairy colleagues.

The Cookie Butter was not our cup of tea, but that’s a personal preference.

We tried only one of the Chef’s Collection, Palmier Cookie with Calvados Caramel.

The sophisticated, complex layering of flavors made us long to try the other two. (Fortunately, they’re easily available online.

> Get Your Eclipse pints here.

 
________________

*Rather than using the traditional dairy from cows or other animals, these proteins come from a process utilizing micro-flora fermentation. It’s still dairy; it’s just animal-free dairy because of the manufacturing process. The isolate comprises lab-grown versions of the proteins that are found in cow’s milk, such as casein and whey, but without the need for any animals. The sustainability argument is that the production of cellular milk requires less energy, greenhouse gas emissions and land usage, and is thus more resource-efficient than animal farming.