We gave up on finding a cheese substitute for our MSPI infant (milk protein intolerance). We once bought some almond cheese, which he adored. We were horrified to find it had casein in it (milk protein). Fortunately he's outgrown it and eats real cheese with the best of them. Just a warning, don't buy almond cheese if you're looking for vegan cheese. I can't fathom why you would want it if you are OK with eating casein.

I'm lactose intolerant (although I still indulge occasionally, but usually only when I'm at home and know I won't have to go anywhere any time soon). I understand the cravings for something cheese-like, but I've found, through many trials, that fake cheese is never going to cut it. I'd much prefer to find a delicious recipe that stand alone than try to replicate lasagna with fake cheese.

I was discouraged with cooking (and eating for that matter) when my lactose intolerance was at its worse. I found a cookbook at my local library that promised delightful meals, totally dairy-free. Unfortunately EVERY SINGLE RECIPE contained a need for some sort of dairy-free alternative: dairy-free milk, dairy-free cheese (of all varieties - cottage, mozza, cheddar), dairy-free yogurt etc. All I was looking for were recipes that were good and just happened to not have any dairy in them! I'm sure my vegan friends can relate.

Is it too much to ask for something tasty that doesn't have a whiff of milk??!

On a side note, our current favourite dairy-free recipe is a Martha Stewart Tostada - http://www.marthastewart.com/340908/grilled-chicken-tostadas. You don't need the sour cream to serve. I like mine with a little hot sauce.

I was vegan for 10 years and just started eating dairy/eggs again. The Dr. Cow's Nut Cheese is yummy, although not entirely cheese-like (and ridiculously expensive). The others just seem overly processed and kinda gross.

When I was vegan, Daiya was my go to cheese. It was perfect on pizza, in lasagna and on nachos. The key was that it had to be heated/melted. It was not good cold. But it was definitely excellent in hot applications.

I love Daiya! As an aspiring but not there yet vegan I still eat real cheese on occasion and still prefer my grilled cheese to be made with Daiya. Actually I prefer any recipe that asks for melted cheese to be made with Daiya.

Daiya is the best of the mozzarella types. It is really hard to find stretchy, stringy vegan cheeses.
However, I've found that some cheese are really easy to replicate if you make them yourself. Using firm tofu and soaked cashews, I can make a vegan ricotta that even my (cheese-loving, very blunt) boyfriends admits is indistinguishable from the real thing. Cashews can actually work wonders in a lot of ways. If you get the right flavorings, you can even make something close to a goat cheese using them.

Michelou, are you having trouble because you are looking for casserole and similar one-dish meal recipes? You might find it easier to cook (without recipes) if you think of meals in terms of a protein (meat, fish, beans, tofu, etc...), a grain or starchy vegetable, and a non-starchy vegetable. You can doctor these up in all sorts of ways with olive oil, herbs and spices, lemon juice, vinegars, etc...

The best tactic is to think in terms of what you CAN have and stop focusing on finding substitutes for things that are off-limits.

In our household, we are all dairy intolerant and I am gluten, egg and soy free as well, so Daiya is our go-to cheese substitute. I've learned how use it in many dishes such as risotto, soups and sauces--it works very well. I make fermented macademia nut cheese as well, which tastes very much like goat cheese.
And yes, many of the 'vegetarian' cheese substitutes contain casein/milk protein. You have to look for strictly vegan cheese to avoid that. They're out there, you just have to spend some time looking.

Daiya cheese shreds are great and they just came out with a new cheese 'block' version. Many of our local restaurants are starting to use it as well ... so nice to be able to order a vegan pizza now!

I've never had Daiya but when I'm craving a cheesy/creamy sauce I make it out of almonds or cashews

i *hate* Daiya... but then, I'm not vegan. I am, however, lactose intolerant to the point that even the trace amounts remaining in hard/aged cheeses can bother me, and I do find that the almond cheeses that contain casein are about the closest I've found to the real thing.

In case someone (like Brandy K) was wondering why bother with non-dairy "cheeses" that contain casein.

@JLS988 - I was having troubles with following recipes as the ones I wanted to try out (from the Kitchn and other websites) seemed to always include some sort of dairy element. When I purposely tried to find dairy-free recipes, it seemed like all I could find were recipes that once contained dairy that were modified to include dairy-free ingredients like dairy-free milk etc. rather than just good tasting meals that happened to be dairy free. The anecdote I told in my original post about the cookbook happened a few years ago and I'm doing much better these days steering clear of dairy in meals.

I still happen upon recipes every now and then that call for ridiculous dairy substitutes that don't taste very good and are not very wallet-friendly.

Daiya just came out with "wedges". They are made differently than Daiya's previous cheese (they told me when I asked if I could freeze it), and that's part of why my wife is obsessed with it. Apparently it spreads and slices cold and can be eaten that way. Uncooked vegan cheese (aside from Dr. Cow's) has never really been there. I'd say more, but I don't really eat cheese of any kind.

We are a newly vegan household, and I tried to ease the transition using Daiya 'cheese' so that I could hold on to some of my old recipes. However, my kids and husband thought it tasted gross. I thought it was ok, but I never liked it. I would be open to trying other vegan cheese options when I can find them, but I am giving up on Daiya.

I love Daiya! And I actually eat real cheese too. But when I'm at a vegan place, I have no issue going with the Daiya.

Soy cheese on the other hand, is just plain disgusting. I've had it on Amy's frozen pizza and bought a block at the store. Just gross. Nut and rice cheeses are good. But soy is bleh.

I like Daiya for sprinkling on pasta dishes etc for a touch of cheese. However, it has no nutritional value so I stick to using it as a seasoning rather than a major ingredient.

I recently bought some soy cheese by accident from my local market which has a great cheese section. I can't remember the name, but it seemed to have been cut from a block and packaged at the store. It was jalapeño version, trying to imitate pepper jack I think. The texture was alright and it tasted ok raw, but you could tell it wasn't real cheese. However, it did melt well and when used in things like burritos, or english muffin pizzas you couldn't tell much of a difference between the soy cheese and the real stuff. (If you're in NYC the market where I got it is Barzini's at 91st and Broadway on the upper west side).

After all the Daiya and Teese hype I stumbled upon Galaxy. They make both vegan and non vegan faux cheeses. Its so flavorful and melts wonderfully. Its rice based. Hands down my new favorite and I can skip the Daiya hype. It just tastes like well, nothing, and is an oily mess to me.

Kitchn: You spelled Daiya wrong!!!!!!!!