Here’s where I get to play the villain. Dairy hides in places you’d never expect. This isn’t a scare tactic—it’s just the weird truth.
Milk Products Chart With Pictures
Processed meats (like some sausages and deli ham) often contain milk powder as a binder. Potato chips? Yep, some flavors (sour cream & onion is the obvious one, but even barbecue sometimes sneaks in whey). And dark chocolate—the “healthy” kind—can have milk fat added for texture.
One time I ate a whole bag of “vegan” crackers, only to find they used lactose as a flavor carrier. I felt so betrayed I almost cried into my oat milk latte. Almost. So, moral of the story: always flip the package to the ingredient list.
But What About Eggs? (The Eternal Question)
I know someone is shouting, “But eggs come from a chicken’s butt—is that dairy?!” No, friend. Eggs are not dairy. They are poultry products. The confusion comes from the fact that in grocery stores, eggs are usually shelved next to milk (because both are refrigerated). But biologically and legally, eggs are not dairy. They don’t come from a mammal’s mammary glands. That’s a hard line.
Similarly, meat broth or bone broth? Not dairy. Vegan butter? Not dairy (unless it’s contaminated). The rule is simple: if it didn’t come from a mammal’s teat, it’s not dairy. Period.
Dairy Foods Examples at Phillip Standley blog
