Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Substitutes: What to Use Instead
The most useful kitchen swaps to cut out gluten and dairy without giving up flavour or protein.
Cutting out gluten and dairy is easier when you already know what to replace them with. Here are the most common kitchen swaps, each with a practical note for people who train. When you buy a packaged substitute, always check the label: gluten-free doesn't automatically mean dairy-free, and vice versa.
| Avoid | Remove | Use instead | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gluten | Wheat pasta | Rice, corn, buckwheat or legume pasta | Legume pasta has the most protein |
| Gluten | White wheat flour | Rice, buckwheat, corn or tapioca flour | They behave differently when cooked: for baking, a ready-made blend works best |
| Gluten | Flour for thickening | Cornstarch or potato starch | Dissolve it in a cold liquid first to avoid lumps |
| Gluten | Couscous, bulgur | Quinoa, millet, amaranth | Quinoa contains all the essential amino acids |
| Gluten | Breadcrumbs | GF breadcrumbs, cornmeal, ground almonds | Almonds make the coating crunchy and add healthy fats |
| Gluten | Soy sauce | GF tamari or coconut aminos | Tamari tastes almost the same |
| Gluten | Regular oats | Certified GF oats | Only if certified: regular oats are often contaminated |
| Gluten | Bread | Certified GF bread | Many gluten-free breads contain milk or eggs: read the label |
| Dairy | Cow's milk | Rice, almond, coconut or oat drink | Oat drink has more carbs and is useful before training, but only if certified GF |
| Dairy | Butter | Extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, food-grade cocoa butter | Olive oil works for cooking and dressing; coconut oil and cocoa butter give structure to baked goods |
| Dairy | Yogurt | Unsweetened soy, coconut or almond yogurt | Soy yogurt has the most protein |
| Dairy | Cooking cream | Soy cream, canned coconut milk | Coconut milk makes sauces creamy |
| Dairy | Whey protein | Pea, rice or hemp protein | A pea + rice blend gives a complete amino acid profile |
| Dairy | Grated cheese | Nutritional yeast | Savoury flavour; often fortified with B vitamins |
| Dairy | Ricotta | Silken tofu blended with lemon, nut-based spread | Tofu has a similar texture and is rich in protein |
| Both | Béchamel | Rice flour or cornstarch + unsweetened plant drink + extra virgin olive oil | Same method as classic béchamel |
| Both | Stock cubes | Homemade stock or certified GF, dairy-free cubes | Many commercial stock cubes contain gluten or lactose |
⚠ Watch out for soy and oats
Tamari, tofu, soy yogurt, soy cream and soy drinks all contain soy, one of the 14 allergens that must be declared on EU labels: if you need to avoid it, choose coconut aminos and rice, coconut or almond alternatives. Certified GF oats aren't right for everyone either: a small share of people with coeliac disease react even to pure oats. If you have coeliac disease, ask your doctor before adding them.
Meal Prep for GF+DF Athletes
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The content on this page is for informational and practical purposes only: it doesn't replace professional advice. For specific dietary, health or medical needs, always consult a doctor or a qualified specialist.