Going Dairy Free

When avoiding dairy, watch out for:

Cassien

Lactose

Lactic Acid, the label usually will not say what it is derived from. Check websites or contact manufacturer to verify if it is derived from dairy. Often in products you would not expect such as canned tomatoes, orange juice and deli meats.

Whey

Butter, Milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, all cheese products

Produce: bananas, melons like cantalope, honeydew and water mellon, squashes like pumpkin and zucchini. The proteins are very similar to the proteins of dairy products and may cross-react. Watch to see your reaction or tolerance level with these.

Meats: Beef, Veal and Cheron (goat) will also have related proteins, so limit your exposure if you are especially sensitive to dairy products.

Remember that goat milk is still milk!

When dining out: verify how foods are cooked. Often items are marinated, sauteed, cooked in or basted with butter. Most restaurants will use an olive oil, or similar, for you if you ask. Also, ask them to clean the grill well and be careful of cross contamination from utensils and other meals.
Dairy Substitutes

There are many commercial dairy substitutes on the market, but there are also many simple things you can do yourself that can be cheaper or in some cases, easier than tracking down commercial products.

Most margarines still contain dairy products such as lactic acid, whey, etc. Look for products with the Kosher symbol (a P or K in a circle) . Also, when buying a substitute, vegan products are a safe bet, too. Often, they still have other ingredients you may be trying to avoid such as soy or corn.
I like different substitutions for different uses.

On toast or bread: I like Earth Balance that is made from Coconut Oil, blue tub in the Natural Foods section. We also use honey and homemade jams / jellies a lot.

In cooking you can try broth (vegetable or poultry) or applesauce. I use the applesauce in baked items and broth for things like mashed potatoes.

Coconut oil is a great substitute in baking. Use it like you would Crisco.

To make buttermilk, take 1 C of milk substitute, add 1 Tbsp lemon juice and let sit for 3-5 minutes. Works like a charm.

If a recipe calls for powdered milk, I usually just skip it. I do have a dairy-free powdered milk in the cupboard for use in a pinch.

When baking I have found most commercial milk substitutes work fine, but too low fat content can affect results.

Look for the following recipes in my Dairy Free collection:
Cashew Cream (can also be made with Almonds)
Zucchini Milk (better for lactose intolerance than dairy allergy, see note on hidden dairy)
Butter Beans