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Introduction

Your child has been on a milk free diet due to an allergy or intolerance.

You have been recommended to try and re-introduce milk into the diet to see whether your child has outgrown the allergy or intolerance to milk. Follow the approach on the next page.

If your child experiences any symptoms at any point:

  • Stop using the foods you have introduced that week
  • Do not progress onto any further new foods
  • Wait 4-6 weeks and re-start the re-introduction at the point you had to stop
  • Keep the foods that your child has tolerated in the diet e.g. if your child tolerates butter but not yoghurt, keep the butter in the diet and try yoghurt again in 4-6 weeks’ time
  • It is advisable to re-introduce the new food into the diet early in the day so that if there is any reaction it will not occur late on in the day or at night

Stage 1

A food that has milk within the ingredients list e.g. biscuit or food containing butter, margarine or whey

Give this food once a day for three days, if no symptoms keep in the diet in addition try other foods that are similar e.g. cake, malted milk biscuit

Stage 2

Normal butter or margarine e.g. in mashed potato, on toast, stirred into vegetables

For three days give once a day and then increase to twice a day if no symptoms.

Stage 3

Yoghurt or fromage frais

For three days give 1 teaspoon once a day and gradually increase the amount and then give twice a day if no symptoms. 

Stage 4

Cooked cheese

For three days give 1 teaspoon of grated cheese cooked on toast or in a jacket potato.

Stage 5

Uncooked cheese

Try 1 teaspoon of grated cheese once a day and gradually increase the quantity and number of servings.

Stage 6

Heated cow’s milk/UHT milk

Try a food with milk that has been heated e.g. cheese sauce, custard, milk pudding.

Stage 7

Cow’s milk

Try fresh cow’s milk on cereal first and then give as a drink.

 

Contact us

If you have any queries relating to this information, please contact the Dietetics service.

About this information

Service:
Dietetics

Reference:
DT/099

Approval date:
22 May 2026

Review date:
1 May 2029

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Important note 

This page provides general information only. It is developed by clinical staff and is reviewed regularly every 3 years for accuracy. For personal advice about your health, or if you have any concerns, please speak to your doctor.