Cheese For Those Of Us Who Are Lactose Intolerant

I have become quite the Trader Joe’s fan. I’m always amazed how much I can buy and not go into shock at the register when it gets rung up. Their pricing is so much better than the chain grocery stores, at least on the items I usually buy.

Today I stopped by and picked up some of my favorites, as well as a few things to take when I visit my son, dil and grandsons soon.

Trader Joe's Milk, Goat's Cheese, and Salads

 

I love their ready-made salads. I always pick up a few because they are so convenient for lunch during the week.

Healthy Salads for Quick Lunches

 

Today I bought this chicken that was over near the salads. I thought I’d add it to the salads for lunch. Update: Opened and tried the chicken this evening, and it’s good! It’s real chicken breasts and tastes great, even by itself.

Grilled Chicken Strips from Trader Joe's

 

I Can Enjoy Cheese Again!

I read an article online a couple of weeks ago that said folks who can’t eat cheese or who suffer with IBS symptoms find that they can often tolerate goat cheese quite well. It was something about how goat cheese has short chain fatty acids and not long chain like you find in cow’s milk.

Apparently shorter chain fatty acids are much easier to digest. Goat cheese is made with cultures that help convert the lactose to lactic acid, which is also supposed to be a good thing.

I was skeptical, having dealt with this issue my whole life, but decided to give it a try because I love cheese and really miss it. Guess what, it actually worked! I can eat goat cheese with no problem! It’s like a miracle!

I’ve bought the top one a few weeks ago and tolerated it great. So today I bought it again along with the one you see below it. Out of these two, the Trader Joe’s Chevre with fine herbs is definitely my favorite. It’s so good!

So if you suffer when you eat dairy, especially cheese, give goat cheese a try. I was so amazed when it didn’t cause any tummy issues for me at all!

Wonder if ice cream can be made from goat’s milk.?  Maybe it’s best I don’t find out!

Goat Cheese That's Easy on the Tummy

 

The other thing I’ve discovered recently is when I drink Trader Joe’s 1%, organic milk and/or use it for cereal, it doesn’t upset my tummy at all. I’ve tolerated 1% cow’s milk okay with the occasional upset, but I’ve had none at all with this milk. Plus, it tastes great!

1% Organic Milk That Doesn't Upset My Tummy

 

Whatever you do, when you go to Trader Joe’s, don’t buy these cinnamon rolls! lol They are so good, they are addictive! These are so much better than the “popular brand” I’ve always purchased in the grocery store. They will haunt you until they are all gone, I know from experience!

As I was checking out, the guy ringing me up started raving about these cinnamon rolls to another guy who was bagging the groceries. Glad to know I’m not the only one addicted to these! 😉

Addicted to Trader Joe's Cinnamon Rolls

 

I tried their biscuits a few weeks ago since I like their cinnamon rolls so much. Here’s what I discovered: Have you ever noticed when you sometimes eat canned biscuits, you can end up with kind of a yucky coating on the roof of your mouth?

It always feels like grease to me, like some type of grease or oil that isn’t digestible. I hate that feeling, that coating on the roof of my mouth. In my mind, I always imagine it’s something bad that’s clogging up my arteries. Anyone else notice this with canned biscuits?

Well, these Trader Joe’s biscuits don’t do that. There’s no coating left behind on the roof of the mouth. Sometimes in the morning I’ll cook an egg and use these biscuits to make an egg biscuit. It makes for a fast and easy breakfast!

Trader Joe's Biscuits

 

I picked up a couple of bottles of the Peach Bellini Trader Joe’s carries, one for here and one to take when I visit family. One of their employees told me about this stuff when I was in there a while back. I’ve never tried making a Peach Bellini from scratch, but I should since Georgia is the peach state and we have some awesome peaches every summer.

If you don’t want to make your Peach Bellinis from scratch, this is pretty tasty. It would be easy to serve for parties and great for warm summer nights out on the porch.

Peach Bellini, Perfect for Summer Parties

 

What’s your favorite Trader Joe’s product? I love trying new things each time I visit!

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Comments

  1. You may know this but there is a TJ’s in Dayton (actually Kettering) on Stroop in the Town and Country shopping center. Just in case you need something.

    Cindi

  2. Anne Shaheen says

    You must go to Dorothy Lane Market when in OH, sure your dil is familiar with it. Their bakery and grocery is well worth a visit.

    • I do, every time I visit. I’m obsessed with that place! I always ask my son and dil if I can go grocery shopping just so I have an excuse to go! I even have my own membership card and get their emails! lol If I move there one day, I want to buy a home near Dorothy Lane. I have this dream/image of me biking over there on one of those cute “beach” style bikes with baskets on the back, to do my grocery shopping. 🙂

  3. I try to find food gifts for single men and I always go to Trader Joes when I’m in KC. Their milk is very good, I like their butter and the veggies seem to last so much longer. Their cherry juice doesn’t have sugar and I give that to my pastor and he tells me that it really helps him when he’s very tired. My husband doesn’t food shop, but he has to go with me to Trader Joes. Their flowers are so beautiful and I buy them in the winter when I don’t have any out in the garden. I read that not one of their stores are alike, but all have similar things. I also like their whipping cream in boxes that is shelf stable. I keep a couple boxes in the refr and if I need some I shake the box and then pour it into bowl and whip.

    • I didn’t know about the whipping cream…good to know! That’s interesting that not all the stores are the same. Maybe they try to cater them toward what people like and what sells well in each area. Thanks, Carol!

  4. I have the same IBS problem and dairy products are off my menu. In Australia we are fortunate to be able to buy Lactose free icecream, custard, milk (of course), cheese, cream cheese and cream which does not whip.
    Any even small café we go into serves lactose free milk with tea or coffee in Australia but a recent trip to New Zealand and they had never heard of it. I believe there is also dairy free chocolate available also. But I used to love goat cheese so I have to try it. Thanks for the tip.

    • We have lactose free milk here, too and one day I finally decided to try it. It didn’t upset my stomach, which was awesome, but what I didn’t like was how sweet it tasted. I googled to see why it was so sweet and and apparently the reason the milk doesn’t upset your tummy is because the lactose has already been broken down for you. Unfortunately that process breaks it down into two simple sugars, galactose and glucose, so that’s what makes it taste so much sweeter than regular milk.
      If it weren’t for that, I would definitely but the lactose free milk. So far, the 1% organic at Trader Joe’s has worked great. Sometimes I wonder if maybe I’m not lactose intolerant but maybe the issue is the fat content of foods, because lower fat milk doesn’t seem to bother my tummy.
      Barbara, in case this is helpful, I also take Culturelle probiotic once a day. I buy it on Amazon. That’s the probiotic my doctor recommended and it does help a lot. About a month ago I started taking 1500 mg of fish oil a day and I noticed that has really helped my digestive issues, too. Not sure why or how. Maybe the fish oil coats the intestines and that helps somehow. I’ve just noticed that my whole lower digestive system is much better now since I started taking it daily. The one I take is GNC Triple Strength Fish Oil 1500 that you can buy in the GNC stores. It’s also on Amazon here: http://amzn.to/29pOITt

  5. We are very lucky. We have 5 TJs within driving distance. Ours carries goats milk so you might check on it. I know friends that their babies had colic, and the doctor recommended goats milk. They seemed to tolerate it. So there must be something to it.

    I think you could throw a great party from the cheese isle and wine isle. I like their sesame seed cracker too.

    • That is awesome! Mine is about 2 miles from my home, wish it was even closer. I do love to go there and shop when I’m having friends over. I think when I’m in Ohio, I’ll visit their Trader Joe’s just to see what it’s like. 🙂

  6. We just shopped at TJ’s two days ago, but we didn’t know about any of your recommendations, so looking forward to the next visit. (Cinnamon rolls top the list.)

  7. Karen Alaska says

    I am also lactose intolerant. I love, love, LOVE cheese, and if I’m crazy enough to have ice cream or cheese without first taking a double dose of lactase first, I will pay for my error with a week-long bout of severe belly cramps. I have discovered, after some research, that yogurt is okay for those who are lactose intolerant. It has something to do with the cultures. This means I can enjoy that lovely, thick Greek yogurt and frozen yogurt treats. I switched to soy-milk years ago and it really didn’t take long to get used to it. I also discovered the joys of goat cheese years ago, too.

    • Karen, I’ve done that too and paid the price. I have some of the Lactaid or whatever it’s called that you take before you eat cheese/ice cream, but it never totally helps. Taking a probiotic was the best thing I ever did and the fish oil just helped that much more. I think it helped to heal and balance my system back out from years of being stressed when I didn’t know what to do.
      I’ve tried soy milk but just really don’t like it very much, unfortunately. So glad that has worked for you, though.

  8. Patricia says

    My husband is lactose intolerant but he too can eat goat cheese products. Feta and Chevre are both tolerable for him and much tastier than the vegan cheeses. I am going to pretend I didn’t read about those cinnamon rolls. No, no, no. My other favorite from TJ’s is their ‘just a handful’ of portioned almonds. Helps keep me from munching the whole bag in two days. Peach bellinis I can surrender to.

    • Oh, I need to look for those because I get carried away when eating almonds and it’s amazing how fast the calories add up with nuts. Thanks for mentioning those, I’ll look for those next time I shop. lol about the cinnamon rolls. They are worth the occasional splurge. I don’t know how, but they always find their way into my cart. The previous visit before this past one, they were completely out of them. I think they have a hard time keeping them stocked.

      • psst. don’t go near their chocolate croissants. you’ll think you’ve gone to Paris. And their refrigerated rolled pie crusts are thicker and flakier than major label brand- often sold out at Thanksgiving and summer months.

  9. Linda Page says

    Wish I had a Trader Joe’s near me. The closest one is in Dallas which is 120 miles away. But I have heard wonderful things about the store and it’s products. So glad you have one close to you. Save a bottle of the Peach Bellini for when I come to visit. What are you doing in Oct???

  10. We would actually road trip to TJ’s before we finally got one here. I agree, they are very budget friendly. The coffee prices are a steal and I love the frozen section for easy dinners on busy nights. However, the flowers are my absolute favorite-very affordable for a self indulgence and they last forever. I can get mine to look fresh for about 2 weeks!

    • I love their flowers, too! And they have pine garland for a steal at Christmastime. I think it was $6 a strand last year, or maybe that was the year before.

  11. Carolyn Price says

    Great info, Susan, as I became lactose intolerant about 15 months ago. I will definitely check out their cheeses.
    Your Trader Joe’s had The Best pfefferneuse cookies last Christmas season. Put every other brand to shame!!
    But do not park there in an outside parking space. Walked out of the store just in time to see a runaway cart from a space further up the hilly lot clobber my car. : /

    • I wonder what suddenly made that happen to you. So weird how our bodies work. Looking back, whatever is wrong with me, whatever my body can’t process, I’ve had it at least since college. Sorry you are having to deal it with now, Carolyn. I’ll look for those cookies this year! Thanks for the heads up on those!

  12. Cyndi Raines says

    Susan, Thanks for the tips about Trader Joes’. The closest one to me is about an hour away, but I want to visit this summer. Also, thanks for the tip about the probiotic. I will tell my 89 year old mother. She has been having the same issues and I will have her try this. Regarding the fish oil, does it make you burp and you then have a fishy taste in your mouth? I used to take a fish oil pill but hated the burping and so quit. Hopefully, they have improved them. So happy you get to come north! We in MI have been having a lovely summer. In the high 70′ and mid to high 80’s, should be a nice change for you. Ohio and MI usually have similar weather. I know you will have a wonderful time!

    • The one I buy definitely doesn’t. I always take it with a meal, which I think is a good idea. I’ve noticed when buying Fish Oil that some will say on the label that it doesn’t make you burp, so if you don’t buy the GNC brand, just look for that on the label.

    • Cyndi, I just remembered, I bought it last time on Amazon and this is the one I bought: http://amzn.to/29AEi25
      No problem with burping at all and in addition to the helping my digestive issues, it has really improved the appearance of my skin, especially on my arms. I have the driest skin in the world and it has definitely helped with that.

  13. Regality (aka The Quing) says

    I also am lactose intolerant and in the past have been told and found to be true that goat products are no better than cow’s milk products. I wonder if some of your issue is with the proteins in cow’s milk. That might account for your positive reaction to the goat’s milk products.

    One thing that I’ve found is that I tolerate very aged cheeses, such as parmesan, fairly well, because the lactose is in the whey and there’s very little/none in the aged cheeses which are practically all fat.

    Fortunately, I was not always l.i., because as a kid I practically survived on milk.

    • I wonder. It’s so confusing because normally if I drink 1% milk, I’m fine, but if I drink whole milk or eat ice cream, I’m going to have a problem. So I wondered if it was the fat content. The richer the dairy, the worse it’s going to effect me. Oh, and get this, while I was in Italy and being served a lot of cheese, I did really well. I only had one attack and it went away pretty quickly. I wondered if the cheese they eat over there is a little different somehow. Or maybe I just got lucky.

      • Regality (aka The Quing) says

        The lower the fat content, the worse it is for those of us who are lactose intolerant; because lower fat means more whey means more lactose. Nonfat milk is a real killer. I was fine until my mid-forties, and then all sorts of digestive enzyme issues showed up gradually. I just can’t digest lactose, fructose (this is really, really complicated), and almost any “ose” except sucrose (in limited amounts) and glucose. My diet sucks. Basically, if it’s good for me, I can’t eat it.

      • Regality (aka The Quing) says

        According to this list, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactose_content_of_foods, I’m sorta wrong about sheep/goat cheese products for the general l.i. population. Though, for those extremely sensitive (which I am), sheep/goat would still be problematic.

        It also could have been my other digestive problems starting to kick in.

        Do you know about avoiding additives such as casein?

      • Hi, on the dairy issue, some folks seem to confuse lactose (a sugar) with casein, the protein in milk products that seems to cause problems for so many. A simple blood test can reveal an issue with the latter, and if the marker is high, careful avoidance of any dairy products, including butter, is the best course.
        Trader Joe’s also sells casein-free, Vegan Mozzarella Style Shreds that actually taste pretty good; like a mild Parmesan, although they melt well for pizza or pasta dishes where you’d want that. Just can’t use too much at one time as they really spread out!

  14. claudette flanigan says

    I love Trader Joes. I will see if our store has those cinnamon rolls, they sound wonderful! Our Connecticut Trader Joes does not sell wine, however, I heard the one in Masschusetts does, so will have to see. Also lactose intolerant and have always enjoyed goat cheese crumbled on a green salad.

  15. I am also lactose intolerant…I can eat goat cheese and parmesan cheese without problems. I can eat sheep milk cheeses without problems…give them a try. A little harder to find but soo yummy. I agree with you Susan…must be the fat content as i also cannot eat anything that has been made with buttermilk in it….no biscuits or pancakes or cakes.. 🙁

  16. Deborah D says

    Goats milk ice cream is the best ever. The Farmers Market in Hattiesburg, MS use to have it. My grandson got me hooked on it last summer. Alas this summer it’s not there. It was absolutely delicious. Hope you can find some. Have fun with the grands.

  17. Margaret Robinson says

    I think it’s great you’ve found some things at TJ’s that work for lactose intolerance or any type of stomach issue. However, I would caution you that these are not TJ’s products. The company does have some input into certain foods and products with companies, but the products themselves are from companies that usually produce or make under their own labels. They will sell a certain percentage of their goods to TJ (it works the same with Safeway, Lucky, et al.).

    These companies usually make excellent products, but they are not TJ’s and one must understand that when purchasing items at a TJ store. I shop at TJ’s and find the products they carry, on the whole, well-selected for the high criteria TJ’s holds dear, but one must understand that the products sold in their stores comes from other companies – be they farmers, manufacturers or companies that pre-package items and pass them on to TJ’s. Trader Joe’s is a retail grocery store company that just happens to be concerned about what the general public is eating and using. They have a bottom line just like any other grocery store chain.

  18. I also tolerate goat cheese. Just be careful when buying Feta because it is also made from cow milk. We visit friends who live in a rural area and their fresh out of the cow milk doesn’t bother my stomach. I wonder why so many are suddenly Lactose intolerant, maybe it is the processing. I will add the probiotics since I have lower GI issues due to medications.

  19. Gloria in SC says

    Susan, our TJ in Greenville, SC has the best produce. They had Brussel sprouts on the stalk. I had never seen them so fresh like this so naturally I bought some. They were very reasonable and tasted delicious when roasted.
    I also love just leisurely shopping there and looking at all the things that I don’t see in our regular markets.

  20. Mary in Idaho says

    Thanks for this very interesting post. I don’t know anything about Trader Joe’s, but I do know about goats. Goat’s milk ice cream is the BEST ice cream ever. I don’t know any commercial producers only homemade ice cream. Easy to make if you have an electric ice cream maker……and a goat!

  21. Susan Jones says

    Wow I didn’t know they sold those cinnamon rolls! It’s hard to believe they can be better than the Pillsbury!! I’m close to the one in Athens, GA so definitely will be looking for those. We love their Orange Chicken if you haven’t tried that.

  22. Goat’s milk is the closest thing to mother’s milk. That’s why babies with digestive problems can tolerate goat’s milk. That might be why those with IBS and other “issues” can eat the cheese and drink the milk without problems.

  23. Sharon Avinger says

    Love their cheese that has apricots cut up in it, also their bar soap with lavender. The soap lasts such a long time! Their canned pumpkin (seasonal item in the fall) tastes so fresh! Best I’ve ever had. You need to stock up when you see it on the shelves. Also love their pumpkin items in the fall. So many to choose from! Their bottled cider is wonderful for holiday parties. It already has spices in it so all you need to do is heat it. You can’t beat their produce – such a variety at great prices.Love Trader Joe’s and going tomorrow with my daughter!

  24. I have tried a few of the items you shared here but not all of them. I also like the ready-made salads and wraps. And, of course, their flower “market” is great! The prices are SO affordable! But, seriously, the one item at Trader Joe’s that has me 100% addicted is the whole, salted pecans. Oh my word, those are amazing and dangerous, haha. I can’t leave them alone…

  25. Their little frozen garlic cloves and basil!!! The shelf whipping cream is the greatest. Their fresh flowers…. I could go on and on.

  26. I love to go to Trader Joe’s, unfortunately the closest one to me is a couple of hours away. But when I’m near one, I stop in! Will have to look for a bottle of that Peach Bellini, and some of those other goodies. Have you tried coconut milk ice cream? My granddaughter is has several food allergies, including milk, but she enjoys that ice cream.

  27. Cindy S. says

    Wishing I had a Trader Joe’s near me, but on the other hand …Yes you can definately make Ice Cream out of goats milk!!! We used to raise show goats and had a few Nannie’s that we milked one of them gave a gallon and a half everyday so had to find uses for all that milk…:) Our kids never knew but we traded the cow’s milk for the goat milk. I used to occasionally purchase a gallon of cow milk and when it was gone I would rinse out the gallon jug and then fill it with goat milk. They never realized and we always had milk available. We even had teachers coming to the house for it, its the best thing for a baby that cannot tolerate the formulas they have nowadays.

  28. TJ cut flowers!!!!! I buy them in Dallas before heading back home. Also, they offer organic products that I’ve never seen in traditional corporate groceries. It’s always fun to try new things and TJ isn’t as pricey as Central Market or Whole Foods.

  29. Sandra Boudreaux says

    I had never heard of Trader Joe’s until they started building one around the corner from my office. It is expected to open in the fall. It’s nice to know that their products are good and less expensive. Thanks for the food tips!

  30. Love TJ’s ! Prices are great, everything I have purchased is wonderful. I love to go when I am hosting , they have wonderful cheese and crackers. Love their coffee……..Love to go during the holidays for their flowers. I will try your suggested items when next I go……….I shop in Charlotte….

  31. Hi ,
    I have been lactose intolerant for too many years to count. Ben and Jerrys just came out with dairy free ice cream!!!!! It is just so good to have ice cream again. Takes a bit of looking but it is in the freezers of a few grocers in our area. Let me know if you try it. Only problem is it is very firm and needs to soften more than regular ice cream, which I can do after waiting years for the creamy good stuff.

  32. We just had the cinnamon rolls for the first time moments ago; we were going to wait until the morning, but couldn’t. They are so fluffy and fresh tasting. Hubby is a big cinnabon fan and raved about these. Thanks for the tip.

  33. I love Trader Joe’s! My favorite items are the Triple Ginger Snaps and the Organic Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup. Oh MY!!!!

  34. Thanks for the tip re: Peach Bellini, the cinnamon rolls (uh-oh!), and other stuff (just wrote them all down for next trip). I buy the Prosecco at TJ’s – nice & inexpensive & tasty. Love the Reduced Guilt Mac & Cheese. Next trip will be to get the sourdough sliced bread (love it toasted) and a bag of frozen chicken breasts (flatter than supermarket ch. breasts). Got an idea from their demo: put a little Indian masala simmering sauce into chicken salad. It’s very good. Love their Indian sauces & the frozen naan when popped into a hot oven–comes out tasting similar to an Indian restaurants.

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