Hey,

Sorry to post this to the whole list, but I hit the wrong key and lost the
original poster's message -- this is a reply to a reply.

At various times I've had success with these strategies --

*means check the dairy-free status of this item.

Trying recipes from my favorite restaurant food -- Southeast Asian is tops
around here,
but South Indian, Chinese, Japanese also are great -- cuts down on boredom
and makes
you feel as though you've taken charge and won a small victory when dinner
is really
really good.

Experimenting with different substitutes for your most-craved foods.  Almond
Mylk,
EggBeaters and corn or potato starch make a great pastry cream, and suddenly
you're
able to have, say, Boston cream pie, eclairs, french-style fruit tarts.

Watching cooking shows (my 5-year old loves this for some reason) and adapting
the recipes.  A lot of French and American recipes that we adore (mashed
potatoes,
crepes, apple pie, souffles) just don't need milk to taste good!

Tofutti.  Sorbet.  Hot fudge sauce made with Fleischmann's no-salt (and
dairy-free)
margarine.*

Instant or packaged anything that will cut down on your time in the kitchen.
Duncan
Hines Homestyle* frosting, or lemon pudding mix that cooks up with water,
for example.
Butter-flavor Crisco*.

Thinking about all those dairy-related hormones and chemicals you're not
putting in
your body any more.  And, to tell the truth, I think forcing cows to lactate
for years
and years is not one of the nicer things we do -- not one of the worst, to
be sure,
but still.  Ouch.

Using really fresh, gorgeous vegetables and fruits when you cook or snack.
Spoil
yourself with a pint of raspberries in the middle of winter -- outrageously
expensive
compared to the oranges, maybe, but far less than a home-baked or store-bought
cheesecake or a half-gallon of fancy ice cream.

Keeping your freezer and cabinets well-stocked with what you need to stay on
the
diet.

Eating before you go to someone's house for dinner.  Being really matter-of-fact
about your diet and repeating until it gets through that you're happy to
bring your
own food and that you ate already anyway, you can eat when you go home.  Also,
focusing on what you can eat or drink, as in, this wine is terrific, or,
where did you
find such good lettuce this time of year?

And, if your problems are mild enough, breaking out every once in a while.
I just had
to have a piece of cheesecake several weeks ago, for instance.  Didn't feel
so great for
a few days, but it was a truly great piece of cheesecake and emotionally, it
helped.
Realized later that I'd been missing my mother, whose cheesecake was a
6-inch-high
legend, and sad to say, I'm simple-minded enough that I felt better after,
sinus headache
and all.   And yes, it was mean to those poor cows...

Finally, my son was SO sick before we found the relatively simply and
unthreatening
cause to be foods, that I'm often grateful that's all it is, and that we're
not dependent
on drug regimens or hospitals to keep him well, touch wood.  Doesn't keep
things from
being irritating sometimes, but it's a useful touchstone.

Hope this helps.

Elizabeth