>Until last year I had no problems with food.  Now everything
>seems to have dairy in some form in it.
>

Yes, much of it does. But you'll get used to  searching for dairy-free
foods. Your first and best bet is to look for a kosher-pareve (there are
many symbols for the "kosher" part, such as a U with an O around it), but
the word "pareve" or "parve" or "parava" is unmistakable. If the "kosher"
marking is legit, then the food is certified by some *very* detail-oriented
rabbis to be completely free of dairy - that's the law - Jewish law, that
is.

Short of that, you'll also find that certain brands are more likely to be
dairy-free. In the NorthEast, the milk-free margarines include the Mazola
Light in the yellow tubs and the Fleischman's unsalted in stick form. The
breads include Matthews and Boysetta Fassetts (I know I spelled that wrong).

There are lots of milk-free sorbets and rice-based or soy-based ice cream
substitutes. If you're not allergic to soy or casein (a milk derivative),
there are soy-based cheese substitutes.

You get a whole new perspective on foods when you have a dietary
restriction. Soon, you'll come to view your supermarket as one, giant
convenience store filled with prepared foods, and you'll discover a newly
emergent trend toward "wholefoods", which is turning organic farming into a
multi-billion dollar prospect.

Good luck

Mark
Mark Feblowitz                  GTE Laboratories Incorporated
[log in to unmask]              40 Sylvan Road, Waltham, MA 02154-1120