Dairy-Free Oreos and Oreo Substitutes

Back in the olden days of lactose intolerance, everyone "knew" that Hydrox sandwich cookies were to be preferred over Oreo's because Hydrox cookies were parve, meaning they contained no milk products in the creme filling. While that was true, part of the confusion may have been because Oreo's used to contain lard, making them non-kosher. I don't honestly remember whether they ever contained a true milk product, but note that they officially had "creme" filling and not "cream" filling.

Well, Hydrox cookies died several years ago and today's Oreos have no milk products in them. But they're not the healthiest cookies around either. Melissa Morrow's Boulder Organic Food Examiner column talked about some dairy-free healthy alternatives.

#2: Newman's Own Organic Cookies - Yum, yum. With several flavors to choose from, including original Crème, Chocolate Crème, Mint Crème, Crème Filled Ginger Cookies, Wheat Free Dairy Free Crème, and the new Peanut Butter Crème Filled Chocolate Cookies, you are sure to get your fix. Super tasty, crispy cookies, creamy cream filling. It's good stuff. On top of being delicious, they are kosher and vegan.

Here we go again. From the name you might think that only the Wheat-Free Dairy-Free is truly dairy-free. Nope, all of them of are. Of course, that's what vegan means.

#1: Country Choice Sandwich Cremes - Coming in at first place is my absolute favorite cookie ever. There are six flavors to choose from: Chocolate, Chocolate Creme, Vanilla, Ginger Lemon, Duplex and Mint Creme. I've tried them all, many, many times. The creme filling is actually creamy. The cookies are crispy and powerbursts of flavor. The only problem is that they taste so good that it is sometimes hard to stop eating them. They, too, are both vegan and kosher.

All are indeed kosher, but Country Choice's FAQ page is a bit more particular about their vegan and dairy-free status:

1.WHICH PRODUCTS ARE MILK-FREE OR NON-DAIRY?
Milk Free: Soft-baked Cookies - Oatmeal Raisin and Old Fashioned Oatmeal. Note: all are processed on shared equipment with dairy.

Non-Dairy: Oatmeal - Instant, Old Fashioned, Quick and Steel Cut, and Multi-grain Hot Cereal. Sandwich Cookies - Vanilla, Chocolate, Duplex, Chocolate Crème, Ginger Lemon, and Mint Crème. Note: all are processed on shared equipment with dairy.


2.WHICH PRODUCTS ARE VEGAN?
Canisters Oats (all), Instant Oatmeal (all), FIT KIDS Instant Oatmeal (except Chocolate Chip), Sandwich Cookies (all), FIT KIDS Snackin' Grahams (all), Oatmeal on the Run (all). Note: Cookies are processed on shared equipment with dairy and eggs.