But does it taste like the real thing?

As we thaw out of this huge snowstorm and pray for Spring, I can think of nothing better than curling up with a good ole grilled cheese sandwich with some tomato soup.

My next thought goes to how I can modify the sandwich so my Baby Girl with dairy allergies doesn’t miss out on one of my feel-good favorites.

It’s getting easier to find milk- and egg-free alternatives for a lot of items.  That almond and coconut Reddi Wip whipped cream is a staple on our grocery list now. We keep several cans of coconut milk in the pantry ready for any recipe that calls for cream of chicken or cream of mushroom, or just about anything creamy.

It takes a little longer for the cheese to melt.

Bananas and vegetable oil are also good add-ins for any recipe that calls for eggs–my favorite recipe for fluffy waffles without eggs turns out EXCELLENT every time.

Baby Girl couldn’t tell the difference between the Dairy and the real cheddar slices, because they looked the same.

But finding a good cheese is hard. And finding one that a toddler will eat is even harder.

So I put Daiya to the test. We’ve struck out with a few of their other products, like their Mac N Cheese. But when I came across a coupon for their pricey Cheddar-Style slices, I decided to give it a try.

I toasted our bread in the skillet first using our go to Smart Balance butter, which is vegan. Halfway through the toasting process, I add the Daiya cheese to one piece of toast and add the other piece on top. It takes a while for the cheese to melt.

So long, in fact, you need to keep your heat low enough so your bread doesn’t burn. It took about 5-6 minutes. I covered the skillet with a top for the last minute or so to get it melted enough to stick to the bread.

And….. she loved it. I made regular grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup for the family and she had her own version, right next to us. And she didn’t know the difference.