Dairy Allergies vs Lactose Intolerance: What’s the Difference?

Presented by Tessa Nguyen, MEd, RD

Lactose Intolerance and dairy allergies are different conditions that often get confused with each other. Lactose intolerance affects millions of people and is far more prevalent than dairy allergies.  It is important to understand the differences between them. This webinar provides a general overview of key differences between lactose intolerance and dairy allergies including: what happens in the body, which dairy foods may be suitable for those with lactose intolerance, and what you can do to create lactose-free or low-lactose menu items in your schools.


As a result of this webinar the attendee should be able to:

  1. Understand key differences between lactose intolerance and dairy allergy
  2. Identify foods to create lactose-free and low lactose menu options

School Nutrition Professionals in CT, MA, NH, RI & VT may order free Lactose Intolerance Toolkits for their schools here.

Tessa Nguyen MEd, LDN

Tessa is an internationally acclaimed chef, registered dietitian, and educator. Her talents come to life in the form of deliciously diverse recipes, cultural auditing, bespoke content development. Her areas of expertise include diversity, equity, inclusion & justice within the food and nutrition industries, food and agriculture connections, inclusive culinary nutrition applications, accessible and affordable cooking, and food allergies and intolerances.

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Webinar Resources

TitleDescription
Lactose Intolerance and School Meal ProgramsInformation and resources about lactose free dairy in school meals. Learn More
Know the Facts About Lactose intoleranceHandouts available in English and Spanish Go to Handouts
Lactose in Dairy FoodsHandout describes amount of lactose in common dairy foods Go to Handout

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