Too often that gallon of milk ends up down the drain once the expiration date hits. But there is hope — and it lies in your freezer. Value and convenience can be found in freezing certain foods, and to the surprise of many, milk is one of them.
Learn how to safely freeze and thaw milk for later use so you can save money and reduce waste. Good news! According to the Dairy Council of California , it's perfectly fine to freeze milk for later use. You just have to make sure you do so before the expiration or "best-by" date. If you find yourself always pouring out-of-date milk down the drain, this simple solution can save you money and reduce food waste. With countless alternative milks on the market, the term "milk" can refer to drastically different drinks.
In general, dairy milks with lower fat contents will do better in the freezer. This is because fat can separate when the milk is frozen, causing the texture to be somewhat grainy once thawed. However, this can be remedied with the use of an immersion blender or by simply shaking the container. Unfortunately, plant-based milks tend to curdle and become more grainy in texture once frozen. Sadly plant-based milks just don't handle the freezer as well as their dairy counterparts.
A lot of separation tends to occur, although shaking or blending can help to offset this. You can actually freeze milk in its original container, so long as that container is plastic. If I am using it for drinking, I sometimes pass the quantity needed through a metal seive as I pour it into the jug. No one complains! So I freeze it that way and then pop them into a bag. Great idea! When I buy almost expired milk I culture it into kifer or yogurt. May have been the culture I used. I would never water it down either unless you plan on replacing valuable vitamins in your diet.
I do understand why you would like to do this though freeze that is. Kudos to you! Most of us here are trying to find the balance between our budget and limited resources, and the mouths that need to be fed. I actually buy my milk straight from a local owned dairy out here.
I love the flavor. Thank you for working hard to provide the rest of us with food. I also get frustrated with complaints about the high cost of food considering how little most farmers make. Yes, there are many people who truly cannot afford good quality food and for whom the slightest price hike is catestrophic. That is a shameful commentary on our society and food system. But there are many of us who can pay more and we need to start voting with our dollars to facilitate change in our broken food system.
I go out of my way to support local farmers either buying directly from them or local foods in stores. Not hard in Wisconsin. BethB, I really love how you put that! Although unfortunately MANY people myself included once that could barely afford the cheap junk food that was placed in the grocery store for. But for people who do have that extra wiggle room to pay just a little more should definitely put their dollars towards milk or any product for that matter towards hometown farms.
We are looking into that for eggs. Actually, a friend of mine has parents who sell their eggs from their farm for only 1. Thank you for reminding the readers that our food comes from farmers!! Many, many people do not understand how food gets to their tables and that is why there is so much consternation over food prices. I applaud you and all farmers who supply our country with this basic necessity. I challenge those who complain about the cost of food or the lack of certain items to try raising it themselves to see exactly how easy it is.
And I mean all food… not just tomatoes in the summer!! It would open some eyes to what it takes to supply the American table. I, for one, am grateful that I can go to the grocery store and pick up my milk. Thank you for discussing this topic. This is what I thought of immediately as I began reading comments. Farmers depend on the price of milk for their livelihood.
We really do need to vote with our dollars. By combining the two, I have been getting milk for. This milk has a long expiration period — like 6 weeks — but also freezes well. It has a weird sludge in the bottom of the carton. But at least you can leave refridgerated longer than regular milk. Has anyone tried freezing any milk alternatives? A commenter above said they had a bad experience with freezing almond milk. Maybe they could elaborate further for you. I freeze buttermilk in the amount needed for my recipes.
I also freeze other milk when I find a good deal on it. Naturally, I stocked up limit 2. Should have bought it and frozen it in recipe size amounts.
Since my husband and I drink different kinds, this makes a huge difference. Just a reminder that if you leave your milk out long, it will deteriorate faster. So pour and put it back in the fridge!! I drink thawed milk but I find mine takes 3 days for the ice crystals to fully thaw before I can drink it. If the taste is off I just mix in some Nestle Quik powder and have delicious chocolate milk!
I never see clearanced organic milk at my grocery stores, maybe because I live in Missouri and we have very strict dairy laws no coupons, minimum prices, etc.
But yet we do get the catalina deals such as a free gallon of milk when you buy 4 boxes of cereal. I pour about a pint into a clean container to use now, then put the date into the freezer on the top of the jug. Skim is much better tasting than whole because so little separation of fat. Interesting discussion on milk prices. However, this is also a state where it is illegal to sell raw milk. I buy lots and freeze it in the plastic gallon jugs pour out about a cup first , and we drink it without noticing a difference.
I do too, Amber. I want a dairy cow someday. I was raised on a farm. I then pasteurize it at home, then make my cheese. Love it! Seems a little pricey, but I love non-homogenized milk with the cream on top. Love the pasteurized, non-homogenized milk in glass jars. I have many glass jars that when I buy milk from the store, I put in the glass jar and in the fridge, then freeze the remainder in the plastic container.
I love to use my frozen milk to make homemade mac and cheese and broccoli or zucchini cheese soups. Of course we also do quick breads, muffins, pancakes, oatmeal we also drink it, but only after it has been thawed completely and then I use the emersion blender to give it a good blending.
Sure wish I had known this earlier today. I threw out a half gallon of milk that went bad…? I bought a half gallon of half and half and it had clumps in it when I opened it.
But unfortunately, milk is known to absorb the scent of whatever food it's stored near, no matter how thick your container is. Frozen milk is best when consumed within one month, and stored far from frozen fish, meats, and other particularly pungent foods.
First check the "sell-by" or expiration date on your carton — if the date hasn't passed yet, you're good to freeze though it wouldn't hurt to give your milk a good, old fashioned sniff test too.
Unlike water, milk expands when frozen. So storing in an easily breakable glass bottle or cardboard cartoon brings the possibility of a real mess in your freezer. Technically, you can freeze milk that comes in a plastic gallon bottle, but we recommend pouring your milk into two or three freezer-safe plastic containers to make the thawing process a bit easier. Moving your milk from the freezer to the refrigerator overnight will typically do the trick. If time is of the essence, you can fill a large bowl with cold water and submerge the frozen container of milk inside — just be sure to replace the lukewarm water the cold water as it warms up.
Never thaw milk at room temperature, it runs the risk of spoiling the milk you worked so hard to preserve. Frozen milk should be consumed within 2—3 days of thawing. Not all milks freeze equally.
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