Should I freeze milk?

[bwframe]

Kroger has milk on sale (4 1/2gallons for $5.) Is it worthwhile to freeze it? If so, these would replace the frozen water jugs that take up the empty space in my freezers.

 

[spasmo]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]While pasteurized milk can be frozen; it may separate or be slightly grainy when thawed. Frozen milk works best for cooking, but you may find it's still okay for drinking.[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1] Freeze milk in plastic freezer containers or special freezer-proof glass jars. Leave some extra space at the top since milk expands during freezing. If packaged in a wide-mouth container, leave 1/2-inch head space for pints and 1-inch for quarts. If packaged in a narrow-mouth container (such as jars), leave 1 1/2-inch head space for either pints or quarts.[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1] Plan to use frozen milk within a month. Thaw milk in the refrigerator. Stir well before using.[/SIZE][/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]obtained from...
[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/ciqo.htm
[/SIZE][/FONT]

 

[4sarge]

Kroger has milk on sale (4 1/2gallons for $5.) Is it worthwhile to freeze it? If so, these would replace the frozen water jugs that take up the empty space in my freezers.

If you have the space but IMO powdered milk would be a better choice. Long shelf life, no need for electricity and just need to add water. Powdered milk has come a long way. There is also radiated milk that does not require refrigeration but has a shelf life but if you have the room and electricity then go fer it

 

[Lars]

I was going to make a snarky comment like TomN and Scutter, and say....

you mean like "Icecream?"

 

[Ri22o]

I was going to make a snarky comment like TomN and Scutter, and say....

you mean like "Ice cream?"

mmmm, ice cream... I had ice cream for lunch!

 

[TomN]

Ice cream FTW!! And I am NOT snarky!

 

[Scutter01]

I was going to make a snarky comment like TomN and Scutter, and say....

you mean like "Icecream?"

 

[Lars]

Ice cream FTW!! And I am NOT snarky!

Sure you aren't.

 

[indyjoe]

The only two problems you will have are: 1 - The homogenization will break down, as some of the fats join back together. 2 - Amy will complain that the milk is WAY past expiration when you thaw. (#2 may only apply to my situation. )

I've done it many times and it works fine. Thawed frozen milk is much better tasting than reconstituted powdered milk, IMHO.

 

[TomN]

Sure you aren't.

:wtf: Man!!

 

[Cwood]

Ice cream FTW!! And I am NOT snarky!

 

[pmpmstrb]

My grandma does it, so it must be ok.

 

[NEOCON]

We have dairy gotas and regularly freeze their fresh milk when they are producing more than we and our leasees can use. It is ok for just about everything besides just drinking a glass of milk. But on cereal, for cooking, cheese, butter and soap it is fine. Fact is we save colosterum in icecube trays then dump them into a bag. Then when we have a kid (baby goat) that we want to pull from the mother or she doesn't want to nurse it right away we will thaw out the colosterum and bottle feed it. Colosterum is the very strong high it antibodies, and high in the stuff that a newborn needs when they come into this world. Usually if they do not get this they seldom live until adulthood but we have yet to loose one that we gave the frozen colosterum to.

 

[Scutter01]

I just read a factoid somewhere that in India, milk is sold frozen in blocks and in Denmark it's sold in dehydrated sheets.


Oh, and of course Canada sells it in bags.

 

[Ri22o]

Oh, and of course Canada sells it in bags.

When I was in highschool, they tried this for a year. I don't know why, it was the dumbest thing ever. You used a pointy straw to poke a hole in the bag. That was some smart thinking. :rolleyesedit:

 

[Scutter01]

When I was in highschool, they tried this for a year. I don't know why, it was the dumbest thing ever. You used a pointy straw to poke a hole in the bag. That was some smart thinking. :rolleyesedit:

I grew up in Detroit, so I spent a fair amount of time in Canada. (Factoid: Windsor, Ontario is SOUTH of Detroit). The bagged milk was actually not bad when sold in 2-litre bags. You could either pour it into a pitcher, or you could buy a special plastic pitcher that had a notch in it. You put the whole bag in and the notch would hold the opening of the bag in the right spot to pour, and also hold the bag closed when you were done pouring. At the end, you had less waste to throw out. I imagine they were cheaper to produce than plastic jugs, too.

I remember the little bags of milk. I think my school tried that too. I can't imagine why anyone thought that would work. It always reminds me of the pointy cups at the water cooler.

 

[Bigum1969]

I never knew milk could be so fascinating! The things you learn on a firearm forum...

 

[bwframe]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]While pasteurized milk can be frozen; it may separate or be slightly grainy when thawed. Frozen milk works best for cooking, but you may find it's still okay for drinking.[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1] Freeze milk in plastic freezer containers or special freezer-proof glass jars. Leave some extra space at the top since milk expands during freezing. If packaged in a wide-mouth container, leave 1/2-inch head space for pints and 1-inch for quarts. If packaged in a narrow-mouth container (such as jars), leave 1 1/2-inch head space for either pints or quarts.[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1] Plan to use frozen milk within a month. Thaw milk in the refrigerator. Stir well before using.[/SIZE][/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]obtained from...
[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/ciqo.htm
[/SIZE][/FONT]

Whoa, couple of negatives for my plans in there. I was looking to pour off an inch or so of the half gallon jug and freeze in that container. Also was hoping to hold it for much longer than a month, maybe 6 months to a year.

 

[Scutter01]

I never knew milk could be so fascinating! The things you learn on a firearm forum...

Depending on the source, sometimes the container is the best part.

 

[rhino]

If you transfer milk to another container before you freeze it, make sure you sterilize the container first.