I don't know about you all, but I am starting to get a little bored with just posting my normal 4 categories. I'd like to branch out and do more reviews (like the BookSneeze reviews I do or, most recently, the website review) and posts on other things I have some knowledge of. I know I am not certified to post on anything impressive :), but I have a little bit of kitchen knowledge that I think would be fun to share.
Each week, probably on Friday, I will post a kitchen tip or trick that I have learned. More than likely these tips will be something I learned from my mother, but they may also be from other women, whose blogs I follow, or things I've read in books. I have acquired so many good ideas and tips over the past year that I'd love to share them!
This week's tip is about freezing milk. Yes, it can be done. No, it isn't gross. :)
When I was younger, we had 10 people living in our home at one point. I have 7 siblings. My mother had us drink milk every evening with supper. There were no other choices, we were only served milk.
So, with 9 people drinking milk (my baby sister wasn't old enough to have regular food yet), purchasing milk became quite an expense. I noticed that my mom was buying 4 or 5 gallons at a time, but I did not ever see more than 2 in the fridge at once. I found out she was freezing them! I'm sure she found the milk at a great price and stocked up, so we could drink for less.
As a mother of 3 little ones and one on the way, I am sure to push the habit of drinking milk regularly. BUT with 5 of us drinking milk and with baking frequently, we go through at least 2 gallons of milk each week. I have noticed milk prices are on the rise yet again, and catching it at $1.99/gallon is becoming a rarity, unfortunately. We recently bought a freezer, and I plan to buy several gallons at its cheapest price and freeze what we won't be consuming within a week.
How do you do this? You can place the milk jug in the freezer. No need to put it in another container or wrap it in any way. The only tip is that the jug will need about 1.5" at the top for the milk's expansion when it freezes. Just open it up and pour a little out, replace the cap and throw it into the freezer.
As far as how long you can freeze it, I've heard a range of time. Four to six weeks is the common time frame I've heard or read, but I did just read recently about someone freezing milk for up to 3 months. I have not personally tried 3 months (and I don't believe my mom has either), so to be safe, I would stick with the 4-6 weeks.
To consume the milk, leave it out at room temperature for a day or two or defrost in the fridge for a few days. Shake it up well before drinking, as it may separate. This doesn't make it bad, but it will probably taste very watery if you don't shake it up first. The color may change slightly, to a yellowish color. Again, it has not gone bad....that's just the reaction from it being frozen. And because I have been drinking at least a glass of milk a day for the past 20 plus years, I can tell the difference in taste between milk from the fridge and milk from the freezer. It is not a bad difference, but there is a slight difference in taste. So, if you drink it often, don't be surprised if the taste is not exactly the same.
The best types of milk to freeze are skim or low-fat.
Tthe next time you see milk at $1.99/gallon, grab a few and freeze them. When the weeks go by without a milk sale, you will still be able enjoy your milk and cookies. :)
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