Can You Freeze Milk? A Quick Guide
Who doesn’t love dairy milk? When it provides us with calcium, vitamins, nutrients, and protein, it’s one of the best beverages to have daily. However, if you buy cow’s milk in bulk or only visit the store once a week you might ask the question can you freeze fresh milk? The answer is yes, however you need to store milk the right way.
Today I’ll be sharing tips on how to freeze milk for future use and what other dairy products you can store along with frozen milk.
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Contents
Can You Freeze Milk?
Yes, milk can be frozen before use and with these guidelines, you can successfully have frozen milk without ruining its flavor or nutritional value:
You can preserve milk (after checking the expiration date) and if you do it in the right way, milk will still be drinkable when thawed.
Milk can be frozen for up to three months without any noticeable changes in taste or quality.
Be sure to freeze it before the expiry date on the carton.
What Container Should I Use To Freeze Milk?
To freeze milk, all you need is a freezer and a container that can be sealed airtight. Glass jars or plastic containers work well for freezing milk.
Milk can be frozen in its original container, but it will take up more space that way.
Transfer the milk to a plastic container-it will take less space and you can stack other food on top of the milk. I recommend these fantastic containers found on Amazon. They are a good size for milk and stack well in the freezer.
How to Freeze Milk the Right Way?
It is very important to freeze milk in the right way so that it will not spoil. When freezing milk, make sure to leave enough space at the top of the container as milk expands.
Some people ask: can you freeze milk in a glass jar or can you freeze milk in a water bottle? The answer is yes, you can freeze milk in both a glass jar and a plastic bottle.
If you freeze milk in a glass jar, be sure to leave at least 1 inch of space. If you don’t leave enough space at the top, you risk cracking the glass jar.
How to Prevent Milk from Freezer Burn?
To prevent milk from getting freezer burn, use a heavy-duty freezer bag or wrap the container in several layers of plastic wrap.
Label the container with the date so you know how long it has been in the freezer.
Milk should always be left in its original container when being stored in the freezer, as it prevents evaporation from occurring, thus keeping your milk concentrated.
When thawed, milk tends to have a slightly watery consistency, but it will still be safe to drink.
If you want to freeze milk in bulk, try freezing it in ice cube trays. The cubes can then be transferred to a freezer bag or container.
This is a great way to have frozen milk on hand for recipes that call for small amounts of milk.
Freezing Different Types of Milk
The good news is, you can freeze milk regardless of whether it’s nonfat, whole milk, or buttermilk. All types of milk freeze well except plant-based milks which we will talk about later in the article.
Remember, once thawed, the color may change slightly and you might find the taste to be a bit watery. That’s completely normal.
Can You Freeze Non-Fat Milk?
Non-fat milk can be frozen without any changes in taste or quality. When you thaw milk, it may have a slightly watery consistency but will still be safe to drink. You
Can You Freeze Skim Milk?
Yes, you can freeze skim milk. The good news is that there won’t be a change in taste or consistency once thawed.
Can You Freeze Whole Milk?
You can freeze it, however, the taste will be affected. When frozen, it has a slightly thicker consistency but is still safe to drink.
How to Freeze Butter Milk
Buttermilk can be frozen without any noticeable changes in taste or quality. When thawed, it may have a slightly watery consistency but will still be safe to drink. Just make sure that your buttermilk is fresh before freezing.
Freezing Milk Without an Ice Cube Tray
If you don’t have ice cube trays to freeze milk, do not worry. You can still freeze milk successfully without the use of ice cubes trays or other types of storage containers for that matter.
To freeze milk using this method, pour the milk in a freezer bag and make sure to expel as much air as possible before sealing it.
The next step is to submerge the bag in a bowl of cold water until the milk is frozen.
Once frozen, you can transfer the milk from the freezer bag to any other type of container that seals tightly for easy storage.
Now you know what types of milk you can freeze, now let’s talk about the worst types of milk that people store.
Worst Type of Milk for Freezing:
In short, plant-based milk categories aren’t healthy if frozen. This is because plant-based milk contains less fat than cow’s milk and does not contain the natural preservatives that cow’s milk does. This means that plant-based milk is more likely to spoil when frozen.
Following are the milk categories that you shouldn’t store.
- Almond milk
- Soy milk
- Oats milk
- Flax milk
- Rice milk
These categories are not recommended for preserving as they do not freeze well and they tend to curdle and spoil quickly especially oat milk and almond milk. They can be used in recipes that call for cooked milk, but they should not be frozen for drinking.
How long can you freeze milk?
You can freeze milk for one month without any noticeable changes in quality. Milk is best kept at a freezer temperature of 0 degrees F or below.
Remember, to prevent milk from getting freezer burn, make sure to use a heavy-duty freezer bag or wrap the container in several layers of plastic wrap.
Make sure to label the container with the date so you know how long it has been in the freezer.
Does Freezing Milk Ruin it?
Many people have concerns about whether or not preserving milk affects its nutrients. The short answer is no, freezing does not affect the milk’s nutrients.
Freezing does not ruin milk. The taste and texture of thawed milk will be slightly different than fresh milk, but it will still be safe to drink.
Now let’s talk about how you can thaw frozen milk without ruining its nutrition.
How Should You Thaw Frozen Milk?
It’s best not to try and speed up the process by defrosting your frozen milk on the countertop. This can cause bacteria to grow and spoil the milk faster than if it were to thaw completely in the fridge.
The best way to thaw frozen milk is to put it in the fridge and let it slowly defrost overnight. If you need to thaw the milk more quickly, put it in a bowl of water and change the water every few minutes until it has completely thawed.
Once you thaw milk, it is best to use the milk within three days.
Milk can be refrozen after it has been thawed only once. Freezing it again will cause it to lose some of its taste and texture.
Can You Freeze Other Dairy Products?
You can freeze yogurt, buttermilk, cream cheese, and sour cream. You can either freeze them in their original container or use a heavy-duty freezer bag.
How to Freeze Yogurt?
Preserving yogurt is a great way to save money because you can purchase it in bulk during sale periods and then freeze it for later use. If you decide to freeze yogurt, be sure that the container is tightly sealed to prevent freezer burn.
Be sure to label the container with the date of preservation.
When thawed, yogurt tends to have a slightly runny consistency, but it will still be safe to drink. Make sure that you place the yogurt in the refrigerator to thaw.
How to Freeze Cheese?
Freezing cheese is a great way to save money on your grocery bill. If you decide to freeze cheese, be sure that the container is tightly sealed to prevent freezer burn.
You would need to keep the following points in mind when storing cheese.
- Use wax paper to separate pieces of cheese. This will allow you to thaw individual pieces without letting the entire block of cheese thaw.
- Cheese can be frozen either in its original packaging or in a heavy-duty freezer bag.
- When thawed, cheese tends to be a bit crumbly and dry. It may also have a slightly different flavor than when it was fresh, but it will still be safe to eat.
- You can grate or shred the cheese before freezing it to help restore its normal consistency after thawing.
Best and Worst Cheese to Freeze
You can freeze the following types of cheese.
- Hard cheeses like Parmesan, Romano, Swiss, cheddar, and Colby Jack.
- Soft cheeses like cream cheese or Brie.
- Blended cheeses like mozzarella blends and Mexican cheese.
- Processed cheese food products like Velveeta or Cheez Whiz.
- You should not freeze the following types of cheese.
- Soft cheese spreads like cottage cheese or ricotta.
- Deli-style cheeses like Boursault, goat cheese, or Gouda.
Best and Worst Yogurt to Freeze
You can freeze the following types of yogurt.
- Plain, vanilla, or fruit-flavored yogurt.
You should not freeze the following types of yogurt.
- Yogurt with granola, flavorings, or fruit pieces.
Freezer Care Guide
Now you know everything about storing milk, let’s talk about freezer care.
Frozen food is best if eaten within three to six months after it has been stored in the freezer. If you are not sure how long you can keep something in the freezer, it would be best to check the manufacturer’s instructions.
Freezer burn occurs when ice crystals form on the surface of the food. This causes dry spots and white streaks which make the food look unappetizing. If you see that your frozen edibles are beginning to get freezer burn, it’s best to use the food immediately.
Freezer burn doesn’t make your frozen food unsafe. It just reduces the food’s quality, causing it to taste dry or stale.
You can avoid freezer burn by storing your frozen foods in air-tight containers.
If the edges of your containers turn white, run a knife along with them and it’ll scrape off. Also, make sure that you remove as much air as possible from the freezer bags before sealing them.
Conclusion:
Now we have answered your query ‘can you freeze milk’ and what goes into frozen milk. So make sure to check out the dairy milk section next time you go shopping for some great deals on your frozen edibles supply.
What types of milk can be frozen, how to freeze them, and how they will change when thawed. Remember, raw milk is recommended for freezing (after checking expiration date), while plant-based milk is not.
You should also know that all types of thawed milk are safe to drink but will not be quite as good as fresh milk. So the next time you see a sale on milk, don’t wait!
CHECK OUT OUR ARTICLE: How To Freeze Fresh Herbs
