Can you freeze milk?

Question

Our family goes through a gallon of milk a day, can I buy a bunch of gallons of milk in the freezer, then thaw to drink? I know I could buy, then store in the frig and they wouldn't go bad that fast, but our frig. isn't set up to hold all that. Would the milk still taste good thawed?Thank you!

Answer 1

Yes, you can freeze milk. I have frozen milk before. It's tastes fine when thawed, all you need to do is shake it up good. If you freeze it you shouldn't freeze a whole gallon, you should remove at least a pint from a gallon, because it will expand when it freezes, and then leave the lid loose until it freezes, so the air can escape from the from the space being filled by the expanding milk.

Answer 2

If you mean, "can I buy a gallon-sized plastic container of milk and chuck it in the freezer when I get home?" the answer is no. At the very least, you have to free up enough space in the container so that it doesn't burst when the milk expands in freezing. It will expand by 9 percent, so you need to remove about a cup and a half of milk to prevent a flood.

The other possible interpretation of your question is, "does freezing (and thawing) diminish the quality of milk?"

The people who promote and sell milk do not want you to freeze it. According to the National Dairy Council, freezing causes "undesirable changes in milk's texture and appearance." The dairy council wants every glass of milk you drink to be fresh, cold, and delicious. It wants you to love milk. It doesn't want you (or your children) ever to associate splotchiness or graininess with a glass of milk.

And freezing milk does cause some degree of separation among its components. Skim and lowfat milk freeze (thaw, actually) better than whole milk, as there is less separation. You can shake the thawed milk vigorously or beat it in an electric mixer, but it still will not have the same "mouth feel" as milk that has not been frozen. The dairy board and other milk groups suggest that you might prefer to use previously frozen milk in cooking and baking, and save never-frozen milk for drinking.

There is some disagreement on how long you should keep milk in the freezer (ranging from three weeks to three months). Milk readily absorbs other flavors, so the sooner you get to it, the more likely it will still taste like milk. It should be thawed in the refrigerator, and will take a day or more to thaw thoroughly.

Answer 3

Yes you can. You need to open the gallon of milk though and empty about 1/4 (maybe not even that much) put the lid back on and freeze. And yes it tastes the same. My little ones go through milk like flies on you know what. It really works. The reason for pouring out a little is for when the milk freezes it will expand and the extra space will allow for that to happen.

Answer 4

Yes just remove a little of milk from the container to allow for expansion while freezing so it doesn't break open the container. If you freeze milk in premeasured measuring cups all you have to do is dump the frozen cup contents into any recipes like cream soups, sauces, etc. that may call for milk. It will just melt into the recipe as you cook. Then you don't have to wait for the milk to thaw out before using like you would have to do for drinking purposes.

Answer 5

Why waste the space in the freezer. Buy powered mike and evaporated milk. Mix up 2 liters of powdered milk and add a can of the evap. Tastes and cooks like whole milk.

Answer 6

Yes you can. My grandmother used to do this all the time. Make sure you shake it up when you thaw it. I think it tastes kind of watery it you use whole milk and I noticed no difference if 2% was frozen.

Answer 7

Be aware that the container is likely to burst.

When I was kid in the North, and milk was delivered in the wee hours of the morning during winter, it was always frozen.

We had paper caps in the old days and the frozen milk just rose above the bottle.

Answer 8

Yes

Answer 9

It works with Semi Skimmed and Skimmed Milk

Answer 10

Yes, but don't use glass bottles, they will break in the freezer. You should probably see if you can get your milk delivered. Fresh milk, everyday!