Anyone else like having (cows) milk around for whatever, but hate how much you waste?

[mr_lebowski]

That's me ... I don't use it much but it's a SO MUCH better deal in larger quantities I end up buying way more than I'm going to use most of the time. And end up tossing a bunch. And I really hate when I want it ... but don't have any.

So ... here's how I get around it ... turns out that 1/2 and 1/2? Stays fresh WAY THE HELL longer than a container of milk. I'm talking 2x as long minimum, I've have cartons stay fine for 2 whole months.

When you mix it with 1/2 to 3/4 plain water, it's pretty indistinguishable from milk in just about any application, esp. what I use it for which is the occasional bowl cereal, a latte, or cooking.

Yeah it costs a bit more oz per oz but I end up almost never wasting any. And on the rare occasions I really want some 1/2 and 1/2 for whatever (sauces usually) ... there it is!

Just thought I'd share my sheer brilliance in figuring out this little life hack

[Rorey]

1. Have you considered freezing it in manageable portions?

I've done it for road trips. I love my coffee, but I like just a little milk in it. Not cream, definitely not powdered creamer. I freeze it in portions and put it in my cooler.

[Rorey]

2. But remember to shake it well NT

[mr_lebowski]

5. I had NOT considered that ...

dude.

(it's required that I ended that title ... with 'dude' ... don't ask)

Anyways, I suppose that'd work for some of things I use it for, but if I want a bowl of cereal ... I probably want it right now

[Ptah]

23. Dude. Don't freeze all of it.

[2naSalit]

28. LOL!!!

[mr_lebowski]

31. Dude ... my way is still better ...

[Coventina]

3. Thanks Mr. L! I like to have milk for tea drinking purposes.

I'll have to use your life hack, because I do end up with chunky milk.

[safeinOhio]

7. You might try powdered milk.

Keeps for ever and you have a choice of adding water to make milk or stir it in dry like powdered creamers. Cheap too.

[Coventina]

8. Hmm...I could try that, but I'd have to use bottled water.

Our tap water here is nasty for mixing purposes.

It's basically liquified rock.

Thanks! I might give it a try!

(now that I think about it, I'd have to use bottled water for Mr. L's idea too, duh!)

[mr_lebowski]

11. Brita is like magic for our crappy AZ water I think ... but they don't last all that long.

The freaking Safeway by my place doesn't have Brita filters anymore I found out last weekend. Pissed me right the hell off. Had to go to Walgreens where they're about 70% more than what Safeway used to have 'em at.

[procon]

17. I use a Brita pitcher for drinking water, but

I also use it for tea, coffee and drink mixes, so it's not enough. I'm looking at the faucet mounted version but I'm not sure it will fit my big chef-style goose neck faucet

[mr_lebowski]

9. I read recently that's gotten harder to find at grocery stores ...

Just not enough demand to make a profit, presumably.

Can't say whether it's true or not, just something I read in the comments of a recipe I saw online that called for it ... buncha people saying their store doesn't have it (anymore).

[safeinOhio]

12. Amazon has all kinds

in all sizes. I would think Costco, Sam's or Gordons might carry it.

[2naSalit]

29. I've seen them at Costco...nt

[Midnight Writer]

20. MMMM. Powder milk biscuits. Has your family tried them?

[HonestAmerican]

38. Creme of the crop[

Yea, I'm the Chief Cook and Bottle Washer around here and when I cook and need milk creamer is the way to go. No one has caught on!

[Arkansas Granny]

4. Have you tried the shelf stable milk products? They are packaged in 8 - 32 oz. Cartonss

and keep for weeks in the cupboard. It is very handy for me and it tastes good, as well.

[mr_lebowski]

6. Nope but I might try it should I discover that my little hack isn't

Ummmm ... hacking it anymore

[SamKnause]

10. Another tip:

If you use screw top 1/2 gallon or gallon jugs do the following.

Every time you pour milk rinse out the cap and wipe off the mouth of the carton.

If you know the cold spot in your refrigerator keep your milk in it.

I have had milk last 6 weeks after the expiration date.

[Freddie]

13. Half and half is usually ultra-pasteurized

That’s why it lasts longer and has a more “distant” use-by date than regular milk. I always have half & half in the frig for coffee and I’ve also used that trick of watering it down a bit to sub for milk, works great. Or use half & half instead of milk in your mashed potatoes for extra yumminess

[mr_lebowski]

14. I think it might be partly that but I also think it's fat content ...

Cause I've noticed whole milk tends to noticeably last longer than 1% as well ... but I've not tested as thoroughly as I have with 1/2 and 1/2, so ...

And yeah 1/2 and 1/2 in mashed potatoes is the bomb.

[pansypoo53219]

15. years ago our fridge was dying + 1/2 + 1/2 was going bad, so i switched to heavy whipping

cream. it lasted longer. poor me. NOT. + once some organic whipping cream went solid. accidentally made some butter when i whipped it. made good butter.

[mr_lebowski]

16. Oh yeah whipping cream lasts for freaking ever ... but imho it's a little too thick

at least at refrigerator temps ... to be as immediately useful as a milk substitute, at least for certain things.

But I've definitely made use of it as milk in a pinch ... esp. cooking cause if you warm it up it thins

[SWBTATTReg]

18. I used to buy gallon jugs of milk, never could use up the whole thing before it spoiled. I did ...

have a couple of tricks that I've picked up, especially I cook at home quite a bit and got tired of having no milk (spoiled) so I do the following:

1) powered milk;
2) condensed or sweetened milk (canned);

These two options above have worked for me pretty well. Perhaps they'll do you okay too. Good luck.

[procon]

19. My two choices are:

Ultra Pasteurized milk - has a long shelf life and requires no refrigeration until opened. It's available in the supermarket with powdered milk, or get it online at Amazon type websites.


Whole Milk Powder - this is my favorite as it tastes as good as the real deal. The brand I use is Nido by Nestle. It keeps for a year on the shelf in its resealable tub. I like it because I can mix up just the quantity I need from a cup to a gallon. Hard to find in most grocery stores, but our two huge Mexican supermarkets stock it. It's also sold at Amazon too.

[blogslut]

21. I buy canned evaporated milk and NIDO Fortificada

I don't drink milk and rarely bake but I still use it for cooking and stuff.

Nido Fortificada contains: whole milk, soy lecithin, vitamins A (as acetate), C, and D3, iron (as ferric pyrophosphate), and zinc sulfate. You can buy it from most places that sell International foods and baby formula.

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

22. No. Just buy pint or quart sizes - what's the problem? nt

[mr_lebowski]

26. Where I buy milk usually pint is like $1.30, quart is like $1.80 and the half-gallon is $1.90.

That's what gets me. The cheapskate in me won't let me NOT buy the half-gallon ...

I CAN however bring myself to buy a quart of half and half for about $1.90 instead, since there is no half-gallon at $2.00.

This way I have the equivalent of a half gallon (after mixing in some water) that lasts me 2 months instead of 2-3 weeks.

See the logic?

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

40. ummmm... get into making yogurt? Our sour cream? Back in the olden days my mom

used to make her own sour cream, it wasnt something people went out and bought in Podunk Junction.

[Collimator]

24. I buy two half gallon sizes.

Is it a few more pennies than a gallon jug? Probably.

I find that it suits my needs because the unopened jug doesn't start on its journey to spoilage until I am done with the first bottle but I always have plenty on hand.

I, too, love milk in my morning tea. The day doesn't seem to start right without it.

I have bought the cartons of long-life shelf milk and it tastes okay, perhaps just a little off.

Here's another life hack that relates to this concept.

I have bought two quart sizes of a certain paint by Rustoleum, something called Painter's touch. I did the math at the time, and based on the price then, two quart sizes cost less than half the price of a gallon size can.

Considering that I was a little uncertain of how much paint that I would need, and the fact that the smaller cans were easier and a little less messy to work with, it certainly worked out well.

Not only would the unopened can not go "thick" and difficult to use if I wanted to hold on to it, but if I could use up every drop of the first can to finish the project, then I had the option to return the second, unopened can. Naturally, the receipt needs to be kept in a safe place.

[Wolf Frankula]

25. Buy it in half gallons.

Never waste it. As a kid I was told "Do you know many people are starving in (place country here)?"

Wolf

[mr_lebowski]

27. The half gallon is the 'too big' size for the time window I use it in ...

And the quart is usually BARELY less expensive.

I can go through a quart of 1/2 and 1/2 in about 2 months though, for about the same price as a half-gallon of milk. So this works for me. May not be the best idea for everyone just thought I'd share ...

[rickford66]

30. I buy heavy cream for coffee and a splash in cereal.

It lasts a long time. If I need milk for say French Toast, I buy a quart and try to use it up in a few days.

[Beakybird]

32. So the proverbial cup is neither half full nor half empty. It's half and half.

I'll try your trick sometime.

[ZZenith]

33. Been doing it that way for years, Dude.

A quart will last me most of the month and I have gotten to prefer the taste of watered down half-and-half over regular milk on my cereal. Coffee gets full-strength but only a splash in the first cup of the day.

In the future everyone will be doing it this way. We’re pioneers.

[mr_lebowski]

34. GMTA my friend :)

I'd heart ya, but ... I'm one of your two already

Now where the heck is that Polack so I can give him some love a'for I run out ...

[ZZenith]

35. Aw shucks!

Back atcha!

[KY_EnviroGuy]

36. Here's a weird solution for you.

Buy your half-gallon and give half of it to a neighbor that has lots of kids. You get rid of guilt and receive gratitude in exchange. Or, buy a gallon and pour yourself out a quart and give them the rest.

My son and I are alone here now and have the same problem, and I hate to waste food. I was raised by Great Depression parents and my mom would save sour milk to make biscuits and corn bread. The farmers gave it to their hogs.

We waste far too much food in this nation and it hurts every time I read about starvation and malnutrition around the world.

KY..........

[mr_lebowski]

37. Lol ...that's not weird at all my friend ...

Here's the thing ... I don't know any of neighbors except the stoner just-post-college kids right next door ... and I think it'd be weird if I was to offer them milk, know what I'm saying? I mean, they do have jobs and stuff ... but no kids. Just a buncha dude roomies ...

Otherwise, great idea

[Kaleva]

39. Powdered milk lasts for months and one can make as little or as much as one needs

I get it from my father-in-law who gets it from commodities for seniors. i usually make cheese with it.