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Barbara C. Forum All-Star
Joined: July 11 2007 Location: Illinois
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Posted: Jan 18 2008 at 9:56am | IP Logged
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Now that I have gotten my two-year-old off of her Kool-aid addiction, we are back up to using between 3 1/2 and 4 gallons of milk a week (mostly skim). I have been buying it at its cheapest around here at Aldi, but I am considering using powdered milk, too. We're still working on slashing our budget.
I read on a website that it tastes the best if stored in a glass jar in the refrigerator, but they weren't completely clear if they meant in the powder or liquid form. I kind of assume liquid, but you never know.
I used powder milk during my first pregnancy as a substitute for artificial creamer at work. So I think that I could definitely use it for my tea and coffee. And possibly for some cooking, too. And I thought about maybe trying to replace at least two of the gallons we buy each week with powdered milk. (I know my husband would never go for drinking powdered milk, but I can probably trick the kids.)
So for those of you who use it regularly, I was just wondering if you could give insight into how you store it and use it in powder and mixed liquid form. For instance, for drinking, how much do you normally mix up at a time? Can you really tell difference between storing the liquid milk in plastic or glass? How long before powdered milk goes bad in either form?
__________________ Barbara
Mom to "spirited" dd(9), "spunky" dd (6), "sincere" dd (3), "sweet" dd (2), and baby girl #5 born 8/1/12!!
Box of Chocolates
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Tami Forum All-Star
Joined: Dec 27 2006
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Posted: Jan 18 2008 at 11:12am | IP Logged
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I've cooked with powdered milk at times. I mix it in the blender.
I have stretched my store-bought milk by adding it in (after reconstituting it). I would do this in the evening, using what was left over from cooking. By the morning, when it's all chilled, my dc could not taste the difference.
__________________ God bless,
Tami
When we are crushed like grapes, we cannot think of the wine we will become. (Nouwen)
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dawn2006 Forum Pro
Joined: Aug 07 2007
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Posted: Jan 18 2008 at 2:36pm | IP Logged
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This might interest you.
__________________ Dawn Farias | wife to Ariel | mom to Gabriel 9, Daniel 7, Elizabeth 5, and Michael 3 | blogger at Be Absorbed | native Texan but currently living near Seattle
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MarilynW Forum All-Star
Joined: June 28 2006 Location: N/A
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Posted: Jan 18 2008 at 7:38pm | IP Logged
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I have heard that you must never use whole milk dried powder - only use nonfat milk powder. I would have to look up why - cannot remember. I have only used it to thicken yogurt -I do not like the taste reconstituted. Not sure of the nutritional value.
__________________ Marilyn
Blessed with 6 gifts from God
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KellyJ Forum All-Star
Joined: June 29 2006 Location: N/A
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Posted: Jan 19 2008 at 8:33am | IP Logged
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I think we've been using powdered for about a year. Only once in a blue moon do we get a jug of milk, usually because we're having company overnight and we don't want to "offend," because some people feel very strongly against powdered.
Also, as far as our milk jug buying, we are used to fat free (2% for babes between 1-2 yrs. old).
We use it for cold cereals, cooking, and baking. We drink water close to 100% of the time. Some younger folk here like to drink the milk, but we encourage water.
We make up about 2 qts. at a time and store it in a plastic, lidded pitcher. We have not used glass. I can't imagine using glass with our crew (dropsies). I even would be worried about breaking a glass pitcher myself.
I don't know how long it is before it might go bad. We've switched our breakfast schedule so the kids only have cold cereal 2x/week, but my husband has cold cereal daily. I think when they all had cold cereal daily, the milk would last 1.5-2 days. Now, the 2 qts. stretches to probably 3-4 days. Again, we do use it for cooking and baking also, so that can impact how quickly we go through it (esp. if we've got hot chocolate weather ).
We've been known to make and use it right away rather than letting it set in the fridge overnight. No one seems to care.
My husband developed an aversion to powdered milk as a child, but he actually encourages us to go with powdered now. It doesn't bother him like it did back then.
__________________ KellyJ
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Paula in MN Forum All-Star
Joined: Nov 25 2006 Location: Minnesota
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Posted: Jan 19 2008 at 9:16am | IP Logged
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We have used powdered milk for years. We keep it in a covered plastic pitcher. I probably make a pitcher a day, as it is used for drinking and baking/cooking.
__________________ Paula
A Catholic Harvest
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NavyMom Forum Pro
Joined: Dec 16 2007 Location: Florida
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Posted: Jan 22 2008 at 10:00pm | IP Logged
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We try to buy organic, hormone free milk. I wonder if there is an organic powdered option?
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SusanMc Forum Pro
Joined: Jan 21 2008
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Posted: Jan 23 2008 at 7:30am | IP Logged
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We keep two plastic milk jugs in our fridge. One is 2% milk from the store and the other is recon milk. I make about 2 quarts at a time and it lasts about 3 days so I have no idea how long it lasts before it goes "bad." We use the recon milk for everything other than drinking straight milk. In the beginning I cut the recon milk with half of store milk for taste concerns but now we really can't t tell a huge difference. Of course, with the rising price of dried milk, I'm sure we aren't saving as much as we once were.
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Mackfam Board Moderator
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Joined: April 24 2006 Location: Alabama
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Posted: Jan 23 2008 at 8:05am | IP Logged
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NavyMom wrote:
We try to buy organic, hormone free milk. I wonder if there is an organic powdered option? |
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I buy Organic Valley dry milk powder, but I've had trouble finding it lately. I wanted to link you to Amazon, but they say it's out of stock. You might have to search a bit for it, but it's worth it. The dry milk is very rich, and I like to use it in yogurt and all my baking.
I did find Bob's Red Mill carries a dry milk powder, but it doesn't claim to be organic. Still...Bob's Red Mill has a pretty good reputation, so it might be a worthy substitute.
I tried to get my family on the dry milk bandwagon, but they wouldn't go for it. We cut WAY back on our milk consumption, and have water for most meals now instead. It was the best compromise we could come up with since we drink organic milk $$$$ here as well.
__________________ Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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Mackfam Board Moderator
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Joined: April 24 2006 Location: Alabama
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Posted: Jan 23 2008 at 8:06am | IP Logged
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Sorry. Should have linked you to Bob's Red Mill dry milk powder.
__________________ Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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