When Fred Meyer has 1/2 gallons of milk on sale for $0.99 each, I like to stock up. Freezing milk is super simple and extends the life of the milk for about 3 months. I just open the milk, pour about an inch off to allow for the milk to expand and then freeze the milk upright in the freezer {it does take some vigorous shaking because the fat separates when it freezes}.
So it might be easy, but is it worth it? Here are the pros and cons to freezing milk:
Pros:
- You can stock up when there is a sale, freeze it and save some money! Sometimes, milk will be discounted as much as $1 off a gallon.
- You never run out. Pouring a bowl of cereal only to open the fridge and find it empty is a big bummer. This prevents that from happen!
- I can’t taste a difference at all. While the consistency or texture might change a smidge, freezing it has never changed the taste to me.
Cons:
- Freezing causes reverse homogenization {that’s what causes the fat to separate}, so it changes the consistency a bit.
- The color will change a tad as well. You might not see that bright white milk you’re used to.
- If you’re not careful, you can have a big mess in your freezer. Forget to take out a some of the milk from the gallon before freezing and the gallon will explode after it expands!
Do you freeze your milk? Could you taste a difference?
~Mavis
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jennifer says
I can taste the difference, but i don’t mind it. My teen kids, though, do mind and always have. So if I happen to freeze milk, I do so with the plan to make yogurt when I thaw it. I’ve heard that research shows kids have more and more-sensitive taste buds than adults have, so I bow to their preferences in some regards. In fact, inevitably when one of the kids says our milk (not previously frozen) in the fridge has an off taste, two days later I can tell it’s starting to spoil.
On another note, when i was a kid, we got milk at the military base once a month for cheap, so we ALWAYS had a freezer shelf full of frozen milk. I never noticed a textural, homogenization, or flavor problem.
Betsy says
I freeze milk, but I put it in freezer bags in 2 or 3 cup portions so it is perfect for baking or cream soups. Sometimes I will get 10 gallons at a time from a friend who gets almost expired food. That I freeze right away and I am set for a while. I cannot tell any change when I use it in baking/cooking.
Deborah from FL says
I like this! 🙂
onefamily says
How timely to read this post – I was just thinking of trying that! I too had purchased some of the half gallons on sale and was thinking about buying more to stock up, but wasn’t sure about freezing. I will try freezing one next time they are on sale and see how I like it.
Karin C says
Mom always frize milk , she would blend it up when thawed with a stick blender , all was good . I could taste a difference but the rest of the family could not. She did it for years .
Tammy says
I tried this and didn’t mind the taste or change in color. My problem came in that it took SO long to defrost in the fridge! So I’d forget to get the milk out of the freezer and then I’d have frozen milk in the fridge and have to resort to buying more milk or doing without milk.
On a side note, if your milk jug has an indented circle on the side, that will expand with the freezing milk so you don’t have to take any milk out of your jug before freezing.
Patty says
I am picky about my milk so I buy my milk at Whole Foods. It is from grass fed cows and the milk is not homogenized so the cream is floating on top. I live 45 minutes from WF so I buy 4 half gallons at a time and freeze them. The cartons are cardboard so I never pour any out. In full disclosure, I have 2 people in my family so I can afford to spend the money on this milk. Lately I have pour half of the milk in a mason jar and freeze the milk 1/2 quart at a time. Defrosting is faster and we don’t go through milk as much now as we used to. I have never noticed a difference in color or taste. It works for my family.
Cynthia L. Parido says
When I’ve tried to freeze milk I never get it defrosted soon enough. I always have to buy a new carton. How long does it take to defrost a 1/2 gallon carton of milk?
Lunch Lady says
For me at least 2 days in the fridge.
Cynthia L. Parido says
Thanks!
Jennifer says
I freeze milk, too, and like that if ever the power goes out the freezer is equipped with big ice blocks. However, I have to plan ahead to use the frozen milk and allow it to defrost for a couple of days in the fridge to help with the fat distribution (I shake it, too). If you use it little by little as it thaws the first pours are creamy and the last bit is watery. Otherwise I don’t notice a taste difference.
Cindi Myers says
I always freeze milk. I never take any out of the jug beforehand and I have never had a mess in the freezer — maybe I’m just lucky?
Also on defrosting — I sit it out on the counter for a day, then put it in the fridge to finish defrosting. You can’t do this when it’s really hot in the summer, but I haven’t had any trouble partially thawing on the counter to speed things up.
Lunch Lady says
I too freeze milk. I’m the only one that drinks it. I got tired of tossing part of every gallon away. Been doing it for years! The texture changes a bit but not the taste.
Em says
I freeze milk regularly, as I don’t use it often.
On an unrelated note, am I the only one seeing pop-up ads on your web page? I have seen two now, and don’t care for them, sorry.
Deborah from FL says
Hi Em. I do not have pop-ups. Could it be the computer (or whatever you’re on) settings? I am so not tech savvy. Just a thought.
Emily says
I see them too! Earlier today, they were so bad that I couldn’t continue to read the article because it wouldn’t let me close the ad. One popped up just now and I was able to close it. I’m reading on my phone, if that makes a difference.
Em says
I’m on my phone, as well. Deborah, thanks for the comment, too.
One thing I forgot to mention earlier is I will also sometimes use powdered milk, if I’m making pancakes and need just a little and am out.
Diana says
I freeze milk when I get a good buy at the store…which seems to be happening regularly these past few months. I too freeze it in quart portions or smaller, because it takes so long to thaw. Freezing does change the consistency somewhat, but is still great for making a pitcher of smoothies or a quart of yogurt. I bought 8 gallons once, when skim was marked down to 75c a gallon. That is the most I’ve bought at one time, due to space and that I’m a household of one.
Deborah from FL says
I’ve done this with almond milk. Aside from long thawing time, it’s always worked out great.
I’m going to start portioning them first now. A big shout out of gratitude to your brilliant readers! 🙂
Jen Y says
I used to freeze milk when I had a big milk dreamer in my house. I never noticed a change in the taste but I did notice a change in texture & color as you’ve said. I always shook the milk well before serving to help with texture.
Now that we’re in the empty nest we have a hard time drinking it before it goes bad so I sometimes buy a gallon & freeze half of it.
Betsy says
I freeze milk during the school year when our consumption drops. Our daughter’s 2% I freeze in 3 c. Mason jars to speed thawing and have perpetually fresh milk. It works great and she has never complained! Just be sure to use wide mouth pint or 1.5 pint jars that don’t have a shoulder.
Linda says
I buy my milk at Costco in 3 .5 gallon cartons. I freeze whatever I don’t need immediately. This lets me buy milk once a month. We only have one milk drinker in the house. He likes non-fat so there’s no fat separation. We’ve been doing this for years and its worked perfectly. We don’t notice any taste difference but I noticed that the milk in plastic bottles does turn yellowish but not the milk in paper cartons.