STORING MILK FOR LONG-TERM

When you open your refrigerator, one of the first things you might notice is a quart or gallon of milk. But what happens if milk suddenly becomes hard to access? Milk is often overlooked in prepping, yet it’s a crucial pantry staple. The good news is there are several ways to make milk shelf-stable. Powdered milk is created by dehydrating liquid milk, while freeze-dried milk undergoes a freeze-drying process to preserve it. You can also find condensed milk in cans or shelf-stable milk conveniently packaged in cartons.

FREEZE-DRYING MILK

Milk is one of the easiest foods to freeze-dry. Not only does it allow you to quickly store essential food items, but did you know you can also freeze-dry other types of milk other than cow milk? Breastmilk and goat milk are just a few other popular milks that are freeze-dried. Reconstituting freeze-dried milk is easy, use a ratio of equal parts water to freeze dried milk. But you can adjust as needed. Tips on freeze-drying and storing milk for long-term Freeze-dried Milk - Part 1 and Freeze-dried Milk - Part 2

Once fully freeze-dried, milk crumbles into a fine powder. I like to crush it directly in Quart-size gusset Mylar bags as I load it (Quart 7 Mil Seal-Top Premium Gusset Mylar Bags and Oxygen Absorbers| PackFreshUSA), but it also fits easily into pint-size bags or jars if processed into a fine powder with a food processor. Mylar bags make an ideal storage choice due to their durability and non-breakable nature. To reconstitute, simply add cold water to restore the original volume. Alternatively, you can add the freeze-dried milk to a Quart Mason jar, fill with water, and mix to your desired consistency.

In my series “What to Store for One Person for 1 Year” you need a total of 75 pounds of dairy stored. It is recommended you store 60 lbs. dry milk. Here is the FOOD STORAGE CALCULATOR it is not only interactive with the number of adults and kids, but you can change the amount of month.

Ensuring you have enough milk on hand for your family means you’ll be able to make hearty soups, creamy sauces, flavor oatmeal, or simply enjoy a glass. It’s a versatile staple that enhances many meals and recipes.

OTHER DAIRY TO STORE

Other essential dairy items to consider storing include freeze-dried yogurt Tips on Freeze-drying Yogurt , cheese Cheese Please - Freeze-drying Cheese , sour cream, cream cheese, cottage cheese Cottage Cheese Freeze-dried and more. Yogurt is definitely easy, and you can eat them as-is but you can also reconstitute it and make it back into the original form. My yogurt and pudding treats are fun to put into molds and have them in Mylar or Stand Up Pouches | PackFreshUSA, which is great for short-term storage, gifting, and for selling, since they come in a variety of sizes and colors. I add an oxygen absorber to go oxygen free which creates a longer storage time for your goods.

Treats like ice cream or FREEZE-DRIED ICE-CREAM SANDWICHES are other dairy items you can easily freeze-dry.

DRIED MILK

Dehydrated milk or dried milk is sold in stores, and it can be stored often up to 10 to 20 years oxygen free. 20 years for non-fat and less for milks with fat.

You can also make your own dried milk. I personally have not done this. There are quite a few good directions out there.

Dehydrated milk, often known as powdered milk, is made by removing almost all of the water content from fresh milk, which helps preserve it for a longer time without refrigeration. It’s an excellent option for food storage because of its long shelf life, lightweight nature, and versatility. When stored properly in an airtight container, dehydrated milk can last up to 10 years or more, making it ideal for emergency preparedness and everyday use alike.

To use dehydrated milk, you simply add water to reconstitute it. The ratio typically depends on the brand, but a common mix is 1 part powder to 3 or 4 parts waters, resulting in milk you can use in cooking, baking, or drinking. Here is a video on Reconstituting Dried Milk

Dehydrated milk can also be added directly to recipes without reconstitution to add richness and nutritional value to soups, sauces, oatmeal, and baked goods.

Making mixes like homemade hot cocoa or cream of anything soup mix having extra powdered milk is beneficial.

Dehydrated milk has nutritional benefits similar to fresh milk, including protein, calcium, and vitamins. However, some vitamins, like vitamin C, may be slightly reduced during the dehydration process.

Making sure we have plenty of different types of stored dairy, is so important to have. If you have younger children, then please store extra milk in varieties of types.

BUTTER

Butter is also another essential dairy that is great in cooking as a fat. My two favorite ways to have butter on hand for long-term is powdered store-bought butter and canned style Ghee butter.

Happy prepping,

Ola D Griffin

Long-term Food Storage Expert

Customer Service, Safeguard Brands, Inc. dba PackFreshUSA

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