Oftentimes people avoid using powdered milk because they’re concerned about how it tastes, but did you know that you can make powdered milk taste EXACTLY like fresh milk just by ensuring that it is reconstituted properly? Here’s how…
Years ago it was considerably cheaper to purchase powdered milk and then reconstitute it. This, of course, was back before the days of government (over) regulations.. and that was also before the major drought and heat wave killed large amounts of dairy cattle in California (which incidentally produces over half of the US’s Nonfat dry Milk supply).
However, we’ve still found the price to be comparable and since powdered milk is easily stored in the pantry and doesn’t require refrigeration until it’s reconstituted, it’s still a valuable pantry staple. It’s easy to store, the creaminess can be controlled by adjusting the quantity of powder, it’s easy to stockpile and it has a lengthy shelf-life. It’s convenient to make homemade mixes ahead of time and then only need water to complete the recipe.
Before mixing the milk, here are a few tips that you should keep in mind:
- Always use Cold Water to Reconstitute Dry Milk
- Combine the powder and liquid mixing well. Let it set 10 minutes or so, then stir again. THEN put it in the fridge overnight. Never mix and drink powdered milk right away. It should always set overnight first for the best flavor.
- If you want to fool your family, purchase a gallon of whole milk, when it gets down to the last 1/2 a quart,, mix up 2 quarts of reconstituted powdered milk and mix them together. Refrigerate overnight, shake well before using.
- If you happen to have it on hand, add 2 Tbs of Butter Powderper Gallon of reconstituted milk. Butter Powder adds the natural fat content back to the milk, giving it a richer flavor.
In order to properly reconstitute powdered milk, it is essential that the correct ratio of powdered milk to water is used.
Here’s a chart you can go by:
If you’re wondering how we came up with the cost, here is the breakdown:
The Box was $7.78, there are 32 servings per box. A serving size is 1/3 of a cup. Therefore, 1 cup of powdered milk would cost 72¢
However, to make 1 cup of Milk, you would use 1/3 cup of Powder (24¢) and 1 cup of water. So 1 cup of milk would cost 24¢.
Not familiar with how to break down the cost of a recipe? Here’s a step by step tutorial that explains how to calculate the cost of a recipe.
© Can Stock Photo Inc. / PicsFive
I’d like to add one more little tip. Powdered milk does have a best before date, not because it goes bad, but because it becomes a little stale. Watch your best before dates, and maybe store, well sealed, in the freezer, if there’s more powdered milk than needed before that date.
Anne
Love, love, love this! I have been reducing milk when I began thm but my husband wants it for weekend breakfast. even though i purchased quarts, we would still end up with tossing part of the carton. this is a much better idea!
he likes the full fat milk so i will need to find butter powder. and thanks for the reminder on the expiration date.
I have never used powdered milk ,but since reading this article will try some.Thank you
This is so interesting I will have to try this. Where do I find butter powder?
You can click on the link in the article.
Been using powdered milk for years now and no one even realizes it. I sometimes put a teaspoon of vanilla flavoring in it also for a little sweetness.
Is there a health safety reason you shouldn’t drink it right away? Idc about taste tbh. It tastes gross either way lol
No, there is nothing wrong with drinking it right away, It just tastes better when it has been refrigerated overnight and is cold. Different brands of powdered milk taste differently. I like the suggestion of adding butter powder to it for flavor and protein. Also, like vanilla flavoring, but am going to try almond flavoring. Husband and children won’t say anything about the taste when you mix chocolate syrup or “Quick” powder in. I use powdered milk in alll my mixes from a cookbook called “Make a Mix Cookery”. I also found one called “There’s a cow in the Kitchen” that has recipes for everything milk including ice cream and pudding pops. By the way, I grew up drinking powdered milk all of the time. Cows milk tasted awful to me when I grew up and married. Many, many years later, I am lactose intolerant and drink Almond milk, which also needed getting used to the flavor. (But I love the Blue Diamond brand, especially egg nog!) The LDS Church Deseret powdered milk is excellent. It probably has 2% milkfat. It stores in gallon cans.