Freezing Milk

[allenlondon]

If I need to freeze milk (semi-skimmed), what is the best way, and what are the drawbacks?

If I don't freeze some, I could buy some UHT instead.

Ideas welcomed.

A

[calmck]

You can freeze milk. I buy the smallest size and freeze it. You could also use the breast milk freezer bags.

[bednobs]

When you defrost it, you'll need to use it more quickly than if you hadn't frozen it, so freeze it in smaller quantities.

[emmie]

i freeze semi skimmed no problem.

[Toorak]

Milk freezes well - once it had defrosted give it a shake because it may have separated through freezing. The further you freeze from the use by date, the longer it will last when defrosted.

[emmie]

i only buy mine in i pint quantities as otherwise doesn;t fit in the freezer

[allenlondon]

Smashing, that does help - particularly the 1pt size cartons.

I'll follow your advice, thanks.


A

[mallyh]

i freeze 4 pint bottles and defrost them upside down .no problems at all x

[mallyh]

semi skinned ^^^^

[barry1010]

I freeze semi skimmed milk and find it much 'creamier', no idea why. I just freeze it in the plastic bottles it comes in, never been a problem yet.

[emmie]

once defrosted give it a good shake as others have said

[Rosie29]

"Whole" milk freezes well too. I often keep a spare litre in the freezer.

[gingejbee]

On the subject of milk, I can recommend filtered fresh milk - it has a much longer "use by" date and keeps fresher much longer when opened...still needs to be kept cool, though. Semi-skimmed available.

https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/products/waitrose-filtered-whole-milk/539800-443726-443727

[barry1010]

I buy my milk once a week and I can't remember the last time I had milk go off. Even bog standard fresh milk (£1.50 for six pints) has a very long shelf life and it has been fresh even 4 days after that date. The milk I finished off this morning was delivered 9 days ago.

[jazzyjen]

Make sure there is a gap at the top before freezing because it expands to create a dome on top.

[KARL]

In the past, either if we were staying where supply was somewhat inaccessible/intermittent or whatever or if we were going away for an extended period, we have often frozen milk. We have done this up to two litre container size (full) but mostly limited to semi skimmed. There have never been any adverse effects. The milk has tasted and behaved fine, lasting until we finished it. I have a vague recollection of at some point having frozen a litre of whole milk which showed slight signs of separation and (if I remember correctly) we gave it a shake and never noticed anything adverse after that.

[Old_Geezer]

Take it out of the glass bottle first.
(Or anywhere, where there's no expansion room.)

[Naheed]

Yes, you can freeze milk easily and the best is to do it as soon as possible after buying though. The milk is mainly water so freezing is similar and easy. The major disadvantage of freezing milk is the change in the flavor as fat absorbs smells from other food.

[Vagus]

My frozen milk never, ever absorbs smells from other food in the freezer, it’s as good as the day it was frozen and lasts till it’s all used up.
I currently have about ten two pinters in the garage freezer.

[KARL]

We always freeze milk in its unopened original containers, except in the rare case of partly used packs/jugs. Never experienced other flavours imparted on the milk.

[ummmm]

I freeze it as well. I just bung it in the freezer and in the plastic container.

If you're limited on space you could decant into zip lock bags.