What to do with frozen (expired) milk?

[crunchy_mommy]

I hate hate hate to waste anything!! I have a bunch of bags of frozen milk I had pumped "for an emergency" that I don't need anymore but they're too old to donate or anything but I don't think they're technically "bad." Does anyone have any creative uses for milk? Like could I make some kind of cleaning product or something?? (yeah I have no clue what I'm talking about here lol)

[lovepiggie]

I see you're a vegan, so I guess you wouldn't want to use them in baking!

I hear you can use it as makeup remover, or lipbalm, as well as for all other sorts of balms (for insect bites, scratches, diaper rash)

I also found this recipe for soap! (Although I don't know what would happen if you left out the honey...)

MothersMilk Soap
32 (4-ounce) bars


Ingredients:

3 lbs. vegetable shortening

17 ounces dark olive oil

18 ounces Safflower oil

6 cups cold/cool breastmilk (breastmilk may be previously frozen and thawed....and you can use any amount of breastmilk you like and substittute the rest with goatsmilk, just make sure to have 6 cups fluid).

12 ounces pure sodium hydroxide (lye)**

1 ounce Borax

2 TBS honey

(you may also add essential oils and/or dry medicinal herbs)

3 or 4 trays Ice Cubes



Tool List:

Stainless steel pans
wooden or stainless steel spoons
newspaper to cover counter tops
candy thermometer
measuring cup
scale
blender



Cautions:

Please wear gloves, and I also recommend a mask with a filter, as well as protective eye-wear due to the chemical process involved and the use of lye.


Use only stainless steel pans for making soap - DO NOT use aluminum, as this will produce another dangerous chemical reaction.




Directions:

Before begining, be sure your kitchen or other workspace is in a very well ventilated area.


Melt the vegetable shortening in a sauce pan and add the oils. Bring tempeture up very slowly until all the shortening is melted, being careful not to over heat or scorch the oils.

Plug your kitchen sink and fill half way with water and three or four trays of ice cubes, then put the cold breastmilk in a sauce pan, and place the sauce pan into the water.
You *must* keep the milk cool when you add the lye to it or the lye will burn it and make it unusable (and rather smelly!)

Slowly stir in the sodium hydroxide, constantly stirring, and occasionally circulating the outer ice water. The lye is going to heat the milk up as you stir it in, avoid breathing these fumes! Adding the lye should take at least 5 minutes, as going any faster will burnout your milk. If you accidentally splash any on yourself, rinse immediately!

Once combined, continue to stir the milk/lye mixture for a few more minutes and then remove from the water bath. The milk/lye mixture will become more and more yellowish in color, which is perfectly normal.

Add the honey and borax to your melted oil which should still be warm but not hot (between 110F and 120F).

Very slowly and carefully pour the milk/lye mixture into the pan of oil, stirring constantly until completely mixed together.

Process this mixture in a blender (half full at a time) running the blender at whip speed for a minute at a time, and then pour off into a clean container. Process everything through the blender process a second time, and this is when you could add your essential oils, or dry herbs, an ounce at a time depending upon the desired strength.

Once the mixture has been blended twice, it will be ready to pour into a mold to turn into soap...or "saponify". If you don't have a soap mold, a mold can easily be made out of a cardboard box lined with plastic wrap that's been lightly coated with oil, or freezer paper in a wooden box.

I usually let my soaps rest eight weeks (two moons) before cutting, and then let rest another 24 hours before wrapping (if I do wrap...usually I just "band" with cardstock paper writting the EO or herb blend on them) though some folks cut their soaps sooner if they are to be used right away.

[crunchy_mommy]

Wow that's really cool. Seems like a lot of work but maybe I'll give it a shot! I was sort of joking, I didn't know you really could make soap out of it, that's awesome!!

[CarrieCo]

What's your definition of expired? I know the ped says not to use it after a certain amount of time ... but after working that hard to make it, I would have a hard time throwing it out too!! If it were me, I would keep it till it was needed and then use it!

You could always feed it to the cat. I'm sure they would enjoy it!

[crunchy_mommy]

Originally Posted by CarrieCo

What's your definition of expired? I know the ped says not to use it after a certain amount of time ... but after working that hard to make it, I would have a hard time throwing it out too!! If it were me, I would keep it till it was needed and then use it!

Well I think I pumped it like 8 months ago, not sure I'd have to check the dates. I'm always with DS so I've never had a need for it & he's old enough now that he can have solids instead to buy us time in an emergency. It's just taking up space & I'm sure it will go bad soon!

Originally Posted by CarrieCo

You could always feed it to the cat. I'm sure they would enjoy it!

LOVE this idea... my poor cat is always sick (vomits daily in the winter) and pretty skinny so she would probably love the milk!

[Xavismom]

This post makes me feel SOOOO much better about not being weird!!

When I pump too much at once to put in a freezer bag, I give the extra milk to the dog. DH said not to, that it was weird to give the dog human milk, even after I pointed out that he drinks cow milk. My dog loves it though.

[ASusan]

If I had a cat, I'd give it to the cat before I'd go through the bother of soap!!

But I love the soap idea!! I wish I knew that before I threw out 1+ year-old milk. High lipase...not particularly edible. Maybe even a cat or dog would have rejected it.

[boobs4milk]

smell and taste it. it may not be bad and you can give it to ds in a sippy.

[CherryBombMama]

i use my extra milk as a face wash. back when i had tons extra, i had really great skin from it lol

i have also soaked my feet in my (warmed up) milk ... such a nice foot bath! i have also soaked a piece of washcloth in my milk and let that sit on a pimple or two, and it always made my face clear up ...

i have washed the baby in my milk, lightly dabbed it on his butt for any rashes ...

so many uses

[prescottchels]

As long as freezer burn hasn't set in, I'd use it-personally speaking... and if freezer burn is an issue, well I might offer it to a critter before tossing it (or pouring it out, outdoors).
I think I'd feel better offering it back to the earth rather than dumping it down the drain

[newtomotherhood]

I have some in my freezer that's a little old and not going to get used! DD has eczema and was thinking of putting some on her rashy spots, maybe it would help! I offered some to my Mom who has psoriasis really bad but she just thought I was insane, I wish she would try it though you never know!

[ears73]

My pediatrician said frozen breast milk was good for up to two years... Is that not true?? And fresh in the fridge for up to 48 hours.
I agree w/the uses for face, bum rash etc. Also, nose drops!

[crunchy_mommy]

Originally Posted by ears73

My pediatrician said frozen breast milk was good for up to two years... Is that not true?? And fresh in the fridge for up to 48 hours.
I agree w/the uses for face, bum rash etc. Also, nose drops!

Two years?!?! Wow the most I have heard is 6-9 months, and that would be only in a deep freezer (which I don't have). If it's really 2 years maybe I'd keep it. I suppose I could give it to him in a cup but I feel weird doing that when he could just get it straight from the tap!

Thanks everyone for the great ideas!!!!!!!!!!!

[EmilyG]

I used my frozen milk about 13-14 months after I pumped it. I just couldn't let it go to waste and it still smelled and tasted fine when I thawed it. I used it in dd's sippy cup at meal, used it in her cereal, or when making my own baby food to make things a little softer/liquidy.

[EmilyG]

Originally Posted by ears73

My pediatrician said frozen breast milk was good for up to two years... Is that not true?? And fresh in the fridge for up to 48 hours.

Fresh in the fridge is good for 7 days (I've stretched it longer and it was fine), thawed previously frozen milk will keep in the fridge for at least 24 hours.

[feminist~mama]

Subbing for the soap recipe!

[vegemamato]

Originally Posted by lovepiggie

I see you're a vegan, so I guess you wouldn't want to use them in baking!

Actually, breastmilk is vegan..

(unless it was taken without conscent )

[kismetbaby]

Originally Posted by vegemamato

Actually, breastmilk is vegan..

(unless it was taken without conscent )

Yeah this!!! Even if you are allergic to dairy you can have BM! Its not the same as consuming animal milks. So bake away! BM muffins anyone?

I've been wondering about using old BM too. . .I need to try some on my LOs eczema!

[Lil'Momma]

My SIL makes breastmilk yogurt for her lo's... don't know where she gets a starter culture, but it tastes really good the way she makes it, and she makes it with BM that has been in a separate compartment freezer for 7-9 mo. and tastes a little off (we think it is an lipase issue) but once it has fruit and stuff in it, you can't tell!

[lovepiggie]

Originally Posted by vegemamato

Actually, breastmilk is vegan..

(unless it was taken without conscent )

Hmm.. I guess I knew that! I was more thinking that most vegans I know (myself included) are lactose intolerant from not having dairy products for a long time... I can tell pretty quickly after I consume dairy by accident! And breast milk is very high in lactose... It might make her sick?