Powdered milk anyone?

[Nursingnaturalmom]

Okay, Talk to me about Powdered Milk. I"m trying to wrap my mind around it, I have TONS of it for baking etc. I'm almost out of milk and really do not want to go back to the store this week. I"m wondering if I can get away with Powdered. I want to try and mix it with the rest of our milk we have. Which is about 3/4-1/2 gallon.

I read HBHW but was wondering if anyone has first hand experience and can give suggestions,

[velochic]

I can stand it if it is really, really, really, really, really cold (almost frozen). I used to have to drink it when I was a kid and I avoid it at all possible costs, except for baking.

I keep UHT milk (shelf-stable milk) in the pantry for drinking if we run out.

[Leta]

If you mix powdered milk with regular milk and serve it cold, I would be surprised if anyone can tell the difference.

[sandygirl]

I have a similar problem - we have a ton of canned milk from WIC.

We put it in soups, breads, etc.

[Sharlla]

Cost wise I think with the milk being $3.65/gallon powder is cheaper. When milk was $2.50/gallon it definitely wasn't worth it.

[Staceyy]

Powdered milk is great for baking. I don't like the taste of it for drinking. I prefer to buy whole milk and mix it with half water to get an approximate 2% milk. This is actually cheaper than powdered milk. Whole milk mixed with half water, the taste is indistinguishable from 2% milk. I can taste the powdered milk when it is mixed with regular milk. Powdered milk is great to have in emergency situations though. I plan on buying more for my emergency stockpile.

Canned milk is great for cooking and baking it has a richer taste than regular milk. It also makes wonderful hot chocolate. Of course you have to mix it with half water to reconstitute it. I like it in custards, cream soups and mashed potatoes.

[kluella]

Originally Posted by sandygirl

I have a similar problem - we have a ton of canned milk from WIC.

We put it in soups, breads, etc.

Soup! Brilliant. I've been trying to think of what to do with our WIC canned milk. We love broccoli cheese soup and that would be perfect. Thanks.

[sandygirl]

Originally Posted by kluella

Soup! Brilliant. I've been trying to think of what to do with our WIC canned milk. We love broccoli cheese soup and that would be perfect. Thanks.

we mostly make potato soup - but I've going to try some cream of cauliflower with potato & turnips in it this weekend.

[Eman'smom]

I grew up on powdered milk, mom never bought milk because it cost too much, she'd buy in bulk from the co-op. It needs to be very cold, maybe the kids won't be able to tell the difference if it's mixed with "real" milk. But the straight stuff is definately very different.


The upside is we drink skim here and it tastes like cream to me

[Ruthla]

Where I live, powdered milk isn't any cheaper than the fluid kind. I'm always when I read the suggestion to use powdered milk to save money.

[meowee]

It tastes pretty disgusting, even when very cold. I use it only for baking. I am vegan now so only my kids consume it via baked stuff. Even oatmeal made with it is pretty gross.

IMO it's suitable only for baking-- pancakes, waffles, quickbreads, breads, etc..

[meowee]

Originally Posted by Ruthla

Where I live, powdered milk isn't any cheaper than the fluid kind. I'm always when I read the suggestion to use powdered milk to save money.

Wow! I live in NYC and it is dirt cheap-- generic brand.

[spmamma]

I remember our family running out of milk one morning when I was a little girl so my mom mixed up some powdered milk for our cereal. Of course, we whined because it wasn't cold... so she tossed an ice cube into our bowls! :Puke

Powdered milk wasn't always used for evil in our house, though... mom also used it when making egg nog. Yummy!

[bwylde]

Originally Posted by Ruthla

Where I live, powdered milk isn't any cheaper than the fluid kind. I'm always when I read the suggestion to use powdered milk to save money.

Here's it's about $23-$25 to buy enough powdered skim milk (generic) to make 25 liters. If we were to buy milk, it would cost about $50 for the same amount of milk (and that's not organic).

When we want milk, we drink the powdered. It's best when it sits in the fridge overnight and is cold. The kids sometimes ask why Nanny's milk taste different. Well MIL can afford it, we can't!

[Marcee]

I keep it for baking and emergencies. The babies (3 and 2) drink it without any complaints. The older boys will only use it in cereal or oatmeal.

[MOM2ANSLEY]

I haven't priced it lately, we buy whole milk for ds and 2% for us and dd, but when I bought powdered milk to make the hbw recipe for hot choc (yummy) at reg groc store it was imo expensive....maybe b/c so many ppl here are on wic and its not commonly used??? i think it was like 5.00 for a small box

[annekevdbroek]

You might want to try mixing up one glass for yourself and seeing how it tastes.

I too grew up on powdered milk and find it *nasty* no matter how cold it is. I use it for baking only, mainly because we use so little milk around here that it just goes bad.

[Nursingnaturalmom]

Well, I mixed 1/2 whole with 1/2 powdered and noone noticed. I tasted it and didn't see a difference either. I don't think I"d do that all the time, just when I needed it to stretch.

I don't remember ever drinking it before. My Mom did things with evaporated milk though. My kids used to drink that in their cereal

Chandi