Powdered milk to replace reg milk?

**Merrilee** · 12-20-2011, 12:06 PM

I might not be able to buy regular milk or often enough soon and wondered if I got a box of powdered milk to keep on hand, can I use that in things like boxed Au Gratin potatoes where you need a little milk? Or pastaroni fettucini noodles? I know these aren't the healthiest dishes, but I have several on hand because the grocery store will put them on sale for $1.00 now & then & I buy some. Besides money being scarce, the powdered milk would be convenient when regular milk isn't here, without having to worry about the expiration date. Can the substitution be made and would it be equal to the measurement called for with regular milk?
Thank you for any help.

**staceyy** · 12-20-2011, 12:20 PM

Yes, you can use reconstituted powdered milk in these recipes in the amounts specified.

**shoiji** · 12-20-2011, 01:25 PM

Powdered milk is great when making pudding.

**savvy_sniper** · 12-20-2011, 01:25 PM

YES! I use a whey based milk substitute in all my recipes that call for milk and they turn out perfect. I used to have milk on hand all the time, but the price has gone up so much I have cut WAY back.

**Merrilee** · 12-20-2011, 01:45 PM

Thank you all for the great & fast replies already! I thought so but wasn't sure...so before I put it on the grocery list I wanted to ask the experts. You know how things you didn't like as a child you tend to not do as an adult or with your own kids? Powdered milk was one of them, lol. As children we were given icky powdered milk to drink while our stepdad's daughter got homogenized milk...nice huh? So when I had children I vowed to get homogenized milk for them, lol. Which I did, but we have been self-employed in Electrical Contracting for 35 years and slowly business built up so we could afford it. Children all grown now & business failing due to economy mostly, so we're really bad of financially. It's frightening. Anyway decided to cut back tremendously some time ago & it's worse now-I haven't d rank milk in a few years but DH still likes it. Thanks!

**moasmom** · 12-20-2011, 02:05 PM

Just note that powdered milk isn't necessarily cheaper, ounce for ounce. It certainly isn't in our area, I was disappointed to find out. But I agree that it's convenient, and can be cheaper if you account of waste of fluid milk due to spoilage.

I keep powdered on hand to use in bread recipes that call for it specifically.

I was also raised on powdered milk exclusively and, to this day, I don't enjoy drinking milk because of that!

Kara

**Spirit Deer** · 12-20-2011, 02:48 PM

I often use powdered milk in cooking, interchangeably with fresh milk.

Some of the boxed foods you mention can use water instead of milk, too.

If you want to keep fresh milk on hand, you can freeze it in ice cube trays and then thaw small quantities as needed to prevent spoilage. I do that with buttermilk. You can thaw it quickly in the microwave.

**Merrilee** · 12-20-2011, 03:57 PM

Thank you kara and spirit deer! I wondered about water instead of milk for the boxed stuff, but thought maybe milk had something more in it that would be ruined by exchanging water for it. Like flavor, lol! I think I'll get brave and try the water. Several years ago I went to a sort of holistic doctor & the nurse said those there eat cereal with water on it (cuz milk is for cows which I tend to agree with but brought up on milk is good for you theories) & I thought I couldn't stomach that. Skim milk tastes like water to me. That is disappointing that it might cost as much for powdered as fresh, I'll have to check. But yes it was also for having it on hand when needed, which may not be the case with fresh.

Maybe I should do a new thread, but just in case anyone sees it here & can tell me, is there a way to subscribe to threads so I get e-mail notifications?

**leighcat** · 12-20-2011, 05:25 PM

I like to use powdered milk as a substitute because sometimes we won't be able to drink a whole gallon of milk and I hate waste. Especially with it being so darned expensive!
Its funny, I made powdered milk and my son said he didn't think it was any different than regular milk. They prefer strawberry or chocolate milk anyway. In cereal there isn't much noticable difference. My son actually encouraged me to just use powdered and he has even made it himself before lol!

**Merrilee** · 12-20-2011, 06:07 PM

leighcat-WOW! LOL! He likes it-that's awesome. If it's warm it gags me. Maybe chocolatized or strawberritized it would be fine, lol.

**wjcalderon** · 12-21-2011, 08:00 AM

Originally Posted by Spirit Deer

If you want to keep fresh milk on hand, you can freeze it in ice cube trays and then thaw small quantities as needed to prevent spoilage. I do that with buttermilk. You can thaw it quickly in the microwave.

Thank you for one of those "Now why didn't I think of that?" moments.
I don't waste too much regular milk, but I do throw out buttermilk from time to time.
I never thought to freeze it.
I only use it for cooking, so I'm sure it would work great.
I tried the powdered buttermilk, but it just didn't work as well.

Thanks again!

**greekislandgirl** · 12-21-2011, 11:35 AM

Originally Posted by Merrilee

Several years ago I went to a sort of holistic doctor & the nurse said those there eat cereal with water on it (cuz milk is for cows which I tend to agree with but brought up on milk is good for you theories) & I thought I couldn't stomach that.

My mother and I both put water on cold cereal. Well, I used to, before I quit eating it (it's very expensive!). I swear to you I can't tell the difference. The only difference is that I don't drink the water that's left in the bowl at the end, where you would probably drink the milk that was left. That said, I grew up on skim milk and the milk that DH drinks (1.5%) seems like cream to me, and I won't touch it!

**Merrilee** · 12-21-2011, 01:20 PM

greekislandgirl,

Yeah I have a feeling it's a in-my-head thing, wanting to barf a little at the thought of water on cereal. I rarely eat cereal anymore either, and yes that is one of those food staples that I have ALWAYS thought was way high priced. I used to eat Honey Nut Cheerios, my favorite, and when I saw Spartan brand made them too for 1/2 the price I was ecstatic. But they didn't taste the same as many store brands do-way too sweet, drats. When my son was about 10 (he's now 31!!) he LOVED Cracklin Oat Bran & because he was so hard to please and it at least claimed to be a very good for you cereal, I bought it for him-but it was the most expensive cereal out there!!! (I wonder if it's still made, I keep forgetting to look). But I was so glad he didn't want Count Chockula or some other bowl of sugar, I bought it. We were doing much better financially back in those days too. It grits my teeth how much they charge for cereal. And when the price of jug juice went sky high not long ago I just couldn't bring myself to buy it. I buy it on sale only. I know they're just waiting for people to get used to the new price, lol, but it doubled here & so far I won't pay it.

**Saule** · 12-22-2011, 08:54 PM

Powdered milk is essentially nonfat milk (some versions have some milkfat in them, but they can become rancid more quickly). But it is just fine for cooking. In most dishes if you need a different type of milk, you can add a little butter to make up the fat difference.

I don't know how much you think you might use, but it might be worth your while to check a bulk food store, if any are available in your area, for powdered milk. I would not use one of the boxes of powdered milk in a year (and I do buy fluid milk from time to time, still). But I can buy a cup or so of the powdered milk at the bulk food store, keep it in an airtight container, and have it available, especially for baking breads and for when I need them when there is no fluid milk in the house.

If you are going to use it for drinking, remember that it will take some time for it to fully hydrate. Mix it up in the evening for use the next day - it will taste much better than milk you mix up and try to use an hour or so later. I know it looks fully mixed, but those little cells simply need time to absorb the water completely.

**gottadance** · 01-03-2012, 12:43 AM

ooooh - thanks for this post - reminded me to add powdered milk to my grocery list; and great tip on freezing milk. I don't drink a lot of milk, but I use it in recipes - a good way to get some lowfat extra calcium. I've thrown out so much spoiled milk over the years.

Do you powdered milk users think that it tastes any better today than it did when we were growing up? I remember as a kid thinking it tasted awful. It wasn't so bad when mom mixed half a gallon with half powdered milk - but straight powdered - blech. But it'll be OK for recipes.