What to store for a milk substitute?

[sofasurfer]

Are any of the milk alternatives really any good as a milk replacement? Powered milk, canned milk, what do I need to get for long term storage to replace milk? I read that powered milk and other alternatives are fine for cooking and recipes but really suck when it comes to just drinking it. Whats the true poop on this? I need my milk. If there are true alternatives what companies are the best to purchase from?

[crashdive123]

It will always be a matter of taste. If you are accustomed to drinking whole milk and switch to powdered skim milk then you probably will turn up your nose to it. If you are used to drinking skim milk then powdered is fine. Onboard ship (no fresh milk) the cooks would add a little vanilla to the 5 gallon batches of powdered milk. It tasted good.

You can also store shelf stable UHT milk (lots of varieties and brands) that have a shelf life of over a year (unopened).

[Rick]

I concur with Crash. I drink 1% milk. I can tell the difference between that and powdered milk but I don't have a problem drinking powdered milk when out in the woods. I've found that powdered milk has a decent storage life but once opened it will begin to absorb moisture. At 18 months or so it turns yellow. I didn't taste it and it was a small enough amount I just threw it away.

[Winnie]

Nestle Nido is dried whole milk. It's good.

[canid]

As I drink milk primarily in my coffee, I keep powdered creamer, cocoa mix and the like for storage. Failing that, I also advocate powdered milk. I'm not much a fan, but nutritionally, it works.

[Delta 5168]

Just FYI, if you have canned milk that has been sitting for a while, you'd better check it. The solids settle out in the bottom.

[mountainmark]

I would get a cow.....But that's just me......

If I had to use an alternative, it would be powdered.

http://daily-survival.blogspot.com/2...ered-milk.html

[Rick]

I've used similar recipes for cheese making but had never considered using powdered milk. I was under the impression that the more fat there was in milk the better success at making cheese and a better flavor. Since powdered milk is low fat/no fat (whichever) I didn't think it would work very well or have a decent flavor. Has anyone tried making cheese with powdered milk?

[mountainmark]

It's the protein in milk that forms the curd. The fats simply get trapped in the "matrix." And yes, fat is flavor However, many good cheeses have little fat due simply to the process. For instance parmesan is a pretty low fat cheese because much of the fat is lost due to the small size of the curd at cutting. The greater the surface area (the smaller the curds) the more fats that are dislodged from the matrix and lost to the whey. Also, the more vigorous you stir early on, the more fat you will loose. The tradeoff with this is that you end up with a dryer cheese that will age much longer. This is why the most creamy cheeses are often fresh, and the most brittle old.

I have not used the above recipe or powdered milk for cheesemaking, but just thought I would add it for others interested. I would think your options for quality cheeses would be very limited with powdered milk. Someone elsewhere noted that one could potentially add butter for flavor, but I wouldn't recommend that for any cheese that was to be aged. Agitation of the fats release lipase which I consider undesirable, however if your butter is pasteurized this should not be a problem.

[Rick]

Thanks for the explanation, Mark. That makes sense to me. I would also think you could add any number of spices and/or herbs to change the flavor.

[1stimestar]

I was raised on powdered milk and don't like the flavor. Up here most people and all bush schools use shelf stable boxed milk. It tastes fine.
http://www.milkunleashed.com/?gclid=...FSVxQgodCBUApg

[grrlscout]

Nuts are also a possibility. Nut milks are pretty easy to make -- just soak, blend and strain. You can even make cheese from it.

OTOH, nuts can go rancid. They won't kill you; they just won't taste that great.

[Batch]

I quit putting milk in my coffee because of camp issues with milk. I don't use milk for anything else outside of the house.

It all started with Sheeps stomachs enzymes separating whey and curs.

http://science.howstuffworks.com/inn...ns/cheese4.htm

[Rick]

Who was the first guy that said, "Hmm. I'll store this milk in a sheep's stomach" and how much did he have to drink to come up with that? That is just seriously weird.

[Wildthang]

Augasen Farms makes the best powdered milk. When it is mixed well and cold, it isn't that bad, and would definately be better than no milk at all! It comes in a #10 can and lasts 15 to 20 years unopened.