Freezing cows milk?

**ShelleyCowie** · 17-Oct-09, 16:09

Hello all....

Thats athrun on the cows milk now that he is 1 and we already go through lots of milk. Bought a big 6 pint yesterday and its nearly all gone already so might aswell buy in bulk.

Is it safe too freeze cows milk? If so how long for?

Thanks in advance!

**unicorn** · 17-Oct-09, 16:16

From what I can find yes you can but open and take some out first to allow for room for it to expand.

**unicorn** · 17-Oct-09, 16:18

Found this too

Milk can be frozen and thawed in the refrigerator or in cold water, however, it is not recommended since the quality of milk is affected. The milk protein is destabilized and particles may appear floating in the milk. A better solution is to purchase only the amount of milk you can use within a week.

So maybe if for wee one best fresh.

**joxville** · 17-Oct-09, 16:22

I've frozen milk many times with no adverse effects, though I use semi-skimmed. If it's full fat I'd imagine there to be some separation of the proteins and fats etc. so it would need a good shake once thawed. Also it will be yellowish in appearance but it'll go white again when thawed. You may need to decant some of it to another container to allow for expansion, which is about 10%. Hope this helps Shelley.

**ShelleyCowie** · 17-Oct-09, 16:50

Thanks both! Hmm...maybe i would be better just to continue buying the big cartons of milk every 2 days. Dont want to loose the nutrients for the wee one.

Still cant believe how much milk we are going through tho.

At least 200 brews a week for the lot of us, ceral for 5, athruns bottles.

Mental.

**davie** · 17-Oct-09, 17:06

You need to buy a milkan coo Shelley.
Glad to see you have been advised not to freeze the milk - I certainly would not recommend it.

**teddybear1873** · 17-Oct-09, 17:18

Originally Posted by ShelleyBain

Thanks both! Hmm...maybe i would be better just to continue buying the big cartons of milk every 2 days. Dont want to loose the nutrients for the wee one.

Still cant believe how much milk we are going through tho.

At least 200 brews a week for the lot of us, ceral for 5, athruns bottles.

Mental.

I think at the rate your going Shell, your cheaper buying a coo.

**dragonfly** · 17-Oct-09, 17:24

my mother used to freeze milk when it used to be delivered in those wee plastic bags, was ok but it seperated once thawed so looked like curdled milk, tasted fine tho, however that could have been full fat milk

**LMS** · 17-Oct-09, 17:34

I buy the big cartons of milk but always have a small one in the freezer for emergencies. I haven't had any problems with the defrosted milk. I wouldn't want to be using it all the time but very handy for the nights you realise you have no milk for the morning brew.

**emszxr** · 17-Oct-09, 17:49

we buy the full fat milk and goats milk and always freeze it as i buy 2 weeks worth at a time. never had a problem.
i think you not suppose to freeze semi skimmed. but dont count me on that.

**badger** · 17-Oct-09, 20:57

I buy semi-skimmed and always have a few smaller sizes in the freezer - never had a problem with it. Thaw it in the fridge and use like normal, sometimes needs a wee shake. Never noticed the difference between that and fresh.

I freeze lots of things that aren't recommended for freezing but I'm old and tough

. Milk should be fine though. Keep an eye on the date but that applies to most things.

**ShelleyCowie** · 17-Oct-09, 21:08

I think i might freeze some medium sized cartons for myself, my OH and the 2 older boys but continue to buy fresh for Athrun. He has a bad enough reaction to some milks and things so dont want to stir it up!

Thanks all!

**bettedaviseyes** · 17-Oct-09, 21:32

yes you can freeze it but i find once it's defrosted it goes a bit watery and the taste goes a bit too

**Kodiak** · 17-Oct-09, 21:39

Personally I can not see any reason to freeze Milk. Milk that you buy usually has a long use by date and on top of that it is sold everywhere and easy to obtain.

There are only two of us and we buy 3 X 6 Pint containers at a time. It never gets out of date and it keeps perfect in the fridge. When we are about half way through the 3rd container we then buy another 3 and these last us about 1 week.

**ShelleyCowie** · 17-Oct-09, 21:52

Originally Posted by Kodiak

Personally I can not see any reason to freeze Milk. Milk that you buy usually has a long use by date and on top of that it is sold everywhere and easy to obtain.

There are only two of us and we buy 3 X 6 Pint containers at a time. It never gets out of date and it keeps perfect in the fridge. When we are about half way through the 3rd container we thern buy another 3 and these last us about 1 week.

My fridge will not hold that much milk. I have foods in there for lunches, dinners and snacks for the whole week for 5 people. And its not that large a fridge, its a half fridge - half freezer one. I do have another chest freezer though and thats why i was asking.

As i said i will just continue to do what im doing if there will be any change to the nutrients of the milk. So i did have reason to ask about freezing

**piratelassie** · 18-Oct-09, 00:01

Originally Posted by ShelleyBain

Hello all....

Thats athrun on the cows milk now that he is 1 and we already go through lots of milk. Bought a big 6 pint yesterday and its nearly all gone already so might aswell buy in bulk.

Is it safe too freeze cows milk? If so how long for?

Thanks in advance!

May have missed something here, but who is Athrun that needs al that milk ?

**sweetpea** · 18-Oct-09, 00:48

Shelley, I have been putting milk in the freezer for long enough without effect. I usually do it with 2 pinters. Reason being: staying a way up a hill,lol.

**Fran** · 18-Oct-09, 01:55

I always have some cartons of long life semi skimmed milk in the fridge, comes in handy if you run out of milk, but really handy if you are ill and cant get out to shop.