This is a funny story and I’m sure I’ve told it on here before. When Y2K was approaching, I wasn’t nearly as prepared as I am now and I pretty much did what everyone else was saying they were doing so I bought instant non-fat powdered milk. This is not the same box that I bought in 1999! (Though I’m not going to swear that box isn’t around somewhere!)
Powdered Milk
Leading up to the big day, I was thinking I might ought to try a little of it and see what Chad and Vince thought about it. I guess Chad was 12 years old and you know how boys are at that age — difficult in every way!
I had heard that if you mixed the milk/water up the night before, and left it in the fridge, it would be better so I did that. For breakfast, we were going to have cereal and test this milk. I fixed Chad’s bowl and he took a few bites. He looked at me and he said “All I have to say is . . this cow drank too much water! This milk tastes way too watery!”
Thank goodness we did not have to use it again but I do use it sometimes in my baking so I keep it around and I always think of that story when I use it.
Gardenpat says
Mixing up the powdered milk and water and chilling in fridge overnight method is used with Non-instant powdered milk, not instant. But honestly, my family would drink water first, even if it was mixed in with regular milk half and half!
So my powdered milk (and I have a lot stored) is what I use pretty exclusively in baking and cooking! I also make dry mixes using it! Not surprisingly, the family won’t reject a cookie made with powdered milk (in fact, they on’t even realize it!)
Judy L. says
You’re right! What I had stored for Y2K was not instant. What I usually buy for recipes is instant.
Carolyn says
I grew up w it. mom would mix it w a 1/2 gal of whole milk and make a gal of 1/2 each. It’s the only way I would drink it. But fast forward to my 50’s and WW, and oestopenia (thinning bones). I needed to increase my Cacium w/o my pts (AKA calories) So I started using 1/3c, dry (1 serving) as creamer in my coffee. It’s great! I don’t notice the taste others might.
I have used it in cooking and it is a great substitute for milk, it can also increase the protein in a recipe that might have called for Cream while lowering the calories.
Susan T says
I used powdered milk exclusively for many years. My first son had some trouble digesting fats when he was little, and the suggestion was made to use skim milk. We lived in the far north, and the ready supply of fresh milk was not there. As our kids grew, they learned to enjoy powdered milk, and when visiting their Grandmothers’ homes, commented the their milk didn’t feel as cold! I have always used it for baking and cooking, but do buy skim milk for cereal and drinking now. My bread recipe calls for powdered milk mixed with the salt, sweetener (sugar, molasses etc.) and fat (veg. oil, butter), and adds boiling water to melt everything together and scald the milk. Works well, and less messy than scalding the milk in a pan on the stove or in the microwave. I couldn’t live without powdered milk!
Teresa says
You can also add it to homemade yogurt to increase the protein content and to thicken it. I don’t think it changes the taste at all.
Gardenpat says
I don’t use liquid milk at all when I’m making my homemade yogurt in the crockpot- just reconstituted powdered milk + a little yogurt to start! Definitely makes it more affordable and then I turn it into Greek yogurt or yogurt cheese (a cream cheese substitute)!
JudyL says
I don’t like the yogurt made with dry milk at all. I use whole milk in my yogurt and that’s one of my indulgences.
JudyL says
I think it changes the taste. One bite and I can tell if I used powdered milk in it. Also, once I drain the yogurt to make Greek yogurt, I can’t tell any difference in the consistence whether I used dry milk or not but I definitely taste the dry milk. It’s a flavor I don’t like so I rarely add it. In fact, I only add it every now and then . . just to see if I can still see a difference in the taste.
Kate says
Judy, too funny… but let me share another powdered milk story… When I lived in Louisiana, we moved into a house with a huge live oak tree in the back yard. We had to put some boxes in the garage overnight during the move cause the hardwood floors were not yet dry… the next morning we went out in the yard , and noticed something horrible had happened to our magnificent tree ! There was this dry, white stuff, all up and down the trunk, and up on one of the branches… we thought “oh no, some terrible fungus or disease” – and you know how valuable and wonderful those trees are – we were distraught !!!
On closer examination, we saw that a raccoon had opened a box in the garage, taken a big box of powdered milk, and headed up the tree with it – and it you looked close, you could see the box way up in the tree……… he had left quite a trail, and lost most of his treasure !
Perhaps he was taking that milk ‘home’ to make up some cookies for the family !!!
A great memory of our home there… thanks for stirring that one up in my head!
Kathleen
patti says
dh won’t drink milk of any kind. in an effort for his mom to economize, she would mix up powdered milk and add it half and half to whole milk to stretch it a bit. he was gulping down a glass and got a glob of the unmixed powder stuck in his throat and that was the last glass of milk he ever had.
Rebecca in SoCal says
Judy, seeing the package of “non-fat” dry milk makes me wonder if your fresh milk was skim? I keep “almost” getting skim milk before I notice the difference! You can see the difference in fresh milk!