5 ways to use up milk

Got Milk?

Remember the Got Milk ad campaigns when they were one of the most popular and successful adverts in American history? The famous milk moustaches on celebrities, from Britney Spears to Taylor Swift to the Friends’ cast - oh to relive the roaring 90s. Let’s not get too nostalgic here…and sidetracked. As these campaigns were pushing to boost the milk industry, milk is actually one of the top 10 most wasted foods. Over 45 million gallons (or 170 million litres) of milk are lost each year, equivalent to roughly 68 Olympic-size swimming pools. Another astonishing study adds that roughly 116 million tonnes of dairy products are wasted globally. And retailers, distributors and consumers are responsible for discarding nearly 50% of this waste. What makes this wastage even more significant is that the production of solely ONE gallon of milk requires 144 gallons of water and emits almost 18 pounds of CO2.

Wasting milk is simply mind boggling. Especially because milk is just SO good! Milk and cookies, anyone? Or even, the sweetened milk after finishing your cereals (our favourite one is the chocolate milk after eating Koko Krunch)? Either ways, there is surprisingly a lot you can do with leftover milk that isn't limited to cookies and cereals. And we are sharing with you today ways to use up your milk so it does not get discarded. From storage solutions to sweet and savoury ideas, here are our top 5 Tuesday Tips.

1. Stay cool

One of the most practical and efficient ways to extend the shelf life of your milk is by keeping your fridges cooler. Simply reducing the temperature of our fridges to below 5°C could save more than 50,000 tonnes of milk waste annually in the UK alone. Additionally, opt for storing your milk inside the shelf of the fridge where the temperatures don’t fluctuate each time the door is opened (as opposed to the side of the door). This will certainly extend their shelf lives.

2. Freeze it

Believe it or not, you can freeze your milk for up to 6 months. It actually freezes easily, just make sure that if you are using jars to leave enough headspace as the volume will expand. Having milk in the freezer acts as a great standby in case of emergency (we now always have a carton for backup). And when needed, just let it defrost overnight.

3. A French classic

Ah, the holy trinity of cooking: milk, butter and flour. Whisk these three up to make a French classic; impress your family and friends by making your own velvety béchamel sauce next time you’re hosting dinner night. This sauce is an amazing way to consume large quantities of milk at once and it can be kept for 4-5 days in the fridge or 6-12 months in the freezer. Béchamel can be added in many recipes, including lasagnas, Mac and cheese and creamy soups, etc.

4. Did someone say dessert?

Whether you’re considering baking bread or cake, making a custard, pastry cream or rice pudding, the list goes on with decadent milk dessert recipes. Baking with milk is one of the easiest way to incorporate the ingredient and ensure it does not go to waste. Plus who doesn’t love a good dessert? We love ourselves a delicious Portuguese egg tart or Japanese milk bread for example. Here are a few links to milk recipes.

5. Keep it cheesy

Why not be extra creative in your kitchen and turn your leftover milk into cheese? After all, it’s the perfect excuse to make simple cheeses like paneer or ricotta at home. Plus it’s also surprisingly easy to make! All you really need to do is to heat up your milk, add an acid to curdle it, such as lemon juice or vinegar, then strain out the curds from the whey before pressing it. Click here for a ricotta or paneer recipe.