Freezing Milk - The Best Methods, Tips and Tricks

Fresh milk - freeze properly and thaw again

Freezing fresh or preserved milk?

Preserved milk should preferably be entrusted to the freezer. Fresh milk can also be frozen, but in the freezing cold, its fats separate from the protein molecules and are unsightly deposited on the surface. Homogenized milk has a smaller percentage of fat and is therefore better suited for freezing.

Suitable containers

Different types of packaging can be used for freezing milk:

Milk cartons
Tetra packs
plastic bottle

Frosty milk needs more space

Frozen milk expands and takes up more space than fresh milk. If the milk container is filled to the brim and placed in the freezer, this can have unpleasant consequences: the container will burst and the milk will no longer be usable.

This "disaster" can easily be avoided if some free space is left in the container. If an entire unopened package is frozen, some milk should be removed from it beforehand. One cup is enough.

Write down important dates

The date of freezing should be noted on the freezer container. The remaining shelf life must also be noted. You can easily calculate how many days the milk still has to go in the fresh or defrosted state using the best-before date.

Freeze the milk cubes

Milk residues can also be frozen in the ice cube container. After the cubes are completely frozen, they are removed from the container and kept in a freezer bag. Such milk cubes offer several advantages:

they can be removed in good portions later
the desired amount of milk can be better dosed
for example for baking recipes
Milk cubes thaw faster than a large "milk block"

Shelf life in the freezer

Milk should not be stored in the freezer for more than three months. It does not spoil even after long periods of storage, but takes on foreign smells over time. After thawing, the milk must be used within five days. Occasionally earlier if it wasn't freshly frozen.

thawing

You have two options for thawing milk:

very slowly in the refrigerator
may take longer than a day depending on the size of the container
under cold water
within a couple of hours

Never thaw milk with the aid of heat. The microwave is also not suitable for defrosting.

Shake first, then serve

Before serving the thawed milk, it should be shaken well beforehand. As a result, the attached fat layer is evenly distributed in the liquid again. The yellowish tone of the milk after freezing is normal and not an indication that the milk is bad.

Tips

Use frozen milk for cooking or baking, as it is only conditionally suitable for drinking after it has thawed.

Conclusion for quick readers

Long-life milk: It can be easily frozen before the best-before date has expired
Fresh milk: it is less suitable for freezing; the cold causes fat to deposit ugly.
Suitable containers: milk cartons, tetra packs and plastic bottles
Filling: Frozen milk expands, therefore never fill the wheel full; Container can burst
Labeling: Note the date of freezing and the remaining shelf life in days
Milk cubes: Milk residues can be frozen in ice cube containers
Advantages: cubes can be removed individually; The amount can be dosed better; for example for recipes
Shelf life: use frozen milk within three months
Longer storage: Milk can also be stored for longer than three months, but it takes on foreign odors
Thawing: Slowly in the refrigerator or faster under cold water; do not thaw under the influence of heat
Serving: Shake the milk before serving so that the fat layer mixes with the liquid
Tip: Use frozen milk for cooking and baking as it is conditionally suitable for drinking