POWDERED MILK: FACTS AND RECIPES

Powdered milk has come a long way since we were kids.  Anyone who has ever tasted it and thought " I will never drink that no matter what!!", it might be time to revisit your stance on that.  There have been improvements to the process of creating powdered milk that have vastly improved the taste. Below are some quick facts about powdered milk and the difference between regular and instant.  If you would like a more comprehensive overview we put together this info sheet on powdered milk.  

   QUICK FACTS:

      There is a big difference between Regular Nonfat Dry Milk and Instant Nonfat Dry Milk      

     Regular can be turned into a variety of milk products: cheese, yogurt, butter, evaporated, etc. 

     Instant is best used for drinkable applications: milk, hot cocoa, etc.

     There are almost twice as many servings in Regular Nonfat Dry Milk as in Instant.
     There is more protein per serving in Regular Nonfat Dry Milk.
     Instant Nonfat Dry Milk tastes better.
     Instant dissolves easier than Regular Nonfat Dry Milk.
     Instant can be found in most grocery stores; Regular is available online and in Home Storage Centers. 

   For those of you who have milk allergies there are places out there that sell milk alternatives such as goat milk, coconut milk, and soy milk in powdered form.  They are more expensive, but it would be worth it to still add to your food storage so you have some on hand.  

   The other day I read an article about a family that about a year ago decided to go for 3 months without going to the grocery store.  They did it to see if they could really survive off their food storage and whatever they grew in their garden for that time.  They learned a few things (I think all of us would.):  1. They actually had enough in storage to go 3 months without going to the grocery store, 2. They also learned there were some things they couldn't do without and the main 2 were milk and chocolate, so they learned to barter.  The one kid decided he couldn't live without milk, luckily he had a neighbor with cows and he made the deal with him that he would come help milk the cows in exchange for fresh milk.  Most of us probably aren't lucky enough to live next to a dairy farmer or someone with milk cows. My family would definitely not enjoy going that long without milk and that is why it is so important to have other ways to get your milk.  

   In the past we have also talked about shelf stable milk and cream.  While these products are shelf stable they don't last forever, usually about a year or less.  These would be great items to have in your short term storage.  Just remember that if you do buy any of these things, know how to use them in everyday life, and make sure your family will actually use/drink them.  It's not worth the investment if it will just rot on a shelf. When we did our powdered milk class we put together a bunch of recipes that use powdered milk. One of the great things about using powdered milk is that because it is dry it can be easily put into your own mixes  (i.e. muffins, rolls, breads, cinnamon rolls, oatmeal packets, hot cocoa, pudding, etc.) and then put in mylar bags for long term storage. One of my favorite recipes that I have in mylar bags is Brown Sugar Oatmeal Pancakes.  It calls for buttermilk, which I always have on hand in powdered form, but you could easily make it, just look at the recipes and it shows you how.  

   If the pandemic has taught us nothing else, it has taught us that nothing should be taken for granted because life can change very quickly. We need to always be moving forward and improving our readiness level and skill.