Don’t let your milk go bad before you get to use it all! Here is how to make it last longer Anytime you open the fridge, pick up the milk jug and give it a good shake. The reason milk goes bad is because the different enzymes separate over time as they sit and some of them sour. If you are constantly shaking the jug, you are keeping them from separating and this can honestly triple the shelf life of your milk!
Thanks to Megan for sharing it! You can see our previous discussion on saving on milk here.
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… too funny. I just saw a link on aol about how to keep milk fresher longer. They said to add a pinch of table salt!
This totally works! Although I agree, most of the time it doesn’t make it to the date, there have been occasions when there isn’t much consumed for a few days. This works much better with 1% or 2%. It’s been a while since I’ve bought whole, which I prefer, but that’s my other stretch the milk tactic: skimmer varieties usually have a longer use by date. Also, 1% tends to be good a few days past the use by date if you do the shake tip. I can’t wait to get the spare freezer going so I can start freezing milk. HT has it on sale for $2.97/gal this week!
Also, if you have a Braum’s Ice Cream shop near you, I have consistently found their milk to be cheaper.
Thanks for this tip! I am definitely going to start doing this! It’s just me and hubby and I eat a bowl of cereal everyday and also use it for cooking but he will maybe eat one bowl of cereal per gallon so while I never let it go bad I pretty much always make a gallon last until it’s starting to smell funny.
If you are in Central FL the best deal on milk for me is at CVS! They sell the TG Lee brand and it usually goes on sale for $3.39 and there is a $1 coupon on their website. They have also been having $1 ECB on milk this summer with a $3.79 price so lately I have got all my milk for $1.79/gal! And being able to use ECB to pay I really never pay more than cents OOP :)
My milk doesn’t have a chance to go bad we use at least one gallon a week. But if I buy chocolate milk as a rare treat I dilute it with regular milk. I like it better that way. and it makes the chocolate milk last longer.
We go thru about 2 gallons a week but I never thought about shaking it. I’m going to give it a try and see how it works. Another thing I started doing was freezing milk. When it’s on sale I purchase about 5 extra and freeze them. I’ve frozen the jugs and the boxed cartons. We only use fat free so when it’s thawed it still tastes the same to us (note: I’ve heard 2% or whole has a different taste after frozen due to the consistency). But one word of warning…..it takes awhile for it to thaw. I usually put it in the sink overnight and it’s thawed by morning. I don’t worry about it spoiling cuz the center is still frozen in the morning so the milk is still cold. If you don’t feel comfortable leaving it in the sink overnight, then it takes almost 4 days to thaw in the fridge.
great tip but no one has mentioned how to save money when you have a kid that is lactose intolerant… my 13 month old just switched over from soy formula and i am annoyed that you can’f find soy or lactose free milk by the gallon… half gallons here in utah are almost $3 and between my 13 month old and my lactose free drinking hubby who drinks a glass with every meal, we go through a lot of half gallons… any suggestions on what to do to save money on either lactose free or soy milk… please help?!
My sister is lactose intolerant too. I’ll ask her and see what she suggests. :)
Have you looked into Blue Diamond’s Almond “Milk”? I haven’t tried it, but we’re planning on it. I think they had some coupons on their Facebook and/or website. I’ll let Kristin do the posting on that, though!
I am personally going to give this one a try. While we never have milk “post- date”, I have some pretty picky milk drinkers. After two days in the fridge, my kiddos usually complain that the milk “tastes bad”. So I will have everyone shake it up and see what we get!
Thanks!
We go through so much milk and always have. Just me + two kids and I think I drink as much as each of the kids. We love it! I gladly will spend money on that rather than soda.
I don’t think I’ve ever had a gallon stick around long enough for it to even think about spoiling. : )
The best way to save is to get the “Buy 2” price at the supermarket. But I usually need to buy 3 gallons. My family goes thru 6 gallons a week. I hate buying 4 because then there is no space in the fridge. We should all contact our supermarkets and request the “Buy 2” price on the 3rd gallon too. I have asked my local Safeway for this…..they say they are “looking into it”.
Thanks for the tip! It’s also amazing to see how diff. some of the dates are at the store. I always look for the best dates on my groceries. I have bought things one to many times only to realize it is almost expired :(
TOTALLY DISAPPOINTED on this post!!! We shake the milk jug every time we open the fridge already, only because someone is getting a glass!! We go through a gallon of milk EVERYDAY! I was hoping this post would be on how to get discounts at the store. I am sure this helps someone,but not this milk hungry/needy/greedy family!
Maybe you should read through the comments on this post instead: http://www.couponingtodisney.com/2011/07/14/lets-save-some-money-on-milk/
I actually love this post…i just tossed half a gallon of milk yesterday that went bad and we drink a lot of milk but I also tend to buy 2-3 gallons at a time
Also, while more expensive organic milk last much longer than the non organic. I am not sure why? We drink a lot of milk so it rarely goes bad.
I believe organic milk lasts longer because it is less processed and usually is bottled from smaller farms, so there is less lag time from milking the cow to filling a bottle to shipping to stores. That’s just what my impression is, though. Not sure if I’m right! :)
Unfortunately, most of the organic milk I’ve seen is ultra-pasteurized…this is why it has the long shelf life. i.e. it’s ultra “dead”. Raw milk can sour fairly quickly in comparison.
LOL! Milk go bad in our house… NEVER!! With two adults and two kids it doesn’t last long. Even after a bowl of cereal, they still want a glass a milk! They should have a stamp card or something for every 20 gallons of milk, get one free. Ok, 20 gallons is a lot to buy, but you buy milk anyways. LOL!
I like that idea! I know we go thru a lot of milk too.
Our grocery store gives 1 free gallon after you buy 6. This has been great for our family since we go through about 4 gallons a week too!
If you have a Stewart’s near you they do that program.
I can’t seem to have enough milk in my house ever three kids…makes the milk vanish fast….any suggestion on how to make milk streach lol
We go through about 4 gallons in a week. My family loves their milk. We’re a family of 4… My son is 9 next week and my daughter is 2 at the end of October….. MILK HOGS ALL OF THEM!! My husband is the worst!
i very much have to agree with you a family of four as well 3 1/2 yr old 10 month old and me and my husband all love milk sometimes we go through 4 gallons but the youngest isnt even drinking it yet and my husband is the very worst milk with every meal and inbetween dont want to think about the youngest when i have to start buying for her as well
Our milk very rarely ges bad before it used and we don’t drink an overabundance either.
We also use it in the garden only on the Pumpkins helps them grow nice and juicy fat. : )
I use bad or questionable milk to water our potted tomato plants. Tomatoes need lots of calcium – especially when they’re in pots – and its an easy way to get it into the soil without it going to waste.
that is very interesting unfortunately I don’t have any plants :(