Storing powdered milk

[MYellowRose]

I've got 4 large bags of powdered milk that I need to store in glass gallon jars to keep out the bugs and mice. I've got one opened bag in a jar now that I use from and was wondering if it would be alright to open the other bags an pour them into clean, dry jars or should I find another way to store them. I can put them in a clean, dry empty kitty litter bucket but was wondering if putting them in the jars would be better. I don't use a lot of milk so I don't keep it mixed up unless I need it for something I'm cooking. Help, please. Oh yes, the 4 unopened bags are now in a large zip top plastic bag which means when I get a new one I have to take them out to put the new one on the bottom. I know I would have to do the same thing if I put them in the litter bucket but at least it's larger and easier to get things in and out of.

[NCLee]

Store the milk in any glass jars that you can get your hands on. Mayo jars, for example are fine. Wrap the jars with a couple of layers of newspaper, aluminum foil, construction paper, or whatever you have to keep the milk from being exposed to the light.

Storing in smaller jars has a benefit. You're only opening one at a time for use. Every time you open a large (gallon jar) the contents are being exposed to more air, light, and possible contaminates from the air and the effects of humidity. Save your gallon jars for bulk things, such as pasta or things that have less negative apects to opening the jar. An example is rice.

I wouldn't use kitty litter buckets for anything that's in direct contact with food. Not only do you have a problem with the dye in the bucket material, the buckets themselves may not be made of food grade plastic. There's no telling what was in the kitty litter for odor control, clumping, etc. Due to the nature of the milk powder, it'll absorb odors and such from anything that it's in contact with. Plastics aren't like glass, as you can't get it but so clean, regardless of what you do.

Putting your filled/sealed jars is one way to use the buckets, since you have them. Should make it easier to stack your jars (inside the buckets) than it is to stack the jars outside of the container. Hope that makes sense.

If you have to use plastic, as in wide mouth juice bottles, wash them thorougly in hot soapy water. Rinse well and let them air dry. Sniff to make sure there's no lingering odor from the juice. Fill the jars with your milk powder and then store the bottles in the cat litter buckets.

Don't store your milk inside anything that has the odor of the prior contents. You don't want your milk to taste like onion, Dr Pepper, or mustard.

Try to get as much, as you can into glass. That's the best way, by far, to store it, as long as the contents aren't exposed to light.

Hope this helps.
Lee

[MYellowRose]

I don't think I have any glass jars available except the gallon ones. I do have a few empty plastic peanut butter and instant coffee jars bus since I'm by myself now it's difficult to collect much in the way of jars. I don't have enough jars for even one bag of powdered milk unless I put it in a gallon jar. I'll ask my neighbor and my niece to save me any empty jars/bottles they get.

[iowasue]

Keep your powdered milk in a cool place. Letting it get too warm causes the "off" taste that so many folks associate with powdered milk. I refrigerate mine or keep it in the basement or a separate cool garage storage area in the winter. No use storing it in large quantities if it gets that nasty taste and no one will use it.

[MYellowRose]

I'll probably pack up a couple of the bags and send them to my sister as she uses it more than I do. I need to mix up a quart so I can go back to using it for cream instead of my evaporated milk. As for keep it in a cool place, I'll move it into the back room once I turn on the air conditioners as that is the only room that stays half comfortable in hot weather. After all, I live in an old trailer that's probably at least 40 years old, if not older.

[Wyobuckaroo]

At one time I had quite a stash of Carnation brand powdered milk. Kept it in the big plastic jars that coffee creamer comes in. Took the labels off the jars, and wrote the instructions on the jar for making powdered milk. Kept the refilled jars in a tote I have for that kind of thing.

Problem is, you can't find Carnation brand anymore. I only use the stuff in the coffee powder mix I make, but have found Carnation to taste the best.

I'm about out now (sniff, sniff) and not sure what to try to replace it. Guess I will just have to start by buying a small box of various store brands and do some testing.

Anyone with suggestions ?
Wyo

[iowasue]

I like what I get at Sam's...my disabled brother-in-law doesn't like the powdered milk he is given...it works just fine for us. I especially use it in bread baking, etc. He was going to throw it away! I have a hard time understanding folks who say they don't have any money, but they throw good food away.

[momma_to_seven_chi]

I don't think I have any glass jars available except the gallon ones. I do have a few empty plastic peanut butter and instant coffee jars bus since I'm by myself now it's difficult to collect much in the way of jars. I don't have enough jars for even one bag of powdered milk unless I put it in a gallon jar. I'll ask my neighbor and my niece to save me any empty jars/bottles they get.

Ace Hardware sells the half gallon jars. One of my sons has an Ace and special orders them for me at cost at around eight dollars a case which has 6. I love them for dry storage. If you have an Ace near you, check to see how much you can get them for to use as storage if that's possible. It probably wouldn't be for over ten or eleven dollars a case of jars.

[MYellowRose]

Most of the powdered milk I get is Mountain Maid brand. I don't like to drink it but all three granddaughters do, in fact the 5 yr. old says she likes it better than regular milk. I usually mix it up by the quart and put it in the fridge in a thermal mug so I can pour out of the hole you would drink from. I use it as coffee cream and sometimes make cocoa from it if I've already got it mixed up or I am feeling energetic. I did find that if I stir it with a wire whip rather than using an electric mixer I get almost no foam on top of it. Will be picking up at least one if not two more pickle jars on the way home so I'll have plenty of storage space for it or pasta or the like. Since they are glass I don't have to worry about the pickle smell and taste getting into what I store in them.

[Aseries]

If you dont have Jars, here is a suggestion, get on craigslist and in the free section for your area, if there is a place on there for your area. Ask people for there old jars, and be specific. Alot of people will save you Jars, drop them off or will be like omg I got a whole basement you might want. Also tell them its for a school, or kids project, everyone loves to help schools and kids. So what its not? Its not like your taking money from anyone just old Jars. I have become a craigslist junkie, if your willing to wait, someone will either give it away or sell it to you for 1/10th the original price...

If you only have huge Jars, dont be afraid to use what you have... I save the juice bottles that iced tea come in. Also find someplace that takes glass back for recycling. They might have jars...

[MYellowRose]

I would go the Craig's list way but since I ride the city bus and use a walker it would be very difficult for me to get a large number of jars home. I'm happy to get a couple of gallon jars every once in a while as I'm doing now. Will be asking my niece who lives across from me, my next door neighbor and my landlord to save their jars for me. If I don't want any they give me the dumpster is just a short walk from my trailer.

[NCLee]

Rose, would it be possible to put a beatup plastic laundry basket beside the dumpster with a sign on it asking folks to save glass jars for you?

Beatup basket because some folks will steal anything they can get their hands on. Once more of your neighbors know that you want glass jars, you may have an abundance of them. A lot of folks (not all) do want to find a way to extend the useful life of things. That includes glass jars.

Just 2-cents that may be useful.
Lee

[MYellowRose]

Lee I would do that but there's been trouble with people just dumping their trash on the ground instead of in the dumpster and it would probably be trashed instead of being left there. Got two pickle jars on my way home the other day which gives me four with the one I brought when I moved. Should be getting another one in a couple of days as it has only one pickle in it.