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    Home » Learn » How to Freeze Milk

    How to Freeze Milk

    Last Updated November 9, 2022. Originally Posted April 14, 2020 By Maggie Unzueta

    This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    A gallon of milk on a wooden surface.

    Learning how to freeze milk can be very useful especially if you hit up a good sale or plan to go on a trip.

    It’s really easy to do. You’ll wonder why you haven’t done it before! Here is how to do it…

    A gallon of milk on a wooden table.

    Knowing how to freeze milk can come in very handy. It’s extremely easy.

    It doesn’t matter if it is a plastic container or in a carton. Freeze it in its original container.

    Plus, it lasts in the freezer for a long, long time and tastes the same once it has been thawed.

    Mexican Milk Recipes:
    Pastel de Tres Leches, Champurrado, Arroz con Leche
    An overhead picture of two gallons of milk.

    Forever and a day, people have searched for ways to extend the shelf life of fresh milk.

    That’s why evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and powdered milk were all invented.

    Evaporated milk was discovered by chefs cooking on Transatlantic trips and when no fresh milk was available.

    Nowadays, with freezers in every kitchen, it’s actually very easy and essential when wanting to preserve this drink. There is a trick to it though. So keep reading..

    Also learn how to freeze limes.
    A gallon of milk with some of the liquid removed.

    How to Do It

    • Remove about 1 cup of the milk from the container.
    • Close the lid on tight.
    • Wash the outside of the container.
    • Write the date it was frozen.

    You have to remove some of the milk from the container because it expands when frozen.

    Size doesn’t matter. Half gallons, quarter cartons, etc… you can freeze any size container of milk.

    The biggest problem with freezing milk is finding room in the freezer. Freezing in its original container can take up a lot of room.

     

    Pro Tip:

    Move the milk from its original container to a sealable, freezer bag. Remove as much air as possible. Store flat in the freezer.
    This will give you more space in the freezer.

    Writing the date on the container is not mandatory, but it’s good to know how long things have been inside the freezer.

    Frozen milk lasts 3-6 months.

    A gallon of milk in a freezer.

    How to Thaw

    There are two ways to thaw frozen milk.

    Method 1: Submerge frozen milk container in water. This can take up to an 1 hour.

    Method 2: Place in the refrigerator the night before. It can take up to 12 hours to completely thaw in the fridge.

    Avoid thawing on the kitchen counter. It can run the risk of spoiling if you’re not vigilant.

    Once it’s fully thawed, give the container a good shake. Milk has fat, and it will have separated from the water in the freezing process.

    Don’t worry. It will still taste just as refreshing and just as delicious.

    After a good shake, your milk is ready to use and enjoy. Thawed milk lasts in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Do not refreeze.

    How easy was that!

    More Milk Recipes:

    Atole de Chocolate in a decorative red and brown cup next to two cinnamon sticks.

    Atole de Chocolate is a hot, chocolate, and delicious drink. It’s the best way to warm up on cold, frosty nights.

    A slice of flan on a white plate drizzled with caramel sauce.

    Mexican Flan is creamy and silky smooth. That caramel sauce on top will make you want to lick your plate clean!

    Pollo al Chipotle served on a white plate next to white rice.

    Pollo en Crema Chipotle is a chicken dinner that’s a total winner. Chicken drenched in a spicy but creamy chipotle sauce will have you begging for more!

    Hungry for More?

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    Filed Under: Learn

    About Maggie Unzueta

    Maggie Unzueta is the writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer, videographer, and creator of In Mama Maggie's Kitchen. She has been developing easy and authentic Mexican food, Mexican-inspired recipes, and traveling tips since 2010. From family recipes to her extensive travels throughout Mexico, she brings traditional Mexican flavors from South of the Border and into your kitchen. Maggie has been featured in notable culinary websites and other media outlets. For more details, check out her About page.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Amber Myers

      April 14, 2020 at 2:17 pm

      I will keep this in mind. In these times, you never know what will suddenly be hard to find. Right now it’s still toilet paper for me!

      Reply
      • Maggie U

        July 21, 2020 at 11:01 am

        Exactly! This tip is useful for those times

        Reply
    2. Tasheena

      April 14, 2020 at 2:37 pm

      I froze milk for the first time this month. Thank you for sharing these tips.

      Reply
      • Maggie U

        July 21, 2020 at 10:54 am

        You’re welcome! These tips are really useful

        Reply
    3. Kristine Nicole Alessandra

      April 14, 2020 at 3:40 pm

      That tip is really helpful. At this time, food wastage is a big NO. This will also help make milk last longer. Less grocery runs for me!

      Reply
      • Maggie U

        July 19, 2020 at 11:01 am

        It’s so helpful! hope you try it

        Reply
    4. Cynthia Aranda

      April 14, 2020 at 4:40 pm

      Question about the thawed milk, after it’s been thawed it’s only good for 24 hours?

      Reply
      • Maggie Unzueta

        April 15, 2020 at 10:14 am

        Yes. Only up to 24 hours. I will make something that requires a lot of milk like oatmeal.

        Reply
    5. Heather

      April 14, 2020 at 5:33 pm

      This is so helpful. I was actually just wondering the other day if it was ok to put milk in the freezer. Thanks for the tips!

      Reply
      • Maggie U

        July 19, 2020 at 11:00 am

        Glad to see it was useful!

        Reply
    6. Sarah Bailey

      April 15, 2020 at 5:38 am

      This is such a useful tip – I think at the moment making sure you have a stock in your freezer of all different things including milk is such a good idea.

      Reply
      • Maggie U

        July 21, 2020 at 10:53 am

        Right? Glad is helpful

        Reply
    7. Catalina

      April 15, 2020 at 6:09 am

      These tips are so useful for me right now. I have a lot of extra milk in my fridge and i was wondering what to do with it. Freezing is a good solution!

      Reply
      • Maggie U

        July 19, 2020 at 11:00 am

        Glad is useful to you!

        Reply
    8. Kathy

      April 15, 2020 at 7:16 am

      I’ve always wondered about how you can freeze milk. I’m glad I saw this post. Now I’ll be able to start freezing milk too.

      Reply
      • Maggie Unzueta

        April 15, 2020 at 10:13 am

        Awesome! I hope you try it. It’s super easy!!

        Reply
    9. Terri Steffes

      April 15, 2020 at 10:32 am

      Such a good post! My mom used to freeze milk when we were younger. I remember having to shake it really hard to combine the milk fat to the milk.

      Reply
      • Maggie U

        September 2, 2020 at 3:36 pm

        That’s awesome! Glad you liked this post.

        Reply
    10. Monica

      April 15, 2020 at 5:35 pm

      What a great idea! I have never froze milk before but I need to start to decrease our grocery store trips.

      Reply
      • Maggie Unzueta

        April 16, 2020 at 10:51 am

        It’s so easy to do too.

        Reply
    11. Debbiejean Lemonte

      April 18, 2020 at 5:16 pm

      Although I’m lactose tolerant, I can definitely try this with Almond or Matcha milk and see what I come up with. =)

      Reply
      • Maggie Unzueta

        April 26, 2020 at 3:05 pm

        I’d love to hear to how that turns out!

        Reply
    12. Anonymous

      April 24, 2020 at 1:16 pm

      To us frozen milk last as long as non frozen.

      Reply
      • Maggie Unzueta

        April 26, 2020 at 3:02 pm

        Lol. I wish we had that problem at our house.

        Reply

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