# Powdered milk?



## shannon in KS (Dec 10, 2005)

Does anyone use this stuff?  Or do they even still make it?  We rarely drink milk at our house.  I had to stop drinking it when nursing the little one, and it has never agreed with us since, so we switched to soy or rice milk.  I still use milk when I bake (i.e quick breads), and occasionally can use the rice or soy (pancakes, etc.). It would be much easier to keep a box of this stuff on hand than to have to run to the store, but I was wondering if it is the "same" as milk, and if I would need to make adjustments.  Any suggestions?


----------



## purrfectlydevine (Dec 10, 2005)

I keep it on hand.  I don't use it for drinking, but as an ingredient.  I also have used it to make evaporated milk.


----------



## Alix (Dec 10, 2005)

I use it. It is a bit expensive, but lasts forever. It is the same as milk. You can do whatever you need to do with this stuff.


----------



## amber (Dec 10, 2005)

I havent used it, but with the price of milk, it's a good idea, it does last a long time.


----------



## DampCharcoal (Dec 10, 2005)

I grew up on that stuff and prefer the taste over regular milk. Around here it's simply known as 'non-fat dry milk.' It has a slightly sweeter taste (I think)than regular milk and a cup of it will cure my absurd heartburn situation immediately. Two thumbs up from me!


----------



## shannon in KS (Dec 10, 2005)

Cool!  Thanks for all the suggestions and info!  I will definitely have to buy some the next time I go to the store!


----------



## purrfectlydevine (Dec 11, 2005)

Carnation is a national brand.  Wal-mart has their own brand as do most of the local chains.


----------



## Michael in FtW (Dec 11, 2005)

Powdered milk is _non-fat - _fat will go rancid so it has to be removed to make the milk powder shelf stable. If you are going to use it in a recipe (especially for baking) that calls for whole milk you will need to make an adjustment to put the fat back in for the recipe to work right. 

1 Cup whole milk = 1/4 cup powdered milk plus 7/8 cup water plus 1 Tablespoon melted butter or margarine.

If the recipe calls for skim/non-fat milk - just follow the directions on the box to make a cup of liquid milk.

Of course, if you have a recipe that calls for powdered milk you would just follow the recipe. I have a couple of bread recipes that use powdered milk as _nutritional fortifiers_ - to increase the Vitamin D and Calcium content.

I have no problem with powdered milk as something to use in baking, but personally can't stand the taste to drink it.


----------



## cara (Dec 11, 2005)

DampCharcoal said:
			
		

> I grew up on that stuff and prefer the taste over regular milk. Around here it's simply known as 'non-fat dry milk.' It has a slightly sweeter taste (I think)than regular milk and a cup of it will cure my absurd heartburn situation immediately. Two thumbs up from me!


 
I can't believe that!!!
That stuff is good for whiten the coffee at work or anywhere real milk wouldn`t last long enough without getting sour...
over here in Germany it is made of vergetable ingridients, it`s not real dairy....


----------



## shannon in KS (Dec 11, 2005)

Good point, Michael!  That makes a LOT of sense!!  Thanks!!!


----------



## urmaniac13 (Dec 11, 2005)

We use non fat powdered milk for our ice cream making, where the composition of liquid contents, solids and fats are quite delicate.  We only use the product made of real milk, the one that cara mentioned, the fake one made from vegetable oil (something like coffeemate) also exist but they are nasty!!  So if you use it make sure it is made from real milk!!


----------



## daisy (Dec 11, 2005)

It seems to me, reading these replies, that powdered milk must vary rather a lot, according to where you live. 

I have an unopened packet of powdered milk on my knee as I type. It's Full Cream Powdered Milk, but we can also buy skim powdered milk, and other forms of milk powder. We can get it in several brands, including generic brands. 

On the packet, the ingredients are listed as 'full cream milk, emulsifier (soy lecithin), antioxidant (301), vitamins A and B'. It's very reassuring, after reading your horror stories, to know that our milk powder in Australia is just that - milk!

The nutritional information (which I won't copy in full - it's hard for old eyes to read), indicates that per 100ml, it contains 3.8g total fats. 

I bought it about a month ago, and it has a Use By date of May, 2006. Instructions are to 'store in a cool, dry place'. 

All of which tells me that powdered milk DOES contain fat, and that it DOESN'T keep forever - it CAN go off - in fact the shelf life is probably only about one year. 

As for price, it works out at a little over $AUS1 per litre, a little cheaper than fresh milk.

Mixing instructions are 'Add 1 level cup... powder to 3 cups of hot or cold water to make 3/4 litre of milk. For best results, add powder to water, not water to powder. Stir briskly until dissolved. Once mixed, keep refrigerated.'

I rarely buy fresh milk. I never drink it. For visitors who like milk in their tea of coffee, I buy the UHT milk in tiny containers, which most people find more palatable than powdered milk.

I use powdered milk quite a lot for cooking, however. I make things like custard, rice pudding etc, and when mashing potatoes, I leave a little of the cooking water, and add roughly an equivalent amount of milk powder. I'm rather generous with it, because I like my mashed potatoes creamy!

In other recipes, cakes, biscuits (cookies), scones, breads etc, I simply measure out the same amount of powder as water, when the recipe calls for 'milk'. I mix the powder with the dry ingredients, and add the water along with other liquids according the recipe I'm using. That way there's no waste - I'm too lazy to mix up a batch of milk first! 

I actually reared my daughter on full cream powdered milk. I was living 'out bush' and it's all that was available at the time. (Going back several decades!) She's always been remarkably healthy.


----------



## Piccolina (Dec 12, 2005)

I always kept some on hand in Canada, and used it mostly in desserts. Last week actually I went looking for some here in Ireland and had a very hard time finding it. I was able to locate a little box (I think it was 200 or 250 grams) at the health food store, it was quite expensive and the brand was German. It did not have any English on the box, but the helpful clerk assured me that it was powdered milk. I used it to make homemade hambuger helper, and was quite pleased with the results. I think that I will buy more of it to keep on hand the next time I'm in that shop


----------



## Ishbel (Dec 12, 2005)

Piccolina
I would think that any Irish supermarket would stock the British dried milk powder!  It's trade name is Marvel and here most of the supermarket chains sell Marvel and also their own version.  I always have a tub in the pantry, but only use it for emergencies when whole milk is running low and the milkman won't deliver until the morning!


----------



## Piccolina (Dec 12, 2005)

Ishbel said:
			
		

> Piccolina
> I would think that any Irish supermarket would stock the British dried milk powder! It's trade name is Marvel and here most of the supermarket chains sell Marvel and also their own version. I always have a tub in the pantry, but only use it for emergencies when whole milk is running low and the milkman won't deliver until the morning!


Hi ishbel, I would have thought that you could find it at the super market too, but I looked at both of the local grocery stores, and asked the clerks and they do not carry any brands of powdered milk. I am not familiar with the brand "Marvel", the next time I go grocery shopping I will ask if it is something that they can bring in. Thanks Ish, you are always so helpful with UK/Irish brands


----------



## cartwheelmac (Dec 12, 2005)

Sometimes we use powdered milk for baking. But never for drinking.

Cameron


----------



## Robo410 (Dec 12, 2005)

we always keep some powdered milk around for drinking purposes...made early and kept cold, it tastes close to old fashioned skimmed milk.  It does last a long time in a moderate climate.  We also keep canned milk (evaporated) for baking etc.  dilute re directions.  Canned milk will not last forever.


----------



## Sandyj (Dec 12, 2005)

I bought some to put in my dog's food (I cook up a batch each week) - to up the calcium. Oddly enough there is no mention of calcium on the packaging. Years ago I had read in the cook book  "Cook & Enjoy It", that milk powder could be used to increase calcium in the diet - it could be added to stews, anything.... The book was written a long time ago - maybe that information is no longer true.


----------



## Robo410 (Dec 12, 2005)

cara said:
			
		

> I can't believe that!!!
> That stuff is good for whiten the coffee at work or anywhere real milk wouldn`t last long enough without getting sour...
> over here in Germany it is made of vergetable ingridients, it`s not real dairy....


 

you are confusing non fat dry milk with non dairy creamer.  they are quite different...Carnation makes both by the way.


----------

