# How long is milk good?



## phideaux (Nov 7, 2015)

I bought a gallon of whole milk on 2/28/17, with "best by" date of 3/12/17.

Its WalMart brand. we don't use much milk, so there is still approx. 2/3 of it left.

I wanted a bowl of Cheerios , for a night snack, so I ask my wife to check that old milk,

We both checked it and agreed that it is just fine, no cream separating, no odor, taste ok, 8 days past the date.:dunno:

So I had a bowl of Cheerios, and I am still alive,:wave:

Now I am going to monitor this milk every 2-3 days , just to see how long past the "best by" date it will stay "useable".

*What experience has anyone here had with milk holding up?*

May be different with 2%, 1% or Skim milk, I dunno.

I can remember my wife tossing milk out the next day after "best by" date.

not any more.!!

Jim


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## terri9630 (Jun 2, 2016)

We just finished a gallon of skim that was "best by" March 2nd. I think it really depends on handling. How long it takes to get it home and in the frig, frig temp, how long it sits out during use and such. I know people that throw milk out on, or just before the best by date. I've also had milk that is bad before then.


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## phideaux (Nov 7, 2015)

I'm starting to think, that leaving it sitting, not opened for days on end , added a longer life to it also.

If its brought out and opened 3-4 times a day, I'm sure shortens the life..

I've had it go bad after only a couple days past date.

This was a surprise to find it still good this long.

My fridge is set at 34 degrees also. 



Jim


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## txcatlady (Sep 26, 2013)

I have used it for over three weeks after date. It still works for cooking or on cereal. If I have grands over who are milk drinkers or for weekend, I buy more. I smell and pour some down drain. If it is chunky,,, I pour all down drain.


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## bbqjoe (Feb 10, 2017)

The folks who process and deliver most of the milk out here is Shamrock foods/farms.
They now sell milk with expiration dates a few months out.

I don't use milk though for much of anything, and if I do, I use powdered.

It all goes back to many years ago when I put some bad 1/2 & 1/2 on some cereal and took an unknowing bite.


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## Flight1630 (Jan 4, 2017)

In our house milk has zero chance of going bad, new container every week


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## AmishHeart (Jun 10, 2016)

We go through a gallon every 4 days with the twins around. I've been buying whole milk because my daughter insists that nonfat and lowfat have sugar added to make up for the fat taken away. Hmmm...
I am bringing home fresh jersey cow milk when we leave Saturday. I wonder how long that lasts?


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## phideaux (Nov 7, 2015)

The last time, 4 years ago, I drank a quart of fresh cow milk ,cold, at one setting.

The next day I was in the hospital with pancreatitis, almost died.

Coincidence ?:dunno:





Jim


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

phideaux said:


> I bought a gallon of whole milk on 2/28/17, with "best by" date of 3/12/17.
> 
> Its WalMart brand. we don't use much milk, so there is still approx. 2/3 of it left.
> 
> ...


Someone told me that Walmart brand milk is considered to be among the best. I have no idea why this is the case.

I too, do not drink much milk. If I buy a half gallon carton I might end up throwing part of it out. This is why I really like the quart cartons of milk from Dollar Tree. In a SHTF situation, I can see using more milk with some of my preps, such as instant pudding and tomato soup.

I pretty much quit eating cereal that comes from a box, especially extruded types. I eat rice krispies when I make marshmallow treats, cheerios in a cereal bar and chex cereals in chex mix. I may make any of these once a year at the most.

I don't know if anyone has mentioned that some milk is radiated. You know how we see food on the shelf that is ready to be heated and then eaten? Much of that is radiated as well. I do not fully understand the process, except that it greatly extends the shelf life.


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

[[[I don't use milk though for much of anything, and if I do, I use powdered.]]]

I keep buttermilk around for probiotic drink and cornbread, but not sweet milk.
I started a banana pudding and had no milk; already shredded the graham crackers and cut bananas; resorted to powdered milk.
Well, as I cooked it, the smell wasn't pleasant; after it cooled, it was awesome.
I would have never thought it was powdered milk if I hadn't cooked it myself!!
Oh, the powdered milk was from a 5 gallon bucket dated 2011.


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## ClemKadiddlehopper (Aug 15, 2014)

AmishHeart said:


> We go through a gallon every 4 days with the twins around. I've been buying whole milk because my daughter insists that nonfat and lowfat have sugar added to make up for the fat taken away. Hmmm...
> I am bringing home fresh jersey cow milk when we leave Saturday. * I wonder how long that lasts?*


 It lasts a lot longer if you just bring the whole cow home.

Fresh Jersey milk doesn't last long. Thats why you need the cow. Seriously, milk to drink, milk for kefir, milk to make the oatmeal, milk for biscuits, milk for pancakes, milk for soups and sauces, milk for cheese, milk for butter, milk for the chickens and pigs, which you get to eat later in another form, and milk as fertilizer for the hay field. I have four Jersey cows because we really like milk around here. My milk cow will sleep in my bedroom if SHTF which it just might, if its summer and the cow backs up to the fan.

If you have store milk, then its like Caribou said. "It is good till till it isn't. I wouldn't personally use store bought milk after it goes off. I find it rots rather than sours. Fresh milk doesn't rot. It just turns into something else that can be used.


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

phideaux said:


> I'm starting to think, that leaving it sitting, not opened for days on end , added a longer life to it also.
> 
> If its brought out and opened 3-4 times a day, I'm sure shortens the life..
> 
> ...


 We only buy milk buttermilk for cornbread and hushpuppy now and that is seldom.

For last 10 years we used non GMO Silk brank or whatever with soy, almond and coconut milk, its cheaper and a lot better for you. Taste great with cereal too. You get all the vitimins plus no puss. Check out vidios of the way cows are treated in these diaries. Not to speak of the filth.

I still use butter till I can find an alternative so I get my share of puss,blood and toxins too.


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## terri9630 (Jun 2, 2016)

ClemKadiddlehopper said:


> It lasts a lot longer if you just bring the whole cow home.
> 
> Fresh Jersey milk doesn't last long. Thats why you need the cow. Seriously, milk to drink, milk for kefir, milk to make the oatmeal, milk for biscuits, milk for pancakes, milk for soups and sauces, milk for cheese, milk for butter, milk for the chickens and pigs, which you get to eat later in another form, and milk as fertilizer for the hay field. I have four Jersey cows because we really like milk around here. My milk cow will sleep in my bedroom if SHTF which it just might, if its summer and the cow backs up to the fan.
> 
> If you have store milk, then its like Caribou said. "It is good till till it isn't. I wouldn't personally use store bought milk after it goes off. I find it rots rather than sours. Fresh milk doesn't rot. It just turns into something else that can be used.


 Cows give more milk than my family can use. That is why we have dairy goats. They eat less, easier to manage and still give more milk than we use. Plus they give babies that are cute and fun to play with.


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## BillM (Dec 29, 2010)

*Fresh Milk*

They always have fresh milk on U S Navy vessels.

They freeze it.

you can too.

When you thaw it out, it is as fresh and tastes just as good as when you bought it from the grocery.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

BillM said:


> They always have fresh milk on U S Navy vessels.
> 
> They freeze it.
> 
> ...


I wondered about what is used for service personnel. I thought the boxes of milk would be used in places like Iraq and other places which need food shipped in.


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

terri9630 said:


> Cows give more milk than my family can use. That is why we have dairy goats. They eat less, easier to manage and still give more milk than we use. Plus they give babies that are cute and fun to play with.


 Goats are good I just never could get pass the taste but at least you know what they are fed and cared for.


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## Flight1630 (Jan 4, 2017)

phideaux said:


> The last time, 4 years ago, I drank a quart of fresh cow milk ,cold, at one setting.
> 
> The next day I was in the hospital with pancreatitis, almost died.
> 
> ...


Might be that thing you did a few weeks before lol.

In case you missed it I'm joking lol


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## terri9630 (Jun 2, 2016)

Meerkat said:


> Goats are good I just never could get pass the taste but at least you know what they are fed and cared for.


If you feed them right there is very little to no taste difference. My girls get alfalfa and a bit of sweet feed on the milk stand.


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

It's good till it's not milk any more, then it's cheese. lol

I remember my grandmother and great grandmother making cottage cheese out of most of their milk when it started to sour(clabber) or as said above, used it for baking/cooking.


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

phideaux said:


> I'm starting to think, that leaving it sitting, not opened for days on end , added a longer life to it also.
> 
> If its brought out and opened 3-4 times a day, I'm sure shortens the life..
> 
> ...


I food safety Manger told me he lowered his fridge 02 degrees to help keep the milk fresh longer.He keeps his fridge to 37 degrees.
So your lower temp. should help.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

Ever know someone who drinks milk straight from the carton? I did. That has to shorten the life of the milk, in addition to grossing me out.


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## bbqjoe (Feb 10, 2017)

Actually, I think milk is good until you're about five.


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