My daughters are back at school now and we’re slowly getting used to the new schedules. The girls both moved up to new buildings, with new rules, so a few things have changed since last year.
Last year, the girls could order milk at school for lunchtime and it was delivered to them at lunch break. This year, the school buildings have added drink machines at the front of the school where kids have to go to buy their milk. But we’ve learned that with several grades in each building, that means a lot of kids in the milk line. With only 30 minutes for lunch, my girls just don’t have time to waste 15 minutes getting their milk.
A few weeks ago, I would have thought that my daughters would just have to do without. They drink water all day long and would definitely prefer milk with lunch, but it didn’t seem feasible.
And then I learned about shelf-safe milk.
It’s exactly like the milk in my fridge, it comes from the same cows, is ultra pasteurized and tastes just like the milk we normally buy.
But shelf-safe milk doesn’t have to stay in the fridge.
Sounds pretty cool, huh?
Imagine taking milk wherever you wanted to, without worrying about it spoiling. Keep one in your purse for your thirsty toddler, take some to the playground or to the beach. Take them on car trips, on hikes and to sporting events.
And best of all for me, I can pack them in my daughters’ lunchboxes every day for school. I can even freeze them before packing the lunches so the milk will still be cold at lunchtime, without having to worry if they’re still cold enough to be safe to drink.
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If you’re remembering the horrible powdered milk your mom had in the pantry years ago, or even thinking about shelf-safe milk from years ago, think again. The way that shelf stable milk is pasteurized and packaged has come a long way and it’s very different than it was in the past.
The pasteurization process is different because it uses more extreme temperatures for shorter periods of time and the milk passes through heating and cooling stages in quick succession.
Once the milk is ultra pasteurized, it’s specially packaged to preserve the freshness. With many different package layers to protect the milk and keep it from moisture, light or oxygen, shelf safe milk doesn’t require preservatives to stay fresh.
The result is a shelf safe milk that tastes exactly like the milk in your fridge. It has the same nutritional benefits as the milk you’re used to, but without the restriction of requiring refrigeration.
If your family is like mine, your kids go through milk as fast as you can buy it. Imagine having milk that lasts up to 6 months instead of a week! Keep it in your pantry to give to the kids or use in recipes when you’ve run out of milk.
Once the milk is opened, it can be stored just like your regular milk, for up to a week in the fridge.
I’m so excited to know about shelf safe milk! I’d seen the Horizon milk before, but since my grocer keeps it in the store refrigerator, I had NO idea that it didn’t have to be refrigerated.
I’m thrilled that I now have milk that we can take wherever we go!
There are a variety of sizes and options of shelf safe milk, including flavored and organic milks. You may find it in or near the refrigerated section but most stores keep it in other areas. If you can’t find it in your local stores, fill out a product request form to submit to your grocery manager.
You can also find some brands of shelf safe milk on Amazon for a discounted price.
Be sure to check out the Milk Unleashed Website for news, snack ideas, games and cow calendars. Like Milk Unleashed on Facebook and Follow @milkunleashed on Twitter for the latest news and updates. Get great lunch box ideas, DIY projects, healthy snacks and fun activities on the Milk Unleashed boards on Pinterest!
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This blog post is part of a paid campaign with The Motherhood and Milk Unleashed blogging program. All opinions expressed here are my own.
Dana Rodriguez says
This would be great to have on hand!I hate running out of milk .