Powdered Milk

Powdered milk doesn’t have to be gross…you just need to learn how to use it correctly!

Frequently Asked Questions about Powdered Milk:

How much Milk can you make from a #10 can?

Okay, I’ve had a lot of people asking me about how much milk you can make from one #10 can of powdered milk. The answer is a little over 5 1/2 gallons.

What is the difference between Powdered Milk and a Milk Alternative Drink?

A good way to describe this is to think about the difference between Orange Juice (actual juice from an orange) and Tang (an orange flavored drink).  A milk alternitive is a milk flavored drink but not real milk. The reason you want powdered milk in your long term supply is for the nutritional benefits of milk (in fact if all you had were powdered milk you could survive a huge emergency!) not just to have a milk flavored drink for your cereal.

Milk milk alternative is made from a by product of milk called whey and fortified (which only means they add back in) a couple of vitamins and minerals. Since it is made from whey (which is a by product of making cheese) it has far less protein than regular milk and it’s the protein in the milk that makes it a great food storage item.  Also, check out the difference in ingredients:

Powdered Milk
Nonfat Dry Milk, Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin D3

Milk Alternative
Made from sweet dairy whey, non-fat dry milk solids, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (contains one or more of the following:canola oil and/or soya oil), corn syrup solids, sodium caseinate, dipotassium phosphate, propylene glycol monostearate, mono and diglycerides, lecithin, carrageenan, Vitamin A, Vitamin D.

Yes, you read correctly the milk alternative has high fructose corn syrup AND partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (aka SHORTENING).  Personally, I think it’s gross to be drinking shortening, but it’s up to you. :)   Also, be careful.  The milk alternative can actually be more expensive per gallon than non-instant powdered milk.

What is the difference between instant and non-instant powdered milk?

There is a HUGE difference in the two milks.  The milk you can buy at the grocery store is usually INSTANT powdered milk, while the milk from the cannery is NON-INSTANT.  It’s like the difference between instant and non-instant rice.  The instant powdered milkis lighter and fluffier and has more air in it (which is what makes it easier to mix).  So, if you’re using INSTANT milk for any of the recipes on my site you’ll need to DOUBLE the amount of milk called for to make it the same.  Be careful when purchasing!  Instant may seem like a better deal because per can it is cheaper than regular non-instant powdered milk, however per gallon it will be more expensive.

How do I cook with Powdered Milk?

It can be hard to determine how much dry powdered milk you’ll need to cook with it in smaller amounts.  That’s why I created the Powdered Milk Conversion chart that helps make it REALLY easy to cook with your powdered milk.  Simply add the dry powdered milk to your dry ingredients and the necessary water to the wet ingredients.

Helpful Recipes for Using Powdered Milk:

  • Sweetened Condensed Milk: Yes, you can make sweetened condensed milk from your powdered milk, this recipe also has a how-to video!
  • Evaporated Milk: Amazing, right?  You can also make evaporated milk.
  • Magic Mix: A Magic Mix that allows you to make white sauces VERY easily.  Learn how to make it into a delicious mac ‘n cheese or my FAVORITE pudding!
  • Condensed Soups from Magic Mix: Learn how to make your own condensed soups from magic mix.
  • Making DELICIOUS drinkable Powdered Milk: Think powdered milk is gross?  Well try these tips and watch the video below on how to easily MIX your powdered milk!!

More Resources for Powdered Milk:

  • Powdered Milk Conversion Chart- Print out my conversion chart for using regular non-instant powdered milk (if you are using instant you’ll just need to double the amount of dry powdered milk on the chart) to use powdered milk in your cooking.  There are four to a page so make sure you share them with your friends!
  • Powdered MIlk Handout-A useful handout to use for yourself, friends, or classes about powdered milk.
  • Buying Powdered Milk- For more information on buying powdered milk, visit my sister site The Food Storage Shopper.NET