A newer milk customer shared some sad news with me last week—he stocked up on delicious raw milk, tucked some of it into the freezer for later… and then, crack! A shattered jar and wasted milk. Heartbreaking! I’ve been there, and it is even worse than spilled milk as those jars are not cheap either.
I don’t want this to happen to you, so let’s talk about how to freeze your milk the right way—so every drop stays safe and ready for you to enjoy.
Check out this picture! When freezing milk in a mason jar, fill it just under 6 cups—right before where the jar starts to curve. Why? Because liquids expand as they freeze, and leaving this extra space prevents breakage. When I follow this method, my jars never break.
For many of our farm families who travel from the metro (I see you, and I appreciate you!), freezing milk means fewer trips but the same nutrient-dense goodness all month long. While freezing can slightly reduce the activity of some enzymes and probiotics, the majority of the nutrients, including fat-soluble vitamins A and D, remain intact. Your body still gets the benefit and it keeps longer than the standard 7-10 days in a cool fridge.
One of our families in Mankato has a genius method—they freeze their milk in ice cube trays and add a few cubes to smoothies each morning. Talk about a simple, consistent way to keep up a daily habit of nourishment!
And for those of you who stop by each week—I love seeing you! Please keep coming—it brightens my day and gives me a chance to talk to someone other than a goat or cat during the day.
We drink most of our milk fresh, but our kids have discovered how much they enjoy taking pure, raw milk (full cream shaken back in), adding in a scoop of any favorite chopped fruit (banana, apples, oranges, mango, peaches, etc), and freezing it overnight in a Ninja Creami pint jar. The next day, they use the Creami machine to blend up a clean, raw dairy treat. Yumm!!!!
If you’ve been hesitant about stocking up, now you know—you can freeze raw milk successfully. Plan ahead, fill your jars wisely, and keep your family nourished all month long.
Blessings,
Leah
