Nonfat Dry Milk Powder to the Rescue!
Easy to store in the pantry, nonfat dry milk powder saves the day when you run out of fresh milk.
What is nonfat dry milk powder?
Nonfat dry milk starts out as fresh, wholesome milk. Processors remove butterfat and water ae removed, leaving a powder, with all of the of nutrition fresh milk—providing protein, calcium, vitamin D and vitamin A—but it keeps longer and usually costs less. Nonfat dry milk is typically found in the baking or the instant beverage (instant hot cocoas, teas, coffees, etc.) aisles of grocery stores.
You can store dry milk tightly sealed in moisture-proof containers. It keeps for months at room temperature or even longer when held in a cool, dry place. When you use it, follow the package directions for combining the milk powder and water.
What can I do with it?
Typically, 1 cup of water with 1/3 cup of milk powder makes about 1 cup milk. To make about a quart, mix 3 3/4 cups water with 1 1/3 cups milk powder. Bubbles will form on top of the milk, but they dissipate after a while. Once made, treat it like fresh milk and keep it in the refrigerator. Just remember to shake or stir the reconstituted (mixed) milk before use.
Milk mixed from dry powder has a slightly different taste, but you can jazz it up to your liking. First, serve it very cold. Also, try:
- Stirring about 1/4 teaspoon of sugar or a drop of vanilla into 1 cup
- Making flavored milk by stirring 2 tablespoons of chocolate syrup, 2 tablespoons strawberry syrup or 2 to 3 teaspoons dry, sweetened, fruit-flavored drink mix into 1 cup
- Blend it with ice and flavoring to make it thicker
- Mix with coffee and freeze into ice cubes. It can be the basis for your next iced coffee
Can I use it in recipes?
In recipes that need milk as an ingredient, use reconstituted dry milk just like fresh skim milk. The flavor difference from fresh milk is not detectable in most formulas. Below is a sampling of recipes in which reconstituted dry milk works well.
- Baked Stuffed French Toast
- Breakfast Casserole
- Strawberry Oatmeal Breakfast Smoothie
- Broccoli Bacon Mac and Cheese
- Creamy Couscous with Broccoli, Tomatoes and Cheese
- Vegetable Frittata
- Cinnamon Maple Latte
- Peach Shortcakes with Yogurt-Maple Sauce
- Vanilla Pudding and all variations
Cake and pudding mixes don’t require prior reconstitution of the milk powder. Just add dry milk powder to the other dry ingredients and substitute water for the fluid milk. For every cup of water specified on package directions, use 1/3 cup milk powder and 1 cup water.
There are recipes using dry milk powder as an ingredient. Saucepan Rice Pudding uses convenient nonfat dry milk powder instead of fresh milk or cream. Veggie, Cheese and Potato Soup allows you to create a scrumptious soup with ingredients on hand. And dry milk powder in the Fruit Smoothie recipe adds a rich, almost creamy texture to blended frozen fruits and juices.
Share with us how you use nonfat dry milk powder in the comments below!
It’s great to hear that non-fat dry milk provides me with a great substitute for normal milk that can work well in recipes. As someone who’s looking to lose some weight, that will be really beneficial to me. I’ll be sure to use it whenever I make casserole and other foods that require milk.