The Food Storage Item of the Month is powdered milk!
Did you know that there are several varieties and options for powdered milk? There is a choice between instant and non-instant, non-fat or low-fat, powdered or granulated, flavored or plain, or some combination of the above! One of the best sources I have found for ideas and information on using powdered milk is The Prudent Homemaker. She is not a fan of drinking powdered milk, and uses it for cooking and baking. Recently, a lady in Utah contacted most of the major distributors of powdered milk, and they donated cans of their products to be used as part of a large taste-test she conducted. You can read her results here.
The non-fat milk options are the most readily available. These have no fat in them, meaning that they are equivalent to "skim" milk, and are therefore more suitable for longer term storage than powdered milks that do have fat in them.
Instant Non-Fat Milk: Notice the lack of the word "powdered" in the name of this type of milk. It is not a powder, but instead more of a granule. It is by far the most widely available milk to purchase at the grocery store, Sam's Club, or Costco. The name-brand version is made by Carnation, but generic versions are available at just about any grocery store. It dissolves easily and without lumps in either hot or cold water with a ratio of 1/3 cup milk granules to 1 cup water.
Instant Non-Fat Powdered Milk: This is a true powder, and more difficult to find. The sources I have seen most often for it is Walton Feed or Provident Pantry. It readily dissolves in cold water at a ratio of 1/3 cup milk powder to 2 cups water.
Non-Instant Non-Fat Powdered Milk: This is the type of powdered milk that the Mesa Home Storage Center sells. It is more difficult to dissolve, and does best in warm water. Refrigerating it for several hours after mixing also helps. You mix it in a ratio of 3/4 cup powder to 4 cups of water. This is the type of powdered milk I use when making bread, without reconstituting it first.
Low-Fat Powdered Milk: This type of powdered milk has a shorter shelf-life than non-fat varieties due to the presence of fat in the powders. The brand that I have seen most often for low-fat types of powdered milk is Morning Moo's. Blue Chip Group (recently renamed Auguson Farms) that manufactures Morning Moo's also makes flavored varieties. Honeyville Farms also sells a low-fat powdered milk product. It is worth noting that most of the low-fat powdered milks are actually labeled "Low-fat Powdered Milk Alternative". This is because their ingredients use more than just milk, adding emulsifiers and other ingredients to create a better flavor and texture.
Sources and Additional Information:
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