Yes, it does. Depending on the types of milk, a small change in the color may happen but the nutrition value still remains with proper refrigeration. How about taste, does freezing milk change the taste?
Freezing different types of milk
Most types of milk can be frozen, such as:
- Almond milk
- Human breast milk
- Dairy milk
- Soy milk
- Coconut milk
- Evaporated milk
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Carton milk (or shelf stable milk)
- Oat milk
- Goat milk
How does freezing affect the taste of milk?
Almond milk
It is not a great option to freeze almond milk. Even though there is no impact on nutrition value, the freezing and thawing might lead to some separation which can destroy the texture and taste of your almond milk. However, if you still want to freeze almond milk, it should be used over 2 or 3 months. When you put it in the environment between 0 degree Celsius and 4 degrees Celsius, it can last from 7 to 10 days.
Human breast milk
The fat part of human breast milk can separate. Besides, there might be some changes in its taste and smell but this does not have any negative effect on baby health. The acceptable period to keep it in a freezer is from 6 up to 12 months. To keep its optimal quality, you should not use any plastic container to store breast milk. And for the temperature at about 4 degrees Celsius or below, you can store it for 8 days.
Dairy milk
For dairy milk, cow’s milk is considered to be a great type for freezing. However, it might change its texture and appearance when being thawed. Dairy milk should be stored in freezer from 3 to 6 months only. From 0 to 4 degrees Celsius, dairy milk can stay up to 7 days in the fridge.
Soy milk
Freezing does not have any impact on its nutrition value but it might cause some separation once it is defrosted. A 3-month period is the ideal time to keep soy milk in your freezer. Once opened, you should keep it in your fridge for 7 to 10 days at 4 degrees Celsius.
Coconut milk
Coconut milk can be frozen. However, the quality of this milk might deteriorate over time. The longer it is frozen, the worse its flavor becomes. You should only freeze your coconut milk for 2 to 3 months. A plastic container is better than the metal one. It is because a metal container might change the taste of coconut milk shortly. With the same condition like soy milk, coconut milk would last 7 to 10 days as well.
Evaporated milk
Canned evaporated milk tends to be spoiled quickly so it needs to be kept in other kinds of containers. It is suitable to freeze it for at least 3 months. However, after being thawed, evaporated milk might change its texture. When you put evaporated milk in the fridge with the temperature range from 0 to 4 degrees Celsius, you should use it within 5 to 7 days.
Sweetened condensed milk
You should avoid using a can for freezing sweetened condensed milk. Additionally, the high level of sugar makes it harder for them to freeze solid. You can keep it between 3 and 6 months without any difference in its quality. And at 4 degrees Celsius or below, it should be kept around 4 to 6 days only.
Oat milk
Oat milk can be frozen for up to three months. However, the texture and even the flavor of oat milk can be worse when you have it thawed. Luckily, it is still good for your health because the nutrition value still remains the same once frozen. Oat milk would last from 4 to 7 days in the fridge at the most ideal temperature.
Goat milk
It is great if you can freeze goat milk as soon as possible after buying it. Goat milk can stay in your freezer for around 2 months only. And when it is defrosted, you should use it within 2 days. Compared to other types, goat milk is less likely to have any separation when you make it thawed. So it can be the best option for freezing milk. And keep in mind that once you open it and put it in your fridge, you should only use it within 3 to 5 days.
Organic milk
It is possible to store organic milk in a freezer for up to 3 months but it should be used over one month. And this type of milk becomes less yellow than other non-organic milk. It might cause some separation after being thawed; however, organic milk is only good to use within 7 days. The lifespan of unopened organic milk is much longer than other types, from 40 to 60 days with proper refrigeration.
Best containers for freezing milk
- Carton: Paper carton is not suitable to keep milk frozen unless it has support from other methods. Carton container is only safe if it does not pass the expiration date.
- Bags: Bags can be used for longer storage of milk in the fridge. But they might have some chemicals from their materials which can threaten your health.
- Plastic bags: Some types of bags are very cheap and simple for usage at home. The biggest drawback of plastic bags is that they are too thin and cause some leaks of chemicals into the milk. Therefore, you should choose the plastic bags with good quality.
- Plastic bottles: Plastic bottles are quite durable and simple to use for freezing milk. Nevertheless, each plastic bottle has its own expiration date so you have to consider this problem during freezing time.
- Glass bottles: Glass is safe enough to maintain the good quality of your milk. However, glass bottles would be cracked easily if you do not take a lot of care when storing them in your fridge.
- Ice cube tray: It requires enough room at the top of the trays so that your milk content can expand when it freezes. It does not take up much space in the freezer as well.
Jug: Glass jug might be the better option than plastic jug. Plastic jugs can have some negative impacts on human health. Glass jugs are quite safe for health but when milk does not have enough space to expand, these jugs can be broken and difficult to clean up.
Ziploc bags: As its name mentioned, using bags with Ziploc can be more convenient for your storage. You just need to adjust the Ziploc to open or close your milk bags quickly.
Further reading: What Are the Best Containers for Freezing Food?
Favorite types of glass bottles
It is the best way to keep your milk in a glass bottle. If you pour milk at a suitable amount, it is not only easy to break the bottles but also have no negative impact on milk quality.
- Circleware glass bottles: Its glass is made from natural materials and has no harmful chemicals on human health.
- Estilo glass bottles: These bottles are usable for the dishwasher and have up to 1000 ml capacity.
- Le Parfait Milk Bottles: These France-based bottles have stunning shape with a logo-printed lid and offer the capacity of 1 liter.
Tips for freezing milk
- You should choose a type of container which is airtight and safe for the freezer so that you can maintain the quality of milk as long as possible.
- Keep in mind the expiration date of your container. That is because if you use an overdue container, it might cause some health issues.
- When you pour milk into any container, leave enough room (about 1.5 inches) for your milk to expand during the freezing time.
Conclusion
Almost all kinds of milk can be stored in the freezer. There are now many options for containers which are safe for freezing over a long period. And glass bottles can be a great choice for your frozen milk.
Each kind of milk is affected by freezing and thawing in various ways. Most of them can stay in your freezer for up to 6 months. However, this can have some impacts on their texture and flavor.
Reference:
Can You Freeze Milk? Guidelines for Different Types, SaVanna Shoemaker, Feb. 11, 2020
