Powdered milk has long been a staple of frugal living. From the days of our grandparents to the present time, many use powdered milk in different ways to save money and conserve resources. But powdered milk can be an acquired taste. Some people use it in place of fresh milk, drinking the reconstituted milk straight, while others won’t touch it with a 10-foot pole. Many choose the middle ground. Here is a guide to get you started with using powdered milk.
Drinking powdered milk straight.
If you have ever been brought up in a house that serves only powdered milk, you might not mind the taste. For most people, though, powdered milk is distinctly different from what fresh milk users are used to. If you are going to introduce powdered milk as a beverage, there are some guidelines to make the transition easier. Start by mixing it with regular milk–first a third or fourth of powdered milk to regular fresh milk. Gradually increase the amount of powdered to fresh until you are at 100 percent of the powdered milk. If you want to be sneaky, just pour the powdered milk mixture into a regular gallon milk container. Make sure to always serve the milk ice cold, as many say this improves the taste.
Baking with powdered milk.
I often use powered milk in baked goods without noticing a difference in taste or texture. Others say that they do notice a difference when baking. I think a lot of that notice has to do with the fact that powdered milk is fat free. But, I am not someone with a fine palet, either. You can always adjust your recipes to add more fat, if that is the problem. I have had great success using powdered milk for breads, quick breads and muffins. It is especially good in corn bread, leaving the cornbread tasting buttery, even without any butter added.
I would not recommend using powdered milk in anything that has milk as its main ingredient. A good example of this is instant pudding. Unless you are already used to the taste of powdered milk, you won’t find the result very appetizing.
How much do you use powdered milk? Do you have any tips to share?
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