# Can I freeze milk? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 24, 2003, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-freeze-milk/215004 "2003-11-24T14:15:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Photog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c77e96/32.png) [@Photog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Photog)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2003, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-freeze-milk/215004/1 "2003-11-24T14:15:48Z")
I don’t drink a lot of coffee at the office, but I do like the occassional cup. Every once in a while I’ll buy a small container of milk to keep in the fridge for when the coffee urge arises. However, since the urges are so far between, any milk left in the container usually goes bad before the next cup. So, it struck me this a.m. Why not just fill a couple of ice-cube trays with milk and freeze 'em? Then, when I feel like a cup, just pop in a frozen milk cube. I don’t like my coffee particularly hot, so any cooling effect would not be a problem. I figured by doing so, the milk would last longer (indefinitely?) and I’d spend less $ on it. Is there any reason not to freeze milk? ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2003, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-freeze-milk/215004/2 "2003-11-24T14:17:17Z")
Not that I’m aware of. Women freeze breastmilk for later usage all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Angua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@Angua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angua)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2003, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-freeze-milk/215004/3 "2003-11-24T14:22:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Photog \* > \*\* > Is there any reason not to freeze milk? \*\* Nope. We do it all the time at our house. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2003, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-freeze-milk/215004/4 "2003-11-24T14:24:24Z")
Sounds like you can, after Googling your question. It may change the texture a bit (turning the milk ‘grainy’), but that should be okay for coffee and it’s harmless for up to a month. One answer, from [here](http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/ciqo.htm) > [@](#): > > While pasteurized milk can be frozen; it may separate or be slightly grainy when thawed. Frozen milk works best for cooking, but you may find it’s still okay for drinking. > > Freeze milk in plastic freezer containers or special freezer-proof glass jars. Leave some extra space at the top since milk expands during freezing. If packaged in a wide-mouth container, leave 1/2-inch head space for pints and 1-inch for quarts. If packaged in a narrow-mouth container (such as jars), leave 1 1/2-inch head space for either pints or quarts. > > Plan to use frozen milk within a month. Thaw milk in the refrigerator. Stir well before using. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2003, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-freeze-milk/215004/5 "2003-11-24T15:05:55Z")
“Is there any reason not to freeze milk?” Someone asked this recently. When I do it I need to thaw it & shake the bottle to remix it. I don’t think that would apply with ice cubes. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2003, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-freeze-milk/215004/6 "2003-11-24T15:13:09Z")
The best container for frozen milk is, of course, a plastic bag. But AFAIK, milk sold in plastic bags is uncommon outside Canada. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2003, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-freeze-milk/215004/7 "2003-11-24T22:02:42Z")
I buy milk in 2- or 4-pint plastic bottles, and the label says “Suitable for home freezing”. I do it all the time. Hadn’t though of the ice-cube thing, but I don’t see why not, if you just need a bit for your coffee. ---
**Author:** ![bughunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@bughunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bughunter)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2003, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-freeze-milk/215004/8 "2003-11-24T22:03:48Z")
If you’re using it for coffee, then freeze the milk in ice cube trays, and then add one or two cubes to a hot cuppa. You can even add sweetener before freezing, for even more convenience. ---
**Author:** ![bughunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@bughunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bughunter)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2003, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-freeze-milk/215004/9 "2003-11-24T22:07:43Z")
D’oh! Yes. I read the OP. Then got called away for a spell… Then forgot where I saw the ice cube idea. :smack: