# Is it true that freezing milk stops it from spoiling as quickly?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-that-freezing-milk-stops-it-from-spoiling-as-quickly/160147>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 9, 2003, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-that-freezing-milk-stops-it-from-spoiling-as-quickly/160147 "2003-03-09T21:26:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2003, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-that-freezing-milk-stops-it-from-spoiling-as-quickly/160147/1 "2003-03-09T21:26:26Z")

</div>

See subject. Thanks.

-meanie

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2003, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-that-freezing-milk-stops-it-from-spoiling-as-quickly/160147/2 "2003-03-09T21:31:49Z")

</div>

Yes, but it also destroys the homogenization, so you get bits of milkfat floating around in it when it unfreezes. Harmless, but eurgh!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![cedric45](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d07c76/32.png) [@cedric45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cedric45)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2003, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-that-freezing-milk-stops-it-from-spoiling-as-quickly/160147/3 "2003-03-09T21:37:40Z")

</div>

helpful hints…

1. remove a glass full from the jug before freezing so the milk has room to expand

2. the lid will pop off a jug in just a minute or two when you bring it out of the freezer due to the rapid expansion of air in the jug. You’ll never see the lid again… trust me!

3. the milk will keep up to say… six months.

4. what Q.E.D said… in the freezer it’ll look yellow/brown but’ll be fine

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2003, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-that-freezing-milk-stops-it-from-spoiling-as-quickly/160147/4 "2003-03-09T23:33:15Z")

</div>

And all this time I’ve been refrigerating my milk like a sucker.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![muttrox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a8b319/32.png) [@muttrox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muttrox)\
**Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-that-freezing-milk-stops-it-from-spoiling-as-quickly/160147/5 "2003-03-10T19:47:37Z")

</div>

Assuming cow milk is basically the same as human – breastfeeding mothers are given the 5-5-5 rule. Breastmilk will keep for 5 hours on the counter, 5 days in the refrigerator, and 5 months in the freezer.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [March 10, 2003, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-true-that-freezing-milk-stops-it-from-spoiling-as-quickly/160147/6 "2003-03-10T20:00:02Z")

</div>

> [@](#):
>
> _ **cedric45** said:_  
> …the lid will pop off a jug in just a minute or two when you bring it out of the freezer due to the rapid expansion of air in the jug. You’ll never see the lid again… trust me!

You don’t have to worry about this if you buy your milk in bags. Just leave the bags out on the counter and they’ll thaw. 🙂