3-month supply: Milk

Powdered milk is probably not the first thing you think of when you need a refreshing drink. In fact, if you've used it at all, you know that is doesn't really smell fabulous. BUT, in times of emergency, ESPECIALLY with children in the house, you need the protein and calcium provided in milk. So...

Let's talk about our 3-month supply of MILK!!!

Amount to store per person: 16 lbs.

Remember, you can use THIS great excel spreadsheet to figure your family's food storage needs, THIS food storage calculator, OR just estimate how much your family really uses in a given period of time. The first worksheet says 4 lbs per person, but I think it's a typo because then is says that you need 4 cans of 4 lbs each. Just FYI.

So here are some different milk products you can store:

Powdered milk, which includes Instant Nonfat and Regular.
Evaporated milk
Sweetened Condensed milk

Instant Nonfat powdered milk is a little bit smoother in texture because it has a little more air in it for easy mixing. Regular powdered milk, or non-instant is denser and can be harder to mix but is usually less expensive and more can fit into a can. Canned milk has at least a 5 year shelf life, although I bought a few cans a while back that are good for 30 years.

I have been using powdered milk for a while now, but only in my cooking. Simply stir 1/4 cup of powdered milk and 1 cup of water and you have a cup of milk for any recipe. (My husband has a "refined sense of taste" and he's never noticed when I use it.) This is not only a good way to get used to using powdered milk, it also helps me to rotate my food storage AND it's cheaper than fluid milk so using it saves me money.

Where to find powdered milk?

Powdered milk is available in a box at any grocery store, but this will not store long. For longer term storage, you want to purchase powdered milk in #10 cans. Some stores in Utah carry these, but here are some links for other options:

Self-Reliance
Augason Farms
Emergency Essentials
LDS Cannery- definitely the cheapest option, but you have to have access to a cannery.

Evaporated Milk is shelf-stable canned milk. This product is made by removing 60% of the water from fresh milk. It takes up half the space as fresh milk with the same nutrients. When mixed with the right amount of water, it becomes more like fresh milk.

Evaporated milk is often used in baking and cooking, but can be a great item to store. It have about a 15 month shelf-life, but comes in small cans that make rotating easy.

Sweetened condensed milk is also fresh milk with water removed from it, but has sugar added to it as well. Because of this, the shelf life is extended. This product is most commonly used in desserts.


Stock-up prices (lowest to highest):

Evaporated milk: $.05 per oz
Sweetened Condensed milk: $.10 per oz
Regular powdered milk: $2.10 per lb ($.13/oz)
Instant nonfat: $4.14 per lb ($.26/oz)


Check out Every Day Food Storage's post about powdered milk.