Milk Your Dairy Products

Turn it Over

To prevent mold from growing in an opened container of cottage cheese, turn it upside down and give it a shake. Store it this way. Mold grows in the layers of oxygen that gather under the opened lid, but your shake and turn stop the process.  

Longer-Lasting Milk

Good news for those who drink milk infrequently or buy it only for their coffee. You can prolong the life of a container of milk by dropping a pinch or two of baking soda into the container and giving it a shake. The baking soda will reduce the milk’s acidity, staving off spoilage.

Stop Crystallization

Ice cream kept too long in the freezer forms crystals along the top. After opening a container of ice cream, cover with plastic wrap before replacing the lid.   

Freeze Butter

When butter goes on sale, buy extra. It will keep in the freezer for up to four months. No special thawing is needed; just place it in the fridge.

Quick-Freeze Dairy Products

Most dairy products are not good candidates for freezing. Fats separate and don’t always reintegrate well. You may, however, find that you can freeze milk and even cream for short periods if you follow this method: Pour milk or cream into meticulously cleaned glass jars, leaving 2 inches (5 cm) of headroom for the liquid to expand. Seal jars tightly and place in the coldest part of your freezer. The goal is to freeze the product quickly. Milk should keep for up to five months; cream only for two or three months. Thaw at room temperature for three to four hours before using.

Freeze Cheese

Many cheeses will keep well for up to six months in the freezer. The key is to freeze small pieces that weigh 450 grams or less and that are not more than 25mm thick. It works well with both hard and soft cheeses. Good candidates include brick, cheddar, Camembert, Edam, Gouda, mozzarella, Muenster, Port Salut, provolone, and Swiss. Wrap the cheese tightly in freezer wrap, and store in a freezer bag to keep moisture from developing. You can also grate the cheese first, then store it in freezer bags for several months.

Seal Your Eggs

Prolong the lifespan of fresh eggs by rubbing the shells with vegetable oil. Now your eggs should last from three to five weeks in the refrigerator.

How to Freeze Eggs

Frozen eggs will keep for up to six months. You can freeze scrambled whole eggs or whites or yolks alone. Freeze egg whites in airtight containers singly or as called for in recipes you use most often. Leave a little headroom in the container for the whites  to expand as they freeze. Whole eggs or yolks can become hard when frozen. To avoid this, stabilize them by stirring 1 teaspoon of either salt or honey into 1 cup of eggs—that’s about five whole eggs or a dozen yolks. Freeze in an airtight container. Mark which ingredient was added. You’ll want to know for cooking purposes later so that you can reduce the salt or sweetener in your recipe. If you like, spoon the scrambled eggs into ice-cube trays for individual portions. When they’re frozen, pop the egg cubes out and store them in an airtight freezer bag.