Nonfat Dry Milk

There are three kinds of nonfat dry milk (NDM) – 1) regular or non-instant, 2) crystallized instant, and 3) instant. They are all the same nutritionally but the processing method for each is different. Regular and crystallized instant look very much alike.

1) Regular NDM is sold at the Home Storage Centers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, online, at dairy co-ops, at bulk food stores, and at some health food stores. It is usually the least expensive of the three kinds of dry milk and has the least volume per dry weight. It is the most difficult to mix by hand but can be mixed easily with a blender. It requires 2/3 to 3/4 cup to make 1 quart.

2) Crystallized instant NDM is sold by food storage companies, some grocery stores, and some powdered milk suppliers such as Maple Island. It has 10% more volume than regular NDM. It requires 3/4 cup to 1 cup to make 1 quart.

3) Instant NDM is sold in grocery stores. It has larger granules and has about twice the volume of regular NDM. It requires 1-1/3 cups to make a quart. Instant NDM is the least esthetically pleasing of the three kinds of dry milk, but taste is dependent on brand.

Whole dry milk is also available. It is more difficult to mix than instant milk and needs a whisk or warm water to mix well. It requires 1 cup to make 1 quart. Because there is fat in whole dry milk, the shelf life will be considerably less. The flavor is similar to shelf stable boxed milk.

Morning Moo’s, and similar milk alternatives, are whey products. Many people like them better than nonfat dry milk because Morning Moo’s has fat in it. It has one third the calcium and less than one third the protein of milk. Whey milks cannot be used to make pudding, yogurt, or cheese. (see “Whey Milk Alternatives vs. Nonfat Dry Milk”)

1 pound of nonfat dry milk yields 1 gallon of liquid milk.

To mix regular or non-instant powdered milk: In a blender or electric mixer, or with a wire whisk, add 2/3 to 3/4 cup powder to 4 cups water and thoroughly blend to make 4 cups liquid milk. Alternate method: Pour 2 cups lukewarm water into a quart jar. Add 2/3 to 3/4 cups dry milk; cap the jar and shake until mixed. Add water to make one quart and stir. Refrigerate.

Add one teaspoon of vanilla to a gallon of reconstituted milk to improve flavor. Serve cold.

When using powdered milk to make yogurt, make the milk with 1-1/3 to 2 times as much powder. The more milk powder you use, the thicker the yogurt will be.

Regular or non-instant nonfat dry milk should be less than 4% moisture. For the longest storage, moisture should be no greater than 2.8%. It should be low heat spray process and enriched, if possible.

Nonfat dry milk should be stored airtight, dark, dry, and cool. It is heat sensitive. Heat causes a chemical reaction between the milk proteins and milk sugars. The milk starts to turn light brown, change in flavor, and the protein quality is reduced. Dry milk should be used within two to three years, even when stored under favorable conditions, for the best nutrition and flavor, but it still has good protein value at 20 years.

6 cans (12 oz. each) of evaporated milk are equivalent to about 1 pound of dry milk.

¹Prices at Aldi, HEB, Randall’s, Walmart, Kroger, and the Home Storage Centers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in June 2020 in Spring, Texas were averaged to get comparison costs.