Keeping It Fresh:

A handy guide for maintaining optimal milk flavor

We’ve all done it. We pour a glass of milk, take a sip, then instantly check the date. The milk tastes “off” but the sell by date is still two days away. What gives?

It turns our there are a lot of factors that play into how “fresh” your milk tastes and the sell by date is just one of them. Here are some of the lesser known factors that may leave you with a sour taste in your mouth and what you can do to maintain that fresh milk flavor longer.

At the Super Market-

Shopping for a week? Plan on picking up your milk after you have done your other shopping.

This is also a good time to check the sell by date to ensure you are getting the freshest product.

Sunnyside Farms and Bayview Farms Milk use the terms ‘Sell By” and “Best By” interchangeably and are safe to consume 7 days after this date.

At Home-

After purchasing milk, drive straight home and refrigerate it promptly!

Open new milk containers in the same order in which they were purchased – First in, First Out.

Store milk on the middle shelf, not on the door, to better maintain a temperature between 35 degrees and 40 degrees farenheit or as cold as possible without freezing your fruits and vegetables.

Keep milk in its original container to safeguard flavor and nutritional value.

Leaving milk out for too long will make it warn, allowing bacteria to grow. NEVER return unused milk from a glass or serving pitcher to the original container as this risks contaminating the rest of the milk.

Closing the carton or jug every time you put the milk back in the fridge prevents contamination and absorption of flavors from other foods. (Put that leftover fish in its own air-tight container!)

Did You Know?

Milk exposed to extended light (even those LEDs in your fridge) can suffer from light oxidation which will change the flavor of the milk and destroy some of the vitamins. Keep milk away from bright and direct light sources.