Powder Milk-Long Term Food Storage


Powder milk is made from fresh, pasteurized skim milk. First, the milk is concentrated in an evaporator until 50% of the milk solids remain. Next, the concentrated milk is sprayed into a heated chamber where the water almost instantly evaporates, leaving behind tiny dry milk particles.


Did you know that plenty of companies sell a powder milk that isn’t REAL milk? Some companies call it a “milk alternative” some don’t even try and label it anything different. So how can you know if your powdered milk is for real? Look at the ingredients.

  • Powder Milk Ingredients are:
    Nonfat Dry Milk, Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin D3
  • Milk Alternative Ingredients are:
    Made from sweet dairy whey, non-fat dry milk solids, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (contains one or more of the following:canola oil and/or soya oil), corn syrup solids, sodium caseinate, dipotassium phosphate, propylene glycol monostearate, mono and diglycerides, lecithin, carrageenan, Vitamin A, Vitamin D.

You’ll see the milk alternative has plenty of other ingredients including shortening and high fructose syrup. It’s like the difference between Tang and Orange Juice. One is a orange FLAVORED drink and one is the actual JUICE from an orange. The milk alternative is not as nutritious (the reason we store milk is for the great nutritional qualities of milk-not to have something that tastes good on our cereal). It also will effect your baking. It doesn’t have the vital milk caseine protein which is vital in some cooking, plus it has that extra shortening involved which may change some of what you are making.


Think of it like buying popcorn already popped (that you can eat instantly) or popcorn kernels (which require more work to get ready to eat). Instant milk IS non-instant milk that has been puffed with air which makes it mix into water easier. In fact, you could just drop it in water and it would dissolve instantly. Non-instant milk requires more stirring and chilling before it can be served as milk. Price wise, non-instant milk is a better bang for your buck because you can fit more of it in a can and use less in your cooking.


In a cool dry area. The powder does not need to be refrigerated after the can is opened. Once you add water to it, you will need to store it in the fridge. It will store for 4-5 days in your fridge.


According to a U.S. government study on maintaining nutritional adequacy during periods of food shortage, you should store 16 pounds of non-instant (or 32 pounds of instant) powdered milk for each family member per year. The 16 pounds, or 64 quarts, is a minimum suggestion and equates to one small (5-6 ounce) glass of milk per day for one family member. Small children and nursing mothers will need more milk. Remember the 16 pounds is a bare minimum-most families should store more than that.


You can purchase it at any grocery store-although, if you buy it in the small boxes it will cost you a fortune! The only place to purchase the non-instant powdered milk at a decent price is from the LDS Cannery. Unfortunately, they don’t sell this online so it requires you going in and purchasing and canning yourself. (This type of milk is by far the cheapest and the type I use!)

If you don’t have access to an LDS Cannery, there are plenty of places that sell INSTANT powdered milk already canned. (If you’re in Utah you can shop at Maceys or Wal-Mart as well) This will cost a little more but also, some people like the taste better. Make sure when you are buying powdered milk online that it is REAL milk and not a milk alternative. Not all companies will label it as a milk alternative-look at the ingredients to be sure!


It’s simple really, you can mix it up and drink it! In your baking or cooking, you can simply add the dry milk powder with the dry ingredients and the water necessary to hydrate it in with the wet ingredients. You can download my milk conversion chart HERE it will help you do the math when using non-instant powdered milk.

  • If you want a ready reference for using powdered milk your kitchen, check out my food storage conversion charts. They will help you with powdered eggs, powdered milk, and magic mix.


Learn to love your food storage!

  • http://Book&PowderedMilk annette

    I’m confused about the instant vs non instant powered milk. In your book on page 62 you state: “If you choose to use instant milk, you will need to double the amount of dry non-instant milk called for in the recipes in this book.” I use instant milk. So…. do I double the instant milk — Thanks Annette LOVE the book and have been waiting on pins and needles for it to come out!!!

  • Dawn

    where can i purchase non instant powdered milk? I cannot find it.


  • Crystal-Everyday Food Storage


    You can check an LDS cannery or a local dairy may have it. Good luck!

  • LizzieAnn

    What about using WHOLE Milk powered milk?  I have easy access to this in a local store and have a toddler who I would still need to be drinking whole milk with the extra fat.  Does whole powdered milk work the same in recipes?

  • Anonymous

    I dont see why not.

    Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone

  • Hostile_23

    It works the same way, BUT anything with fat in it has a shorter storage life than non-fat items. White rice will store much longer than it’s fatty cousin, brown rice, just as non-fat dry milk will store for longer than whole dry milk

  • Newbie

    What is the shelf life of an opened can of powered milk?

  • LizzieAnn

    I’m not sure about the WHOLE milk powered milk if it’s opened.  Since the whole powdered milk seems to have a shorter shelf life (unopened suggested use by date on can suggest about 1 1/2 years from my purchase date) I am storing my opened and unopened cans in the freezer so I think they would have a very long shelf life keeping them in the freezer and then I just scoop out what I need.  I think non-fat powdered milk has about a 5 year suggested shelf life unopened?

  • Rachuella

    Hi! Great info, just wanted to point out that 16 pounds of regular dry milk and 16 pounds instant milk would be equivalent amounts when you add water. You don’t need to store 32 pounds of instant milk per person. It would be better to store non-instant since it takes half the space.

  • Jen

    Thanks for the information, I am just wondering if you can explain what category Morning Moo milk falls into, real milk or a milk alternative? 

  • eatfoodstorage

    Milk alternative.

  • Ian

    i had a flask made up of tea and powdered milk and after 4 hrs of bouncing around in my vehicle upon opening discovered a light brown ball of what looked like clay, about the size of small marble. i am guessing that powered milk also has some type of carrier ingredient for milk solids to help dissolve it into your drink .
    any one else experience the same ??

  • jeff

    how much milk does it take to produce a pound of powdered milk

  • test

  • test

    Alternate milk has non-fat milk solids; My guess is , it may contain milk protein, casein.

  • Sonya

    I would like to know which brand of powdered milk tastes the best? Is there anyone who has tasted the different brands and noticed that one or two stood out to be better tasting than the others? I need to purchase some for my food storage and want to get a brand that tastes great. Please help!

  • Deb

    Bob’s Red Mill brand tastes great, and so does the Organic Valley Organic. But both are non-instant. Typically, using the same amount, non-instant milk powder tastes better because it’s more concentrated as the article clarified. So if you buy instant version, use more.

  • Tracy in SC

    Can anyone recommend a good instant organic powdered milk? I have loved the taste of Country Cream, which I highly recommend to anyone not worried about organic. We drink it daily, but are now trying to switch over to more organic products. Thanks in advance!

  • ruthinindiana

    I oven canned my powdered milk and it turned brown in the oven like it was over cooked. Has anyone oven canned?