When we shop at the supermarket and go to the milk refrigerator, we almost always pause and check which carton or bottle has the longest expiration date, so we know we have time to finish it before it goes bad. What we don’t always remember to think about is that milk can be used in different ways even if it’s 5-7 days past its expiry date, and even more in cases where it has not been opened at all, but this rule depends very much on where we store the milk in our refrigerator.
Most of us store it in the refrigerator door or on its top shelf, which is a mistake because when you open the door you let in warm air, and the top shelf and door are already the hottest areas in a fridge. The recommendation is to place milk on the bottom shelf. In any case, the question now is what happens when milk goes bad despite storing it correctly? Instead of throwing it in the trash, find out how you can make use of it still!
Sour milk is a great substitute for butter, yogurt, or sour cream, which are used in a variety of recipes ranging from cakes through to pancakes and bread. The use of sour milk is well felt in taste and there are even recipes that require specific use of it. If you encounter such a recipe and don’t have expired milk, you can add vinegar or lemon juice to fresh milk instead.
Cooking at high temperatures kills the bacteria in expired milk, so it is best to take advantage of it and use it in a variety of different dishes. Use expired milk to cream potatoes, pastas, soups, and more, and you can add it to scrambled eggs or omelets and discover a new world of indulgent flavors. 
If your facial skin is feeling dry and looking flaky, then applying a sour milk mask is a great solution. Generously spread expired milk on your face, leave it on the skin for 15-20 minutes and then rinse thoroughly with water - this treatment will make your skin smoother, firmer and brighter. Another treatment that can be done is a bubble bath with one or two cups of expired milk to achieve the same results. In order to avoid the sour smell, you can add a few drops of essential oil to the bath water.
The main ingredient used for making many kinds of cheese is expired milk, which is even better to use than fresh milk just like our ancestors did in the past. Milk that has gone sour can be used to make yummy cottage cheese, spiced white cheese, and even sirene cheese.
While we may not recommend drinking expired milk, this is not true when it comes to our plants. Dilute the expired milk with water in a 50:50 ratio and pour the mixture onto your flower beds. The calcium in milk contributes to the strength and health of the plants and causes them to grow stronger. So if your milk has expired, use it to cultivate your yard or garden before tossing it in the trash.
Expired milk is a great food supplement for pets and they don’t care about its smell or taste as long as it is mixed with their usual food and as long as it is milk that’s only a few days expired. The nutritional components of milk can be very helpful for your dogs or cats, but remember that there are pets that are sensitive to lactose and therefore, it’s best to consult a veterinarian before giving them milk.
If you realize you aren’t going to be able to finish your milk before it expires, a good solution to the problem is to freeze it. Before freezing, it is important to spill a little of the milk out if you plan on freezing a full carton or bottle, because in the process of freezing the liquid expands, causing quite the headache if not emptied a little beforehand. When you want to use the milk again, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and it will be as fresh as the day you bought it. Make sure that the milk is completely defrosted before using it as the creamy and watery parts of it thaw at different times.
Related Articles:
1. Pros and Cons – Which Milk is Best for You?
