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Don’t let that milk go to waste! Save food and money with these recipes that use a lot of milk. Enjoy an easy breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert with these fresh milk recipes.
Remember you can always freeze leftover milk for later, but there are delicious ways to use a lot at once. Homemade Mac and Cheese is a great way to use up what’s left, as is making a batch of chocolate milk with our Homemade Chocolate Syrup. Milk is a great addition to this creamy soup you can make in the instant pot, Broccoli Cheese.
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It does a body good. It tastes great with a stack of Oreo cookies. And it’s a key ingredient in my favorite Chocolate Parfaits. Milk is a good thing and for good reason!
They say, “Don’t cry over spilled milk.”I say, “Don’t cry over milk close to its expiration date. Use it up!”
There can be times when you’ve got milk on hand that will expire before you can drink it or stir it into overnight oats. Perhaps you’re about to leave on a trip or your people have been under the weather and not up to their usual milk-drinking prowess. Or maybe you find a great deal at the store and want to snatch it up to reap savings.
Whatever the reason, know that your milk won’t go to waste when you’ve got these easy recipes that use a lot of milk.
Why It’s Important
Milk is one of the main ingredients in so many great recipes, from the classic favorite drinks of hot chocolate and pumpkin spice latte to the uber-trendy boba or bubble tea. It is used in homemade pudding, a big batch of pancakes, and even in fried chicken marinade.
Plenty of ways to enjoy milk, so little time!
Avoid food waste and save money when you make sure you use that gallon of milk. The best way is to keep track of your favorite things to make with it! Our list of recipes that use a lot of milk will get you started.
Whether it’s whole milk, nonfat, almond, or coconut milk, check out these great uses for extra milk and treat the whole family to some yummy new recipes.
How to Know Your Milk is Fresh
Believe it or not, the “expiration date” or “best by” is not always the sign that your milk has gone bad. Fresh milk has a fresh, sweet smell. Milk that has started to spoil will have an off odor, flavor, or texture. So, the general rule is that it’s okay to use if it smells good, looks good, and tastes good.
Tips toKeep Milk Fresh
- Be sure to keep milk fresh by storing it right away in the fridge, kept below 40 degrees F, in the coldest parts of the fridge. The fridge door is too warm for storing milk, so choose a space farther in.
- Try not to open the fridge veryoften so that it can keep its cool.
- Sealed cartons stay fresh longer than open ones. So, if you’re going to stock up, try to buy the smallest containers for your money.
- Don’t allow the milk carton to sit at room temperature. Return it to the fridge as quickly as possible.
- Don’t pour leftover milk back into the carton as this can cause cross-contamination.
Freeze Milk if You Can’t Use it Right Away
Remember you can freeze milk that you won’t be using right away. This is a great opportunity to build a freezer pantry so that you have basic ingredients on hand all the time.
- Simply remove about an inch’s worth from the container to allow for expansion once frozen.
- Secure the lid and place the container in the freezer. You can also pour the milk into ice cube trays so that you have smaller portions to add to soups or
- About a day before you want to use the milk, remove it from the freezer and place it on a tray in the refrigerator.
- Once thawed, shake the container well. The water and fat in milk separate so you want to mix them back together.
- Use the milk as you would normally to drink or in recipes.
Turn Milk into Something Else
Yep, milk is the raw ingredient for so many dairy products that you can make yourself at home. Consider how to culture or churn milk into other milk-based ingredients:
- Make sour milk for baking by adding a tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar to 1 cup milk for a buttermilk baking substitute.
- Culture real buttermilk from regular milk with a live culture.
- Make homemade sour cream with milk and heavy cream.
- Add cream and churn a batch of homemade ice cream.
- Make homemade ricotta cheese or cottage cheese.
- Make homemade mozzarella cheese.
Recipes that Use a Lot of Milk
There are so many sweet and savory milk recipes, you might not have enough milk to try all the yummy recipes here!
How to Make a White Sauce
This basic white sauce is the building block of great recipes like homemade mac and cheese or lasagna. It comes together quickly and easily on the stove in 15 minutes!
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Homemade Cream Of Celery Soup
Homemade Cream of Celery Soup is so much better than the canned variety. Make a bulk batch this week to have your casserole and eat more healthfully, too.
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Easy Homemade Broccoli Cauliflower Soup
Doesn’t Broccoli Cauliflower Soup sound delicious? This easy homemade version is full of vegetables and cheese for ultimate comfort in a bowl.
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Vegetable Cheddar Cheese Soup
This recipe for Cheddar Cheese Soup is creamy and comforting. Filled with bits of zucchini, broccoli, and carrots, it’s healthy comfort food.
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Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup
Enjoy your favorite cafe-style Broccoli Cheese Soup at home for less money. I’ll show you how easy it is with both stovetop and Instant Pot directions!
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Alfredo Mac and Cheese
Mac and Cheese is a classic comfort food, particularly for these cold winter months. Try this version that has a garlicky, Alfredo twist.
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Stovetop Mac and Cheese
Ditch the boxed mac and cheese, you can make your own tastier and better version at home. Use this Stovetop Mac and Cheese and free yourself from mixes!
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Overnight Casserole
Overnight Casserole is one of the easiest you can assemble. No need to boil the noodles, just stir together all the ingredients and chill overnight. Top with bread crumbs and bake.
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Sausage Gravy and Biscuits
Homemade Sausage Gravy and Biscuits are a real treat! The spicy meat in white sauce is packed with flavor and perfectly complements the taste and texture of buttermilk biscuits. With just a handful of ingredients, you can mix them up in a flash.
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Overnight Egg Bake with Bacon and Cheddar
Breakfast comes together easily in this hearty egg casserole. Studded with bacon and cheddar cheese this egg bake is one you’ll want on repeat.
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Strawberry Mango Smoothie with Banana
Make your own fruit smoothies to save money, eat more healthfully, and bring convenience to your own home. This strawberry banana smoothie recipe is easy and delicious.
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Oven French Toast
Enjoy French Toast any day of the week with this easy recipe for baking it in the oven. It’s simple, delicious, and freezer-friendly.
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Cream of Rice Pudding
Perfect for breakfast, snack, or dessert, this homemade cream of rice pudding is like a rice porridge that you can vary with all kinds of toppings.
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Banana Whole Wheat Pancakes
Want to enjoy pancakes without a lot of added sugar? This recipe for Banana Whole Wheat Pancakes is packed with flavor and nutrition.
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Easy Homemade Crepes
Enjoy homemade crepes, save money, and enjoy la belle vie. This easy recipe will get you hooked on making crepes yourself at home.
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Basic Pancakes
This simple pancake recipe is easily to prepare and perfect for feeding a crowd. There are several ways to make it freezer-friendly as well.
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Honey Whole Wheat English Muffin Bread
Homemade baked goods are significantly cheaper than store-bought varieties. Try this whole wheat bread that mimics an “English muffin” in texture and taste.
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Milk and Honey Cornbread
Bake up a batch of this Milk and Honey Cornbread. It’s lightly sweetened and delicious for breakfast or the bread basket.
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Strawberry Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Enjoy the ice cream shop experience with this homemade Strawberry Chocolate Chip Ice Cream made with just a few whole ingredients.
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Milk Nog or Eggless Egg Nog Recipe
Create an eggless egg nog with Milk Nog. Spicing up whole milk with cinnamon and nutmeg, sugar and vanilla delivers a refreshing real food drink at home.
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Stovetop Hot Cocoa
Homemade Hot Cocoa takes just five minutes and only five ingredients. Enjoy a hot cup of this easy, affordable hot chocolate any day!
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Iced Mocha Coffee
An iced mocha is a delightful cold beverage to enjoy as an afternoon pick-me-up. Give your wallet a boost as well by making it yourself at home.
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Homemade Chocolate Pudding Recipe
Homemade chocolate pudding comes together in just a few minutes. Rich in chocolatey flavor, it makes a deliciously elegant dessert to serve to friends and family.
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Homemade Chocolate Cream Pie
Ditch the frozen pie crust and boxed pudding mixes. You can make aHomemade Chocolate Cream Pie without breaking the bank.
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Robert Redford Dessert in a Jar
This vintage dessert, originally called Better than Robert Redford gets a face lift. Make it in jars or small ramekins for an elegant presentation.
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Chocolate Parfaits
Chocolate Cream Pie gets morphed into a dessert in a jar, a Chocolate Parfait, to be exact. Perfect for your next game day dessert or holiday get-together.
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This post was originally published on October 18, 2014. It has been updated for content and clarity.
