Powdered milk nutrition: what's really in the glass, and how to use it

Powdered milk earns its shelf space two ways. It keeps for years without a fridge, and a good one holds real nutrition instead of just standing in for milk. Our Powdered Vitamin Milk is non-fat, mixes with water in a minute, and carries a shelf life of up to 25 years in the #10 can. A serving gives you 30 essential nutrients and 7g of protein, with no added sugar and no artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, or sweeteners.

That's the short answer. Here's the rest of it, from what's in the powder to how it behaves at the stove.

What one serving actually gives you

A lot of shelf-stable options are mostly filler. This one isn't. Each serving carries 30 essential nutrients and 7g of protein, and there's no sugar hiding in it. The profile covers the things you'd want milk to do for you:

• Vitamin D and calcium for bones and teeth.
• Iron and the B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B6, and B12) for steady energy.
• Vitamins A, C, and E, plus zinc, for the immune system.
• Potassium, magnesium, and selenium, the ones that don't get named as often but still matter.

Three sizes for three jobs

Households store food differently, so the milk comes three ways.

• The #10 can is the one for long-term storage. It holds 50 servings and keeps up to 25 years.
• The resealable pouch is the everyday one for the kitchen shelf. Also 50 servings, with a 15-year shelf life.
• The singles 5-pack is for taking along. Five single-serving pouches, four servings each, good for camping, travel, or a bug-out bag. These keep 15 years too.

Once you open any package, use it within a year for the best flavor.

Mixing it and drinking it

Add 2 tablespoons of powder to 1 cup of water and stir until it dissolves. A shaker bottle does the job fine. A milk frother gives you a creamier glass, and a blender is the way to go if you're building a smoothie. After it's mixed, keep it in the fridge like any other milk.

Using it through the day

Once it's reconstituted, it stands in for fresh milk about anywhere you'd reach for it.

• Poured cold in a glass on its own.
• Over cereal or granola in the morning.
• As the base for a protein shake or smoothie.
• In cooking and baking, from pancakes and sauces to soups and desserts.

What people say after they've tried it

Taste is where powdered milk usually loses people, so I'll let a few buyers speak.

• Luis D., who keeps it for both daily use and storage, calls it the best of the brands he's tried and says the flavor and consistency are wonderful.
• Gracie keeps it simple: so creamy and yummy.
• Lisa S., who drinks whole milk by choice, still gave it 5 stars and called it quite good.

If you've been put off by the powdered milk you remember, this is a different thing on the shelf and in the glass. Keep a can on hand and you've got milk that's ready when you are, for the school-morning cereal bowl and for the years you hope you never need it.