New Article: Milking the Milk Budget
16Comments:
thehomespunheart
"Amy!
Great article! I especially loved the recipes at the end ~ as I am already a hooked powdered milk user especially to substitute in recipes. I served it to Emily once when we were out on her cereal and she made no face or acknowledgement that anything was different.
Now, a half gallon of organic milk is about $3.00 in our area. We are committed to organic milk with two little girls. I'm really not sure how much the regular milk is in our area.
Thanks for a great and useful article!"
mama k
"We've just cut back on using it all together as we too are committed to buying Organic Milk.
I still used powdered milk for baking and cooking. Does anyone know of a good source for powdered organic milk?"
Kimberly
"Hi Amy,
We live in north west New Jersey and milk ranges from $3.14 for 1% at BJ's to 3.59 at our local Rite Aid. Whole milk for my son ranges from $3.29 at the A & P to $3.39 at BJ's. Within the last 3 months the price at our local BJ's which used to be the cheapest place to buy milk has gone up between .25 cents to .50 cents per gallon. Unfortunately I think that the milk prices will continue to go up as gas prices continue to remain high."
"I live in Illinois and milk is around $3.50 a gallon! I try and not have any koolaid or soda in the house so the kids drink a lot of milk. We go through 4-5 gallons of milk each week. Why is it cheaper to buy drinks that are not healthy for the kids?!?"
margalit
"I live in Boston and just bought a gallon of 1% at our local 7/11 type store called Tedeschis for $2.99/gallon. Milk is cheaper at the convenience store by at least $.50/gallon, usually way more, as a loss leader. It's the only thing we buy in the convenience store, but it saves me at least a buck a week per gal."
SB
"I switched to powdered milk exclusively just recently. My kids (19, 7 and 5) are BIG mik drinkers (well, 2 out of 3 of them are!) and they were killin gmy food budget. I switched gradually: did the half-half for a while, then just say :what the heck! We're total powdered milk drinkers now.
It shaved $60+ off of my budget during the first month. Plus I like the convenience of having it right here. If I run out, I just make more.
I do make mine the night before so it's good and cold. I make mine in a recycled apple juice container and it's sturdy. I add a few ice cubes to mix it up thouroughly and yes, a few drops of vanilla or Splenda. The kids take turns making and shaking it for me.
I don't mind now if the kids want 3 glasses of milk. Because I can always make more.
Plus that $60 I am saving is going to pay of debt faster! HOOAH!
PS Milk costs $3.59 here in Northern Virginia, right outside of DC."
"I am also struggling with the price of milk. I have 3 young children and milk is a must. I looked into powdered milk because that is what my mother in law frugally used for her 6 children. But I am also wary of any food put through processing. In my research, I have found the following in Wikipedia:
"Controversy"
"Compared to fresh milk, powdered milk (and powdered eggs) are stated to be exceptionally high in oxysterols (oxidized cholesterol).[1] The free radicals have been stated to have atherogenic ("causing atherosclerosis")[2] and carcinogenic ("causing cancer") properties.[3] Powdered milk is frequently added to 1-2% pasteurized milk to give it more body.[4"
Of course it is Wikipedia and not an established journal of medicine report. But it makes me want to look into it further before I start introducing powdered milk into my kids diet.
Thought others would be interested to know."
"Milk is 3.99 gallon here in PA. I haven't checked the convenience stores yet. My husband and I limit our intake and our one year old drinks what he needs. Wishing the cost would go down soon, Jakesmom"
Staci
"I am a dedicated powdered milk mixer. We use the nonfat for just about everything, including drinking. Occasionally I will grab a gallon (once in the past 4 months) at the store, but I try to stay away from it due to the price. We easily go through 3-4 gallons of milk a week. After my baby's birthday (2 months from now) I will have no choice but to start purchasing whole milk for her to drink. It's $4.28 per gallon!!! Do these people think we're all made of money? Let me tell you, my DH's military pay doesn't go as far as they think it should, even with me making the pennies scream for mercy! Things like this are only going to get worse with the minimum wage increase. Where will the stores get the money to pay the new higher rates? That's right, they will increase prices. Which means that the wage increase will have minimal effect because those workers will be spending their pay raise on the higher priced goods. Meanwhile, those of us who are not getting a pay raise will just have to figure a way to make the budget a lot tighter. *sigh*"
What Works For Us
"For skim milk, last week we paid 2.59 a gallon, this week we paid 2.79 a gallon. We go through 2 gallons a week at this household. I've heard (although never tried) that gas station milk sold in bags (versus cartons) is cheaper."
Brenda L
"It's been about $3.50 a gallon for the generic milk lately. Above $4/gal (don't know how much more) for the name brand that is from cows not treated with rBGH. This week, it was on sale 2/$5.
The price of milk is determined by the government, really. They change the price farmers are paid each month to try to balance the supply/demand issues and to make sure there is enough used on drinking, cheese making, etc. I'm guessing the drought recently has effected supply."
"We seem to have slacked off significantly on our milk consumption of late - only a gallon or so a week for two adults and a two year old. I find the CVS around the corner from us has the best price on milk - $2.79 a gallon, which is AMAZING for Chicago. It's cheaper even than Aldi right now!
We drink lots of water, though, and as an occasional alternative flavored drink, I use iced fruit teas. I get the Celestial Seasonings mix box for about $3 (less with a coupon usually) - there are four tea bags each of four flavors in the box and I usually make a big gallon jar of sun tea with 4 bags at a time. A little sugar or sweetener added to taste per glass or cup and I'm sure it's a healthier alternative to Kool-Aid or soda. My son loves drinking his tea! I also buy a bag of limes on occasion and use it to flavor my glass of water. Often here, limes are 10/$1 and one lime lasts several glasses of water."
Linda
"I have to say I am blessed to be a military wife and live close enough to access the post commissary where we pay wholesale (and it's less than $2 a gallon!).
But I am always watching out local grocery store (Dillons) for their sales, because often, they will have milk at 4 1/2 gallons for $5, or 2 gallons for $5.
My daughter won't drink milk at all (only has it on cereal) but my son and husband go through it like water. I have tried the powdered milk before and it never went over very well. I'd do the frozen milk thing, but we don't have a spare inch in our freezer most times. I DO put milk in the freezer when we're going on vacation so it doesn't go to waste, though!"
Linda
"Oh, and I forgot - I paid $3.68 for a gallon of milk at Walmart recently (because we ran out and I happened to be in there - will NOT be doing that again). It was skim milk - don't know what the cost of whole milk was, but it WAS higher..."
Meredith
"That is a great article, Amy. I've linked to it.
I find the best milk prices at Kroger sales, or when I'm lucky, manager's specials there.
I also use powdered milk for baking--as much for convenience as price."
"I believe that every person on the planet needs to read "Nurishing Traditions", as it contains so much important nutritional information that the dairy industry does not really want the general public to know. Organic milk is incredibly important, and yet most of the nutrients/enzymes in milk are destroyed in the pastuerizing process or in the act of homogenizing milk. Please read this book, it will change your life."
As you all know, grocery savings is a huge topic on our site, so I was excited to talk this week about how to save some money in the milk category. With milk prices rising, my grocery dollars have been screaming for mercy. I did some research on ways that you can keep your costs down and still have tons of milk in your house to drink.
Great article! I especially loved the recipes at the end ~ as I am already a hooked powdered milk user especially to substitute in recipes. I served it to Emily once when we were out on her cereal and she made no face or acknowledgement that anything was different.
Now, a half gallon of organic milk is about $3.00 in our area. We are committed to organic milk with two little girls. I'm really not sure how much the regular milk is in our area.
Thanks for a great and useful article!"