8 ways to use up leftover milk

Here, we highlight an ingredient that’s often thrown away, giving you tips on how to store it for longer and use it up.

1. Make food go further

If you only have a little bit to use up, you can add a splash to an egg wash to make it go further, or whisk a bit into your scrambled eggs. Adding milk to mashed potatoes also creates richness and texture.

2. Freeze it

Pour into an airtight container and leave room at the top, as milk expands when frozen. It can turn yellow and separate when defrosted – just shake it to bring it back together. Or, freeze it in ice cube trays to add to smoothies or sauces.

3. Fix your seasoning

Is your bolognese or soup too salty? Milk works wonders if you’ve been a bit overzealous with the seasoning – just add a good glug to reduce the saltiness and balance the flavours.

4. Make your own cheese

Why not have a go at making your own cheese if you have a lot of whole milk to use up? Paneer is surprisingly easy to make – check out our recipe.

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5. Make your own buttermilk

If you don’t have any buttermilk on hand for baking, you can make your own by adding 1 tbsp lemon juice to every 250ml of milk. Stir and leave for 5-10 minutes until it looks thickened and curdled, then stir. You can scale this up or down.

6. Use it with meat dishes

The lactic acid in milk helps tenderise meat, so use it as a marinade for chicken or add to stew along with other liquids.

7. Make a white sauce

Use leftover milk to make a white sauce, or béchamel. It will keep in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze for up to three months. Defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat in a saucepan, whisking well to bring it back together.

8. Store it correctly

Regularly check the temperature of your fridge to ensure it is running as cold as you need it to be, and try not to store milk in the door, as that is the warmest part of the fridge.

Bonus tip:

MAKE YOUR OWN BUTTER
If you have double cream left over, use it to make your own butter. Pour into a food processor and blend the cream until it separates into a solid with liquid at the bottom. With clean hands, squeeze the butter over the sieve to force out any more buttermilk, and work into a ball. ‘Wash’ the butter in a bowl of ice-cold water to get rid of any residual buttermilk. Beat in a big pinch of salt. Will keep covered and chilled for up to a week.