Can You Freeze Almond Milk? How To Store Almond Milk Properly

We all know that calcium is essential for strong bones. Milk is perhaps the first thing that goes through your mind when you think of calcium, but what if you are lactose intolerant? Well, one dairy product that you can drink is almond milk. It’s a great substitute for dairy milk as it contains not only calcium but other nutrients as well.

Did you know that you can  make your own almond milk? It is quite easy to do so. But what if you end up making too much of it? How would you store the milk? Can you just refrigerate it? Or is a container in the freezer the best place to store it?

Should You freeze it?

A cup of Almond milk and a bowl of Almond

Yes, you definitely can place this kind of milk in your freezer. You can freeze it in the carton or even put it in an ice cube tray. However, you should also consider how you intend to use the milk after thawing. If you intend to drink it afterward, then you might want to think twice about it. But if you intend to utilize the milk for baking or cooking, then freezing is definitely recommended.

Why did I say so?

Putting this milk in a freezer can extend its storage life to several months past the sell-by date. But doing so can also affect the consistency and texture of the beverage. In fact, several almond milk manufacturers advise their consumers against freezing almond milk because there will be a separation of the almond milk.

This separation can result in a noticeable change in the texture. It can also make the milk less appealing. In most cases, thawed almond milk will also have changes in taste and color.

Let me be clear, however, that the separation doesn’t mean that the almond milk has turned bad. In fact, any almond milk would separate naturally. This is normal and natural occurrence for almond milk. I will discuss the signs of spoiled almond milk later in this article.

Another reason why almond milk brands discourage freezing is that thawed almond milk tends to have a shorter shelf life compared to one that has been kept in the refrigerator.

So in short, drinking almond milk after it has been frozen and thawed isn’t exactly the best idea. If you’re not the type of person who is easily affected by changes in texture and consistency, then you can go ahead and place this cow milk alternative in the freezer.

I also recommend freezing this type of milk in case you plan to use it for baking or cooking. For example, thawed almond milk can be very useful in this  almondsour cream cake since the visual appearance of the almond milk won’t matter anyway when you try this recipe.

Here’s one trick to figure out if you can stomach drinking frozen almond milk— put a small amount in the freezer first then try drinking it. If you aren’t bothered by the results, then go ahead and freeze the milk.

How to Freeze Almond Milk?

A bottle of Almond Milk and a cup of Almond

Now that you know the pros and cons of freezing almond milk, I know that you are eager to learn how you should store it in the freezer.

To ice up almond milk, you should first transfer the milk in an airtight container. This should prevent the milk from absorbing the odors from other foods stored in the freezer. It’s also possible to freeze the almond milk in its original packaging. However, you should remove a little milk first before doing so because the milk will be very likely to expand when it is in the freezer.

In case you also want to try freezing a little almond milk at first, you can do so by freezing the milk in a smaller container. I have once tried to utilize an ice cube tray for this purpose. Once the milk has been frozen remove almond milk cubes from the tray, you can transfer them into a bag or container.

Place the bag or container into the fridge and thaw for a few hours. Then see for yourself if you can tolerate the change in texture and consistency of the food.

One thing to remember though—you should never put the defrosted milk back in the freezer.

Signs of spoiled almond milk

A bottle of Almond Milk and a spoon of Almond

As I mentioned earlier, separation of almond milk doesn’t mean that it has gone spoiled. The easiest way to determine that your almond milk has become spoiled is to smell it. Spoiled almond milk has a really bad, sour stench.

Homemade almond milk also tends to clump up 5 to 7 days after it was made. This is another sign that the milk has gone rancid.

Commercially-available almond milk usually lasts seven days in the ref once it is opened. You can smell the milk if you’re not sure whether it has become rancid. If it smells a bit sour, then I suggest you toss the milk.

Conclusion

A bottle of Almond Milk, Almond and cups of Almond Milk

In closing, it is possible to ice up almond milk. While there will be changes in the texture and consistency, it may not matter at all if you are to use the milk for baking and cooking. You may even drink it especially if you are not the picky type.

Now that you know how freezing affects almond milk, why not go ahead and share this article with your friends? I am sure they’ll be thankful to you for doing so.