Holy Cow, Will Powdered Milk Make A Comeback?

Have you experienced sticker shock in the last few months as you’ve visited the dairy case at your local supermarket? Apparently, milk the drink that "does a body good" is proving harmful to the health of checking accounts.

Milk prices have been stinging consumers at the dairy case since July, when the price hit a then-record $3.80 a gallon.  Nationwide, the average retail price of a gallon of whole milk was $3.83 in October, up from $3.17 in the same period last year, said the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The national average price for the calcium-rich drink could hit a record $5 a gallon. The current average price is about $4.25 a gallon, say dairy experts. That is more than the current national average gas price, which is $2.975 a gallon, according to AAA. Purchasing milk has become as big of a dreaded thing to do as purchasing gas for your car. Ouch!  This is truly hard to believe.

Reasons for Steep Price Increase
Many factors contribute to this new hit to our wallet. Much of the blame for the higher prices has been placed on high fuel prices, drought and on corn-based ethanol. As farmers divert more ears of corn to be turned into energy instead of selling it as feed for livestock, prices have soared and dairy farmers are now paying more to feed their cows. 

The USDA predicts that milk production this year will grow, the demand for that frothy white drink far exceeds that production. The demand for milk is high world wide, while Europe and Australia also have a milk shortage.

The Affect on Families
The higher milk prices really hit the families who have young children. For many of those families who work on a strict budget, milk is a ready staple and very difficult to leave off the shopping list. So in order to compensate for the much-needed gallon, some families cut back on other expenses or simply cut back on other foods going from name brand to store brand in many cases.

Powdered Milk Could Make a Strong Comeback
Who would have ever imagined that powdered milk would gain renewed interest? Many folks are reconsidering powdered milk for its economy. The dairy price hike has not affected dry milk much yet, making it the best dairy bargain currently available.  Large 4-pound boxes of powdered milk are available in most markets. A box this size will make 20 quarts or 5 gallons of liquid milk. At an average cost of $8 to $9 per box, this is the equivalent of less than $2 per gallon, making it fully half the price of fresh milk at this time.

Powdered Milk is available in two common forms: Instant Non-Fat Dry Milk Powder and Regular Non-Fat Dry Milk Powder.  Additionally, it is a readily available source of protein and vitamin D.  It's also high in calcium.  Since powdered milk has no fat, it's low in calories (about 80 per cup of liquid milk) and completely cholesterol free.

How Does Powdered Milk Taste
Once reconstituted, it is said that powdered milk tastes a lot better than it used to.  When mixed correctly and chilled overnight, it has a pleasant, sweet flavor that tastes especially good with cookies. Reconstituted milk doesn't taste the same as fresh whole milk. There are things you can do to make powdered milk taste better. Mixing it with some fresh whole milk for body and flavor is a good alternative.

If you are already used to skim milk though, you probably won't notice much difference in the flavor of reconstituted milk. In cooking, powdered milk performs flawlessly. It can be substituted for fresh milk in almost any recipe with excellent results. Many budget conscious women cook with powdered milk exclusively. This is smart use of resources because the results are so good.

Businesses Are Also Impacted By Higher Costs
Shoppers at the grocer's dairy case aren't the only ones feeling the pinch. Many businesses blame the recent increase in the price of dairy products as the reason for raising their prices. Starbucks coffee, Papa John's pizza, ice cream and cheese producers have blamed their recent price hikes on the rising cost of milk.

When Can We Expect Relief
So when will we see relief? No one readily knows. There has been a lot of speculation but no one can really give a good answer. In the meantime, we will figure out what works best for us individually as it relates to our consumption of dairy products.  As for me, I “got milk”, but have trimmed my consumption just a bit.

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