Storing Dairy Products

Often, the heavier the dairy product, the better it will store.

Milk and cream should be refrigerated immediately after you get home. Store at about forty degrees Fahrenheit. Milk will absorb flavors of other foods in the refrigerator. It's a good idea to store it in its container and reseal the carton each time its used.

Basically, milk and fluid milk products will keep for a week or more in the refrigerator in your home. Concentrated or manufactured products such as butter, cheese, ice cream and yogurt should keep for much longer periods.

Milk and cream should be refrigerated immediately after you get home. It should be stored at about forty degrees Fahrenheit. Milk will absorb flavors of other foods in the refrigerator so it's a good idea to store it in its original container and to reseal the carton you use each time you use it.

Milk and cream should not be frozen…

However, sweetened whip-ped cream can be stored in the freezer in individual portions. Put dollops of whipped cream on a cookie sheet and freeze them. Immediately put these frozen portions of whipped cream in plastic bags and return them to your freezer until you're ready to use them.

Buttermilk, sour cream and yogurt should be stored the same as milk and cream. You need to either eat or drink these products within three or four days to get the full benefit of their flavor.

Creamed cheeses…

Creamed cottage cheese and cream cheese should be stored at forty degrees Fahrenheit to protect their flavors and textures. Keep them tightly covered because they will absorb other flavors in the refrigerator, too.

Freezing butter…

Butter should be kept covered and in the refrigerator. Long exposure at room temperature or exposure to light causes butter to lose it fine flavor. Butter can be stored in the freezer for long periods with no loss of quality. However, when you freeze butter be sure to put it in a moisture-vapor-proof container or wrap it in moisture-vapor proof material.

Cheese should be wrapped tightly while it is in the refrigerator so that it doesn't dry out. If natural cheeses are wrapped poorly or where there is quite a bit of moisture, mold spots may develop. Generally, these molds are harmless and can be scraped off with no harm to the rest of the cheese.

For more information on storing dairy products; contact your local county Extension office.