How Much Dairy Do I Need In My Food Storage?

Should I Store Dairy In My Long-Term Food Storage?

Dairy products give us many important nutrients and vitamins. Particularly, dairy products provide much of our need for calcium and protein. Milk, yogurt, and cheese are the primary providers for calcium in most Western diets. However, much of the world hardly consumes dairy at all, which demonstrates that it is not necessary for either your body or your long-term storage. The answer to the question of whether you should store dairy in your long-term storage has much to do with your current sources of calcium and protein. If you consume a lot of dairy, you will definitely want to consider adding some to your long-term storage. If not, there are certainly alternatives that we’ll talk about towards the end of this article.

What Dairy Products Should I Store Long-Term?

Powdered milk is the most popular form of storing dairy products in your long-term storage supply. To make powdered milk, simply mix ⅓ cup powder with 1 cup of drinking water. This will give you the nutrients needed, although it certainly will not taste as fresh. In addition, Vitamins A and D will be missing within powdered milk. To get the proper amount of these vitamins, consider adding multivitamins to your long-term food storage or supplementing with canned or dried fruits and vegetables, especially carrots, apricots, and broccoli. Butter can be stored in long-term storage by a simple process known as rendering. To render butter, heat it slowly and then skim off the butter solids that rise to the top. What is left will be an oil-looking mixture that will store nicely, even in less-than-ideal climates. Keep in mind, this only works with real butter. This does not work the same for butter substitutes. You know the kind I’m talking about. The “butter” made from different oils and soy. Powdered eggs or cheese are a great option for getting protein and calcium, although they are certainly not as fresh-tasting as the real deal. Dehydrated yogurt is a less popular option, but one that tastes delicious and stores well for a long time. Dehydrated yogurt can be rolled out and up like a fruit roll-up and added to your long-term storage. Click here to find out how to dehydrate yogurt. A favorite food storage item in my house is freeze-dried yogurt. It’s almost like eating candy. I have a hard time keeping it in stock once my kids know that I have more. If you have an extra freezer somewhere, freezing excess milk, cheese, and eggs is a great option. Although these texturally will change, frozen dairy is great for emergencies. However, be aware that in a loss of power, these products will thaw and rot quickly. This is also a temporary solution. If you experience a disaster that turns off the power, these frozen items won’t last as long as the dehydrated or freeze-dried option. 

How To Store Dairy Products Long-Term

Powdered dairy, such as milk, cheese, and eggs, should be stored in air-tight containers away from direct sunlight. Frozen milk can be separated and stored in Ziploc bags. Frozen eggs can be whipped together, strained, and then frozen in ice cube trays. Dehydrated yogurt can be rolled up individually and stored in Ziploc bags. You also have the option of buying most dairy products in a freeze-dried, dehydrated, or powdered form that will last a number of years if kept sealed in a cool, dry, and dark area. 

How Long Are Dairy Products Good For Once Opened?

The basic rule of thumb is that powdered dairy will last around 2 years past its “best by” date in its original packaging and can then be transferred to an airtight container for an additional 10 years. Certain emergency preparedness stores will sell powdered dairy that will last for 25 years in its original packaging. Frozen dairy should be rotated out about every 6 months. Be smart about it though. If you open the product and it smells bad, please avoid eating it. There’s no need to make yourself sick if you feel like it’s gone bad. 

What Are the Alternatives To Dairy?

If you choose not to store dairy in your long-term storage, or if you are intolerant to dairy products, you will want to compensate for the lost calcium by storing at least a few of the following:

• almonds
• edamame
• beans
• canned salmon
• dried figs
• cereal fortified with calcium
• dried oranges
• any canned greens

The most important thing is that you get proper nutrition. If you choose to do that through dairy or another alternative, either one works. Just make sure you have enough to take care of your family long-term.