Ice Cold Milk Tastes Best and is Food Safe!

Kids love cold milk! Children will drink more of it, and get more of the calcium and eight other essential nutrients it has to offer. Milk tastes best when it's served between 35° and 40°F and refrigerating milk between 35 and 40 degrees ensures its freshness and safety.

The Secret to Cold, Fresh-tasting Milk

Constant refrigeration from the time's milk is purchased until the last drop is poured is the secret fresh-tasting, cold milk! Follow these simple tips for making sure the milk in your house is always cold and fresh!

From market to home...

• Pick up milk at the end of your shopping trip and refrigerate it as soon as you get home.
• Plan your grocery trip so it is last on your list of errands. Stops along the way home increase the time milk is unrefrigerated. Milk begins to lose temperature as soon as it leaves the refrigerator!
• Have milk double bagged in paper and store it on the car floorboards to keep it as cool as possible.

In the refrigerator...

• Make sure your refrigerator is between 35 and 40 degrees F. If you're not sure your refrigerator cold enough, buy an inexpensive refrigerator thermometer.
• Vacuum your refrigerator compressor a couple of times a year to remove dust and debris. Removing the dust allows air to circulate around the compressor so it can work as efficiently as possible.
• Store milk in the main compartment, not on the door, unless your refrigerator has a beverage chiller on the door. The temperature on the door tends to be a degree or two warmer than the rest of the fridge and also fluctuates with frequent opening and closing.
• Store milk in its original container.

From refrigerator to the table...

• Return milk to the refrigerator right after pouring it!
• Remind everyone in the family to return milk to the refrigerator immediately after pouring until it becomes a habit! Breakfast time is an especially common time for milk to sit on the table.
• Avoid letting milk sit on the counter or table. Milk begins to lose flavor in as few as 10 minutes when unrefrigerated.
• Pour milk when the meal is served. Milk poured into glass and allowed to sit, even for 5 or 10 minutes, warms quickly because of the small volume.