MickinMD ★ Posted March 23, 2020 Share #1 Posted March 23, 2020 This is just a public service because a lot of people I know did not know this until I told them: Milk bought in wax cartons has a much later expiration date than the 1 week or so in plastic containers. Note the expiration date at the top of the photo, bought last week: May 20. Two months exceptional, but 4 weeks or more from the time bought is typical. That, of course, is the date for the unopened container. A quart of half-and-half for coffee generally lasts me about 10 days and, once opened, is in danger of going bad in about 14 days - little sour specs appear when poured in coffee. Maybe I'm not antiseptic enough when handling it but it rarely lasts that long! The one shown is my current backup to another full quart. In these times, it's also good to have a non-dairy creamer as a backup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerrySTL ★ Posted March 23, 2020 Share #2 Posted March 23, 2020 The biggest reason for the extended shelf life is that the milk is ultra pasteurized. I've seen ultra pasteurized milk in plastic containers that also have long shelf life. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randomguy Posted March 23, 2020 Share #3 Posted March 23, 2020 8 minutes ago, JerrySTL said: The biggest reason for the extended shelf life is that the milk is ultra pasteurized. I've seen ultra pasteurized milk in plastic containers that also have long shelf life. This is true. I don't think of half and half as milk, plus all the sugar would extend its shelf life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend_Maynard Posted March 23, 2020 Share #4 Posted March 23, 2020 Not only is that not milk, it's not even half and half... How can you compare it to milk in any way? Real milk, that is not ultra-pasteurized, has the same expiration dates whether in plastic or cardboard. The cardboard should prevent light from ruining the vitamins in the milk, but won't make it last longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razors Edge ★ Posted March 23, 2020 Share #5 Posted March 23, 2020 3 minutes ago, Reverend_Maynard said: Not only is that not milk, it's not even half and half... How can you compare it to milk in any way? Real milk, that is not ultra-pasteurized, has the same expiration dates whether in plastic or cardboard. The cardboard should prevent light from ruining the vitamins in the milk, but won't make it last longer. Yeah, my regular LoL 1/2 & 1/2 is ultra-pasteurized and has a month or two until the use by date. I'm not a fan of fat free 1/2 & 1/2, since I like just "milk" and "cream" as ingredients. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend_Maynard Posted March 23, 2020 Share #6 Posted March 23, 2020 12 minutes ago, Razors Edge said: Yeah, my regular LoL 1/2 & 1/2 is ultra-pasteurized and has a month or two until the use by date. I'm not a fan of fat free 1/2 & 1/2, since I like just "milk" and "cream" as ingredients. I hate that they are even calling that stuff half and half... I've purchased it accidentally a couple of times... I'm like, "by definition, this is not half and half, since no part of it is actual dairy cream" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randomguy Posted March 23, 2020 Share #7 Posted March 23, 2020 7 minutes ago, Reverend_Maynard said: I hate that they are even calling that stuff half and half... I've purchased it accidentally a couple of times... I'm like, "by definition, this is not half and half, since no part of it is actual dairy cream" What is it? I ask because I don't drink coffee, and this appears the only use for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tizeye Posted March 23, 2020 Share #8 Posted March 23, 2020 22 minutes ago, Reverend_Maynard said: I hate that they are even calling that stuff half and half... I've purchased it accidentally a couple of times... I'm like, "by definition, this is not half and half, since no part of it is actual dairy cream" While true with the "Fat Free" version, but the regular, both in Aldi's Countryside as well as Land of Lakes brand note that has two ingredients - milk and cream. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend_Maynard Posted March 23, 2020 Share #9 Posted March 23, 2020 3 minutes ago, Tizeye said: While true with the "Fat Free" version, but the regular, both in Aldi's Countryside as well as Land of Lakes brand note that has two ingredients - milk and cream. Yes, I was only referring to the fat free "half-and-half". I do believe that true half-and-half is, in fact, half cream and half milk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longjohn ★ Posted March 23, 2020 Share #10 Posted March 23, 2020 22 minutes ago, Randomguy said: What is it? I ask because I don't drink coffee, and this appears the only use for it. Try some in your tea, you will like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zephyr Posted March 23, 2020 Share #11 Posted March 23, 2020 What about bag milk? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randomguy Posted March 23, 2020 Share #12 Posted March 23, 2020 28 minutes ago, Longjohn said: Try some in your tea, you will like it. Nah, I hate any product in my tea that is not tea. I just like the tea part. I missed out on all the fun habits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longjohn ★ Posted March 23, 2020 Share #13 Posted March 23, 2020 10 minutes ago, Zephyr said: What about bag milk? It all starts out as bag milk. Once the farmers get it out of the bag it can be processed and put in any kind of container. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickinMD ★ Posted March 23, 2020 Author Share #14 Posted March 23, 2020 Go into the stores that have waxed carton milk: regular, 2%, 1%, skim and you'll find the same month long shelf life. Then look at the plastic cartons: 1-2 weeks. So all the fixation on half and half allegedly not being milk doesn't explain the difference. Additionally, note that this is NOT the same as European ultra-pasteurized milk. That stuff can sit on the shelf at room temperature! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randomguy Posted March 23, 2020 Share #15 Posted March 23, 2020 3 minutes ago, MickinMD said: Go into the stores that have waxed carton milk: regular, 2%, 1%, skim and you'll find the same month long shelf life. Then look at the plastic cartons: 1-2 weeks. So all the fixation on half and half allegedly not being milk doesn't explain the difference. Additionally, note that this is NOT the same as European ultra-pasteurized milk. That stuff can sit on the shelf at room temperature! Zima lasts a long time, just saying... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razors Edge ★ Posted March 23, 2020 Share #16 Posted March 23, 2020 5 minutes ago, MickinMD said: Go into the stores that have waxed carton milk: regular, 2%, 1%, skim and you'll find the same month long shelf life. Then look at the plastic cartons: 1-2 weeks. If you look at the label, though, you will see the long lasting ones are ultra-pasteurized. The short life ones are regular pasteurized. The container is likely chosen due to opacity - as in, the long life stuff will still get degraded by light. The shorter life stuff will go bad on it's own before the light degradation affects it, so they can go the super cheap plastic package route. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longjohn ★ Posted March 23, 2020 Share #17 Posted March 23, 2020 3 minutes ago, Randomguy said: Zima lasts a long time, just saying... It would last a long time at my house. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razors Edge ★ Posted March 23, 2020 Share #18 Posted March 23, 2020 3 minutes ago, Longjohn said: It would last a long time at my house. You don't think it would be fine for slug bait? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longjohn ★ Posted March 23, 2020 Share #19 Posted March 23, 2020 59 minutes ago, Razors Edge said: You don't think it would be fine for slug bait? As long as you don’t have discriminating slugs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razors Edge ★ Posted March 23, 2020 Share #20 Posted March 23, 2020 1 minute ago, Longjohn said: As long as you don’t have discriminating slugs. Shit! I've used real beer in the past No way they're gonna go with Zima. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Further Posted March 23, 2020 Share #21 Posted March 23, 2020 I know that I can taste the difference between milk from plastic and milk from waxed cardboard, the waxed paper tastes much better. Several of the healthier lifestyle people I know have started wrapping sandwiches and such in wax paper rather than plastic. And glass for anything going in the microwave. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razors Edge ★ Posted March 23, 2020 Share #22 Posted March 23, 2020 8 minutes ago, Further said: And glass for anything going in the microwave. No brainer. Always go glass when you can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longjohn ★ Posted March 23, 2020 Share #23 Posted March 23, 2020 1 hour ago, Further said: the waxed paper tastes much better. You are not supposed to eat the container. 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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