Chocolate milk is a beverage both kids and adults enjoy. Sometimes, all you need is a cup of chocolate milk to make your day better. But drinking up a whole canister in a day or two might not be the best idea.
But chugging it down or throwing it away aren’t your only options. You can freeze leftover chocolate milk for up to half a year (see also How To Freeze Chocolate Mousse). In this article, we’ll show you how to do that.
Can Chocolate Milk Be Frozen?
Just like regular milk, chocolate milk can also be frozen. After all, it’s the same thing, with the addition of cocoa and sugar to it. And because of that, you might notice a bit of coloring separating once it starts freezing, but don’t worry. That can easily be fixed once you get it out and leave it to thaw.
The great thing about chocolate milk is that you can make a large amount, and freeze half of it for later. Rest assured you won’t notice the difference in both taste and quality of milk that was once frozen. There’s however a possibility that it might be a bit more watery, which is caused by melted ice particles.
How To Freeze Chocolate Milk In A Few Steps
Freezing chocolate (see also Can You Freeze Chocolate) milk is pretty simple, as long as you make sure it’s fresh. It goes without saying to avoid milk that is past its best before date. Not only does it taste bad, but you can get some pretty nasty food poisoning.
To store chocolate milk in the freezer, you can use either a freeze-safe airtight container or a Ziploc bag. While the container is more practical, the bag is better if you’re short on space in your freezer.
Whether you go with a container or a bag, you should leave a bit of headroom when storing chocolate milk. Once it starts freezing, it will expand. That headroom is what allows it to expand without popping your bag or container from air pressure. Ideally, you want to leave about 2 inches of space.
Before you pour milk into the bag or container, stir it well. This will unite sugar and cocoa with the milk, so that the mixture holds well in the freezer. Once you’re done, seal the container or a bag, and put a label with the storage date on it. This will tell you how long your chocolate milk has been frozen. Finally, place it in the coldest part of your freezer. You can keep it there for up to six months before the quality starts to deteriorate.
What’s The Best Way To Defrost Chocolate Milk?
Are you craving chocolate milk? Then it’s time to take it out of the freezer. But, obviously, you can’t drink it just yet. In fact, there are a few things you should do to thaw it properly.
The best way to thaw colocate milk is to take it out of the freezer and place it into the fridge. There, it should thaw slowly for several hours. If you take it out in the evening, you’ll be able to enjoy a nice cup of chocolate milk as soon as you wake up in the morning.
Thawing chocolate milk on the counter might be tempting because it’s faster, but that’s something you should avoid doing. In general, thawing milk at room temperature can cause bacteria to grow. Getting sick because you were too impatient for your chocolate milk to thaw is never worth it.
When completely thawed, your chocolate milk might have somewhat of a texture. That’s because ingredients have separated during the freezing process, but there’s an easy fix for this. Just give your chocolate milk a good stir or a shake, and you’ll get a uniform mixture.
If you don’t drink it all up, store the rest in the refrigerator, where it can stay fresh for up to a couple of days.
Can You Freeze Regular Milk?
Regular milk can be frozen the same way. The only thing you need to make sure is that you’re using milk that’s fresh and far from its expiration date.
