Shelf Safe Milk – Use for Back to School, Emergency Kits & more! #milkunleashed

*This post is sponsored by Milk Unleashed and the Motherhood.

I live with a family of milk drinkers and we all love having milk every day.  I am probably the biggest fan as I just love to have a big glass (or two) of milk with every dinner. However, we are on the go so much during the summer, that it seems it is harder to get in those important nutrients from milk as we don’t always make it home for dinnertime in our home. So, the idea of shelf safe milk intrigued me as it would be a great way to keep my kids safely enjoying milk while we’re out & about or a way to send them to school with milk in their lunch instead of just water or juice. Perfect for convenience and nutrition all in one!

We recently participated in a briefing session from Milk Unleashed to learn all about shelf safe milk and the process they use to keep it safe since it’s not refrigerated and the information is definitely eye-opening to me. Shelf safe milk definitely has some great benefits due to the fact that you can take it anywhere with you, whether you’re heading to the park for a day, packing it in a school lunch or bringing it along on a roadtrip. It’s also a fantastic option to include in your emergency kits in your home.

I will say that I am pretty picky about my milk and I tried some of the shelf safe milk and thought it tasted pretty good and not too different from regular milk, especially when I did refrigerate it to drink it cold. My girls love it, too and don’t find it any different at all, so it’s definitely been a hit with our family. Let us know how your family likes the taste!

The only difference between shelf safe milk and regular milk is the pasteurization process, which is through UHT (Ultra High Temperatures).  Regular milk is pasteurized at a temperature of 165  degrees F and then rapidly cooled for 10-20 seconds and then put into regular milk cartons. Shelf Safe Milk is pasteurized at a temperature of 280 degrees F and then rapidly cooled down for  3 seconds and then stored in shelf safe milk containers. This higher level of pasteurization is the reason that Shelf Safe Milk can be stored without refrigeration for up to 6 months.

Shelf safe milk is then stored in sterile Tetra Pack packaging, which keeps out light, air & harmful contaminants. In fact, this packaging actually helps to hold nutrients in longer since the packaging completely protects it from the light. Not only that, but the Tetra Pack packaging is also recyclable, so it’s safe for the earth. Packaging is 70% paper and they use aluminum foil to keep out the oxygen & keep it from spoiling.  Then there is a thin layer of plastic that is BPA-Free.

There are so many different ways to use shelf safe milk with your family to offer a healthy beverage on the go! You can even freeze the milk and then have it thaw during the day until you’re ready to use it, so it’s cold and refreshing.

Here are just a few of the different ways you can use shelf safe milk:

• School Lunches – If you pack a lunch for your child, buy the shelf safe milk to make sure they are getting those important nutrients every day
• Park Playdates
• Camping
• Roadtrips – just throw a few into the cooler for a few hours if you want them cold on the trip
• Hiking
• Sporting Events
• Emergency Kits – keep some of these on hand in your emergency kits so you can have some healthy  beverages besides just water. Just make sure to rotate every 6 months

Where to Find Shelf Safe Milk:

There are now a variety of brands that offer shelf safe milk, everything from Hershey’s to Horizon Organic milk, which is very popular to give to kids. You’ll find everything from low fat to flavored milks.

• Milk Unleashed Website – There’s a cow calendar each month with new tips on shelf safe milk, downloadable games, snack ideas & more. This month’s printable cow calendar is all about tips for packing healthy school lunches.
• Milk Unleashed Facebook page – keep up to date on the latest news, updates & more information. They’ll be launching a contest next week, so make sure to check back!
• Milk Unleashed Twitter Account – keep an eye out for an upcoming Twitter party & follow them for more info about shelf safe milk
• Milk Unleashed Recipe Boards on Pinterest – check out some interesting lunch box & healthy snack ideas, fun family activities, DIY projects & more

 So, what do you think about shelf safe milk? Do you use it regularly with your family?

Disclosure: This blog post is sponsored by The Motherhood and Milk Unleashed. All opinions and thoughts I’ve shared here are my own.