Why Waste Leftover Milk? 12 Tips and Recipes

Milk is one of the top ten foods we throw away the most. According to USDA data, dairy accounts for 17 percent of the food wasted in the US, while the UK throws away 330,000 tonnes of milk each year. And there's no need.

So, instead of dumping your milk down the drain, show it some love and turn it into delicious sweet and savoury dishes instead.

First up, watch Massimo Bottura as he challenges Takahiko Kondo, his sous chef at Osteria Francescana, who will inspire you to think about milk and dairy differently, as part of our new Why Waste? series.

What to do with leftover milk?

Too much of the white stuff in your fridge? Don’t worry, there are plenty of ways to use up the excess, everything from simply freezing it for later to making a white sauce, sweet treats and baked goods or even using it to tenderise meat. As the evenings pull in, a cosy hot chocolate by the fire is our pick.

Why waste leftover milk?

1. Keep it cool

Try to keep your milk on a shelf inside the fridge, in the spot that is consistently the coolest, rather than in the door where the temperature fluctuates each time it is opened. This will improve the longevity of your fresh milk.

2. Freeze it

If you realise you've probably bought too much milk, simply freeze it for another day. Milk freezes easily and it's great to have an emergency ration in the freezer on stand by. Just be sure to leave enough ‘head space’ in the container to give the milk room to expand as it freezes.

Milk should keep well in the freezer for up to a few months. When you want to use it simply defrost it overnight in the fridge and shake well before using.

3. Whisk up a white sauce

Milk is one of the three cornerstones of a classic rich and velvety béchamel sauce. This staple is a great way to use up large quantities of milk at once. Turn your milk into béchamel and the sauce will stay fresh for up to 4 to 5 days in the fridge, or keep fresh for 6 to 12 months in the freezer. 

What's more, béchamel can be turned into a wide variety of family favourite recipes like lasagne and mac n cheese.

Check out our 10 tips to make the perfect béchamel.

4. Sweeten it in custard or pastry cream

Whether you're going for a thick vanilla British custard to envelop a steamed pudding, or a more sophisticated pastry cream to pipe into patisserie, milk is your friend when it comes to making these essential dessert time treats.

Watch how to make a simple pastry cream in the clip below:

5. Turn your milk into buttermilk

If you're onto too much of a good thing, it's easy to turn your milk into a buttermilk at home by simply adding some lemon juice or white vinegar and opening up a world of Southern recipes and baking, like our recipe for fluffy buttermilk and blueberry pancakes.

6. Bake cakes with leftover milk

Milk is also right at home in baking adding more texture and moistness to baked goods.

Try this magic custard cake or bake fresh milk into sweet or savoury scones. Or, go for the ultimate milk layers of the decadent tres leche cake.

7. Bake bread with leftover milk

Milk baked into bread gives it a lovely soft texture and a mild, sweet flavour, like this Japanese milk bread, which is having a bit of a moment.

8. Turn leftover milk into cheese

If you love cheese, leftover milk is the perfect excuse to have a go at making simple cheeses like paneer at home, ready to turn into a red lentil curry with paneer.

9. Tenderise meat with leftover milk

The lactic acid in milk is said to help tenderise chicken, fish or pork. Try marinading or poaching in chicken and check out the results.

10. Dessert time leftover milk

Where would a rice pudding be without milk? Some of the most classic and timeless all-time favourite puddings rely on milk to delivery the sweet, comforting notes of dessert time.

11. Use leftover milk up ice cream

Churn your leftover milk into ice cream and everyone will love you for it. Learn how to make simple chocolate ice cream with Babish in the clip below.

12. Drinks

Milkshakes, hot chocolate and some cocktails - from white Russian to eggnogg - use milk as a blank canvas. Try creating your own milk-led drinks or simply say 'goodnight' with a milk nog.