What's Your Preferred Milk Variety?

[TastyReuben]

For those who consume milk, what's your preferred variety; fat-free, skim, 2%, whole, something else?

We use milk almost exclusively for pouring over cold breakfast cereals, and the occasional bit of cooking. My wife will occasionally drink it on its own, but she seems to have cut back on that, for some reason. Our usual purchase is of 2%.

We also buy half-and-half and heavy cream, but I'm curious specifically about milk. Also, I'm not sure if non-dairy milks come in varieties like skim/2%/whole, so please educate me!

 

[Windigo]

Whole milk, I exclusively use full fat dairy. I am convinced that sugar is more harmful than fat (please, just my opinion I don't want to start a debate), so I don't worry about this much and I enjoy the flavor of whole milk dairy much more than the skimmed or low fat counterparts. I have a penchant for cream too, as members here have probably noticed. I use it at least once a week.

I use milk for making oatmeal, scrambled eggs, and mashed potatoes mainly. I never drink it. My stepson is the milk fiend here, he drinks about a litre a day.

I usually eat yoghurt with cereals though, unlike most Americans I know of.

 

[MrsDangermouse]

We only use full cream milk, preferably unhomogenised (just think it tastes better). We get through about 3 litres a week: I like strong milky tea, hubby usually starts the day with a glass of milk, and of course I use milk in cooking too.

Until recently we used to buy our milk raw from a vending machine on a local farm. Sadly (for us) the farmers have now bought their own farm and moved to a new area. Hopefully the new tenants will eventually continue direct sales.

 

[MrsDangermouse]

Whole milk, I exclusively use full fat dairy. I am convinced that sugar is more harmful than fat (please, just my opinion I don't want to start a debate), so I don't worry about this much and I enjoy the flavor of whole milk dairy much more than the skimmed or low fat counterparts.

I totally agree with you in the sugar vs fat debate, we only use full fat dairy too.

 

[detroitdad]

I drink very little milk. I don't like the texture of it. I think my wife keeps 2% in the house. Mainly for her coffee.

 

[kaneohegirlinaz]

In our house, we use:
Half & Half in our Coffee
Full Fat Heavy Cream for whipping
Whole Milk for cereals, cooking, baking, oh and an ice cold glass with cakes, pies, pastries and the like
Full Fat Cheese, ie Ricotta, Mozzarella, etc
I think that the flavor of the full fat choices of dairy is so much better.

And please add another personal opinion to fat v sugar.

 

[FowlersFreeTime]

Lactose-free 2% in our household for cereal purposes, but not opposed to the use of regular cream or half & half when it comes to cooking.

 

[kaneohegirlinaz]

Dairy products and I are not the best of friends, so I give them a wide breath.

 

[Morning Glory]

Semi skimmed here, mainly for use in strong tea. I now have an old school milkperson who delivers it to my doorstep in returnable pint glass bottles twice a week.

 

[GadgetGuy]

1% for me. I even cook with it if need be. I will NOT drink skim milk!! I hate it!! 1% is the lowest I'll go!! The purpose of it is to not consume so much fat, as with whole milk.

 

[karadekoolaid]

The real thing; whole milk. Skimmed, half skimmed, light, semi-light, yuk. Taste of nothing. can´t make a proper bechamel or quiche filling with anything that´s not the real thing!

 

[Morning Glory]

Maybe we need a conversion chart from US to UK versions of milk and fat content. Too tired to do that now...

The real thing; whole milk. Skimmed, half skimmed, light, semi-light, yuk. Taste of nothing. can´t make a proper bechamel or quiche filling with anything that´s not the real thing!

I agree when using it to cook. But in tea I'm fine with semi.

 

[GadgetGuy]

The real thing; whole milk. Skimmed, half skimmed, light, semi-light, yuk. Taste of nothing. can´t make a proper bechamel or quiche filling with anything that´s not the real thing!

I can make bedhamel with 1% milk. The trick is that after it's heated enough to the point where the sauce won't break is to pour it slowly into the roux & beat it vigorously with a wire whip as you do, & it'll be fine! One of the "tricks of the trade" that I've learned to do, over the years.

 

[kaneohegirlinaz]

My Mother got this notion to give us kids Powdered Milk (edit-to drink I should have said, it was horrid and BLUE!)

I do use it in some recipes, likes Breads.

 

[GadgetGuy]

My Mother got this notion to give us kids Powdered Milk

I do use it in some recipes, likes Breads.

Yes, powdered milk CAN be used in bread recipes. I've done that before. I also use the powdered buttermilk to make biscuits. Gives them a very distictive flavor & taste I wouldn't drink that or powdered milk though. Tastes nasty! Our mom used to drink buttermilk. Yuck!!