Organic milk

[bnme]

I just started buying organic lowfat milk, Nature's Promise brand (Stop & Shop). It tastes different to me than non-organic lowfat milk. To me it doesn't taste as fresh but the sell by date 3/21, which seems very far away.

Is this one of those things that you just have to get used to? Did you notice a taste difference when you switched? My choices locally are Horizon, Nature's Promise, and regular (with hormones, etc). Plus whatever BJ's sells (haven't looked there yet). I've seen people mention getting hormone-free non-organic but I have not seen that option at my local stores.

[brittone2]

I just started buying organic lowfat milk, Nature's Promise brand (Stop & Shop). It tastes different to me than non-organic lowfat milk. To me it doesn't taste as fresh but the sell by date 3/21, which seems very far away.

Is this one of those things that you just have to get used to? Did you notice a taste difference when you switched? My choices locally are Horizon, Nature's Promise, and regular (with hormones, etc). Plus whatever BJ's sells (haven't looked there yet). I've seen people mention getting hormone-free non-organic but I have not seen that option at my local stores.

Many times they ultrapasteurize it, giving it a longer shelf life and a more "cooked" taste.

[mommy111]

We get local, non-homogenized, non-ultra pasteurized, grass fed milk when we're in the US. I've noticed a taste difference and so does DD....she refuses to drink the non-organic stuff because it tastes 'bad' :)
I would get the kind that has the least processing

[bnme]

Ah, it is ultrapasteurized. Is there any concern with that? Any resources or tips for finding hormone-free milk (doesn't have to be organic) or other organic or local options. I do have a Wild by Nature that isn't too far that I haven't been to.

[tylersmama]

If you have a Kroger-owned grocery store (Kroger, King Soopers, Ralph's, Fred Meyer, etc) near you, all of their store brand dairy is hormone-free.

[brittone2]

Ah, it is ultrapasteurized. Is there any concern with that? Any resources or tips for finding hormone-free milk (doesn't have to be organic) or other organic or local options. I do have a Wild by Nature that isn't too far that I haven't been to.

I need the bag over the head smiley, but some people think that it alters the proteins and enzymes (unfavorably). The high heat has been shown in some industry studies to denature the proteins. Some find this makes it harder for them to tolerate and digest, and other people believe that it isn't healthy for other reasons. Just tossing that out there. Not saying I agree or disagree, but that's one of the issues some people raise with ultrapasteurization. Of course, people who support it will tell you that it may make it less likely you'll experience food-borne illness from the ultrapasteurized dairy products.

[writermama]

Ah, it is ultrapasteurized. Is there any concern with that?

I can't speak to specific or even hypothetical health concerns about ultrapasturization, but the quote I always think of that was used to describe the ultrapasturized shelf-stable box milk seems to apply whenever I've had it, "It will never go bad ... or taste fresh." Bleaugh.

[Fairy]

I hate ultrapasturized milk. Tasts god-awful. I hate milk to begin with, so I'm not your best source ;-). However, I do drink it in cereal, and we once bought whatever the organic was at Target, put it in my Kix, and I about fell over. Poured out the whole thing. Went and bought Horizon, SAME THING. I said, hold on a sec. Got hte Oberweis, and was a happy camper. So, it's the ultrapasturization that makes it taste like that, and I am NOT a fan.

[bnme]

Hmmm. I can see 'ultrapast' and sacrificing taste for shelf-stable. But not cold milk. Eww, at least I know it wasn't bad!

I just got back from Stop & Shop and noticed the half gallon of NP is ultra, the gallons were not. Hmm...Horizon was also ultra.

I also discovered that Tuscan is hormone-free, but not antibiotic free. And not organic. And $2 cheaper than organic. I will have to taste-test.

Thanks for the info everyone!

[niccig]

I think it's what you're used too as well.

We had milk delivered as a kid. Then would visit grandparents farm with milk fresh from the cow that morning with just the cream scooped off. We always said it tasted different and didn't like it.

Now I wish we could get the milk delivery from a local farm, but too big city for that.

[MaiseyDog]

If you have a Kroger-owned grocery store (Kroger, King Soopers, Ralph's, Fred Meyer, etc) near you, all of their store brand dairy is hormone-free.

Does it say that on the label??? I just looked at my jug of Kroger milk in the fridge and it doesn't say on the label that it is horomone free. It would save me ton on the kids milk (DH thinks the organic tastes different- hence the two different jugs of milk in my fridge).

[NancyJ_redo]

So which is "better" for you - Organic or Hormone Free? We are huge milk drinkers here and I recently made the switch from regular (fat free) milk to "healthy" milk, but I just realized that I've been buying organic milk and hormone free milk as if they are the same thing without ever distinguishing between the two or stopping to figure out which is better for us.

[brittone2]

So which is "better" for you - Organic or Hormone Free? We are huge milk drinkers here and I recently made the switch from regular (fat free) milk to "healthy" milk, but I just realized that I've been buying organic milk and hormone free milk as if they are the same thing without ever distinguishing between the two or stopping to figure out which is better for us.

I'd probably pick organic milk because you also get the benefit of pesticides being lower, and having it be both hormone/antibiotic free as well. Not all organic milk is ultrapasteurized.

[NancyJ_redo]

I'd probably pick organic milk because you also get the benefit of pesticides being lower, and having it be both hormone/antibiotic free as well. Not all organic milk is ultrapasteurized.


Thanks, that's helpful to know!

[tylersmama]

Does it say that on the label??? I just looked at my jug of Kroger milk in the fridge and it doesn't say on the label that it is horomone free. It would save me ton on the kids milk (DH thinks the organic tastes different- hence the two different jugs of milk in my fridge).I don't think it says so on the label. I know that it occasionally says it on the printing on the jug above the expiration date (where they put things like "this milk is kosher" or "happy holidays"). Here's a story about it from the Cincinnati Business Courier: http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2007/07/30/daily38.html

[infocrazy]

I don't think it says so on the label. I know that it occasionally says it on the printing on the jug above the expiration date (where they put things like "this milk is kosher" or "happy holidays"). Here's a story about it from the Cincinnati Business Courier: http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2007/07/30/daily38.html

Wow, great! DH thanks you especially! He agrees that he doesn't want the boys to have the rBST but doesn't like the fact organic is typically twice the price and never on sale. I shop Kroger all the time and never saw anything like that. You'd think they'd post a sign or something since it is such a great thing!

In any case, TJ and Meijer are also rBST free for their "regular" milk.

[MaiseyDog]

Oh, I am so excited. I have been getting the hormone free milk from Fresh Market, but it's an extra trip that would be great to cut out. Thanks so much for the information!!!

[ahrimie]

I don't like the taste of Horizon organic actually but do like Costco's Kirkland brand--not sure if that's available for you.

[DrSally]

If you live in the NE, Stew Leonard's milk is also rBST free.

[neeleymartin]

we just bought a nature's promise milk. we ran out of the bj's milk, i forget what brand, but cheap organic (just got comfy, i'll post name tomorrow). the nature's promise was GROSS!! i was glad that it was all gone. we drank it, but it didn't taste as fresh to me either. i will not buy it again. yuck, yuck, yuck!!

[BelleoftheBallFlagstaff]

One issue with non-organic milk is that pesticides and hormones are store in fat. Since most people give young kids whole milk, the pesticide and hormone levels can be quite high.