Can You Freeze Chocolate Milk? Yes, If You Follow the Rules
Updated on March 2, 2023
Those who love chocolate milk, both young and old, know just how delicious it can be, whether store-bought or homemade. If you want to make sure that your beloved chocolate milk can last for a lot longer, you can take into consideration freezing it.
Chocolate milk works great with cookies, it works great early in the morning, or late at night – just don’t give it to your kids before bedtime if you want to put them to bed.
Can You Freeze Chocolate Milk?
One of our readers had the same questions about freezing chocolate milk, one of the favorites in their household:
My daughter bought a big container of chocolate milk that only she is going to drink. No one else in the house likes it, and I don’t want her drinking the whole container on her own in a week. I don’t want to throw the excess out, but I’m not sure what else to do with it.
I was wondering if I could take about half the container and freeze the contents for later, leaving half for my daughter to drink now. I’ve never tried freezing chocolate milk before, so I’m not sure if it’s a good idea. Can you freeze chocolate milk?
Yes, you can freeze chocolate milk. It’s similar to freezing regular milk, only it’s chocolate! You may find that some of the coloring separates upon freezing, but that can be fixed once the milk is thawed.
It’s a great idea to freeze half for later and leave half for now. Milk taste and quality won’t be affected by freezing, although it may seem a bit more watery after thawing.
How to Freeze Chocolate Milk?
To freeze chocolate milk, make sure that it is as fresh as possible. Avoid freezing milk that is past its best before date.
- Find a freezer-safe container or use a freezer bag to store the milk in.
- Chocolate milk will expand upon freezing due to the water content, so leave some headroom to allow for expansion.
- Before filling the container, give the chocolate milk a stir or a good shake to mix up the chocolate coloring and the sugar.
- Then, fill the container, leaving about two inches at the top.
- Seal the container, then label and date it.
- Place the chocolate milk in the coldest part of the freezer.
How to Thaw Chocolate Milk?
When you’re ready to drink the chocolate milk, you can start by taking it out of the freezer. Make sure you follow the rules:
- Thaw the chocolate milk in the fridge for several hours or overnight.
- Do not thaw frozen chocolate milk on the counter, as bacteria can begin to grow at room temperature.
- When the milk is thawed completely, you may notice that it has separated or that it has a thin texture.
- Give the chocolate milk a shake or a good stir, and then consume as usual.
- Store any unused, thawed chocolate milk in the refrigerator.
Do not refreeze previously frozen chocolate milk.
Consume thawed chocolate milk within a few days for best results, and consume frozen chocolate milk within six months of freezing.
Can You Freeze Milk?
Just like chocolate milk, regular milk can be frozen too. You just have to make sure that it’s fresh and not close to its use-by-date. You can definitely learn more about how you can do this by reading our article about freezing milk.