How To Tell If Milk Is Off – The Quickest & Best Method

Want to know how to tell if milk is off? If you’ve been sniffing the bottle or carton then you could be getting it wrong. Instead, let me share with you the very best method so you’ll never unnecessarily waste a drop again.

I’ve talked before about expiration dates on eggs, and how to check to see if they are safe to eat them past their best-before date.

But what about milk? Food waste is a huge problem. Particularly when it comes to milk. Here in the UK, a huge one in six pints of milk is thrown away each year. This is problematic because, in terms of carbon emissions, land use, and water use, dairy milk has the biggest impact on the planet. Wasting less milk where we can is therefore incredibly important. 

Back in 2022, the supermarket chain Morrisons announced that it was scrapping the use by dates on milk to help save millions of pints of milk from being thrown away unnecessarily every year. This is because, when it comes to milk, the use-by date isn’t a great indication of whether your milk is usable or not.

Instead, Morrisons opted for “best before” dates on milk bottles, which encourages consumers to use their discretion. Unlike use-by dates, best-before dates primarily indicate food quality rather than safety. This acknowledges that milk can often remain consumable for several days beyond the stated date.

So, if your milk hits its best-before date and you still have some left, how do you determine if it’s spoiled or safe to consume? Do you rely on its smell? Surprisingly, sniffing the carton isn’t the best approach. Here’s why and what to do instead.

Why The Carton Sniff Test Is Wrong

It’s true. If you’ve been sniffing the carton/bottle to tell if your milk is off, then the chances are that unless the milk is definitely off, then you will have been getting a false picture of how the milk actually smells.

Instead of the milk, you’ll actually have been getting a whiff of the horrible dried-up bits of milk around the rim of the carton. This may have perhaps caused you to bin the milk unnecessarily early.

So What Is The Best Method To Tell If Milk Is Off?

Rather than sniffing the bottle, the very best way to tell if your milk is off or not is to pour a little bit of milk into a clean glass, and then sniff the milk in the glass. If your milk is off, you’ll smell a sour smell indicating that the milk has spoiled. If the milk smells mild and slightly sweet, then generally you are good to use it.

The glass method gives you a much better idea of if the milk is off or not. This way the dried-up bits of milk around the rim aren’t going to throw you off the scent of fresh milk. I find this method fail-safe – you’ll never throw out perfectly good milk again!

However, it’s important to stress that if something seems off or questionable, then it’s better to err on the side of caution and dispose of the milk. This includes any lumps that have formed in the milk or signs of any separation. These are visual signs that the milk is off and should be discarded.

Remember, proper storage also plays a crucial role in maintaining milk quality. Keep milk refrigerated at all times, ideally at temperatures below 4°C, and never leave the milk out at room temperature for extended periods.

Do you have any tips to reduce food waste? Do share in the comments below! And if you’re thinking about switching to oat milk, then here’s my guide to the best oat milk.