Oat milk being a non-dairy product requires additional safekeeping. To store this proven remedy for dairy allergies and lactose- intolerance without ruining its taste, you might want to find out can you freeze oat milk?
You can freeze oat milk for at least three months in a freezer-safe bottle. Although the texture can turn grainy once defrosted flavor remains unaffected. Allow one-inch free space in the bottle as the liquid tends to expand in the freezer. Place the homemade oat milk in a vacuum container to avoid freezer burns.
Oat milk consists of many essential vitamins and minerals. Thus, preserving it through proper guidelines will help in locking all these nutrients that are good for your body.
Table of Contents
Can You Freeze Store Bought Oat Milk?
Oat milk has a natural sweetness with a creamy richness that makes everyone drawn to it once they try it for the first time. The oat milk variety available in stores has preservatives that make it shelf-stable. You can additionally freeze them to increase their shelf life even more.
If you want to freeze a larger quantity of oat milk, then you can freeze the whole carton altogether in the freezer. But considering the size of the carton, it will take a lot of space inside the freezer. You can shift it to a standard size bottle or container.
Like many other milk variations, oat milk also expands upon freezing but relatively more. So it is necessary to leave at least an inch of space in the container you are freezing it in. If you do not, it will be a hassle to get oat milk out. It can also crack or deform the container.
Can You Freeze Homemade Oat milk?
You can make oat milk at home with just a few ingredients at hand. All you need to prepare this delicious drink is some oats, water, and a pinch of salt. To make it sweet, you can also add maple syrup or vanilla extract.
Once prepared, you should place it in the freezer within five days, or else it will be no more suitable to use. It should be kept in a cool and dry place and away from humidity as it can turn it bad quickly.
Homemade oat milk does not contain commercial preservatives like the ones bought from the store. Thus, its average shelf life is much less in comparison.
Homemade Oat milk recipe
Want to make oat milk in just a few minutes with only two ingredients and a blender? Learn how!
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 4 cups water
- Sugar – 1 tbsp (optional) For a sweeter taste
How to Make Oat Milk At Home? Not Slimy
- Soak oats for 15 minutes and this will help oats blend up better and strain out more easily.
- Next, drain and rinse the oats to make sure that the oat milk has a good flavor and creamy texture (not slimy).
- Now, add oats to the blender.
- After adding water, blend at high speed for one minute until the water looks creamy and white.
- Let sit for 5 min before straining out solids.
- Through a fine-mesh bag or cheesecloth, strain the mixture into a large bowl or container.
- Transfer milk to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Here is a video: homemade oat milk recipe.
How To Freeze Oat Milk? The Best Way
The Freezing method for both homemade and store-bought oat milk is almost the same with only slight differences.
If you want to freeze oat milk, the following steps are required:
- Place the ready-made oat milk with a carton directly in the freezer if you have not yet opened it.
- In case of opened or homemade milk, store it in a freezer-proof bottle or an airtight container. Leave some space for liquid expansion.
- Ensure to seal it properly to avoid other food flavors to absorb in oat milk.
- You can also freeze oat milk in a plastic ice cube tray. It will allow you to have pre-portioned sizes of frozen milk.
- Lastly, label the bottle or container with the date of the initial freezing. Now, store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
How Long Is It Safe To Freeze Oat Milk?
Oat milk that contains preservatives can freeze for 6-8 months. The homemade version can only be kept up to 5 months in the freezer and not more than this.
It can safely be kept in the freezer for the mentioned time and is still good to use. However, there can be a slight change in the texture.
This change will not even be noticeable if you use it in cereals, smoothies or milkshakes, etc.
If you are getting bothered by the tiny granules that appear in oat milk after freezing, you can get rid of them by straining with the help of either cheesecloth or a nut milk bag.
Is It Safe To Use Frozen Oat Milk?
It is completely safe to use frozen oat milk either if you want to have some sips or you can also pair it up with some other food item. The result in both cases will be worth the try.
A few ways to use frozen oat milk are as follows:
- Freeze oat milk in an ice cube tray and then add it to your desired fruit smoothies, shakes, sauces, etc. Being gluten-free and dairy-free, it is not only healthy to have but gives a pleasant flavor.
- You can also use these cubes in a cold brew of milk Frappuccino. It has a neutral flavor and a creamy texture, and the combination makes your mouth water.
- Another way to use it is in strawberry oat milk popsicles. You can replace the strawberries with any other fruit of your choice.
In short, frozen oat milk can go with different foodstuff and enhance the flavor. Besides, having high fiber and low-fat content, it also helps in promoting weight loss.
Best Way To Thaw Frozen Oat Milk Safely
The best way to thaw frozen oat milk is through refrigeration. The reason for this is that frozen oat milk is preferred when it is chill or cold. So, thawing it in the fridge is the safest option.
You can defrost it effortlessly in the fridge by following these steps:
- If oat milk is in the carton, take it out along the carton from the freezer carefully. Next, transfer it to the fridge and leave it overnight or at least for 8 hours.
- Similarly, you can also thaw oat milk kept in the freezer-safe bottle by the exact method.
- After thawing, shake the container vigorously so that separated fat and milk come together.
- It is ideal to use it within 7-10 days once thawed. If more than ten days pass, discard it immediately as it is no longer safe to use.
It is not safe to thaw oat milk by letting it sit on the countertop. Unlike other frozen food items, oat milk is good to consume when it is cold and chilly. Hence leaving it to sit on the countertop will make it warm and not pleasant as a beverage.
Conclusion
Freezing oat milk can extend its storage life for more than six months. The taste might get changed during the process, but still, it is safe and healthy to consume.
The freezing span can be more or less depending upon whether you bought oat milk from the store or made it at home. You can keep both safely in the freezer for many weeks.
At room temperature, store-bought oat milk lasts for 7 to 10 days. Homemade oat milk lasts for only five days. You must transfer oat milk to the fridge or freezer before it turns inedible.
Freezing allows locking all the necessary nutrients in oat milk. Having low-fat content helps in controlling cholesterol levels. It is also helpful for people who lack the enzyme to digest lactose.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you refreeze oat milk?
It is not suitable to refreeze oat milk once you defrost it. Freezing and thawing separates the fat from milk and change the overall texture. Thus, refreezing it twice will leave it tasteless and no more consumable.
Is it safe to heat oat milk?
The consistency of oat milk gets thick upon heating. You have to stir it constantly to avoid burn. You can safely use it to thicken other recipes like soups or stews. If you want to reduce the thickness a little, you can add water to it.
How to tell if oat milk is spoiled?
The change in either smell, color, or consistency tells that oat milk is spoiled. It does not spoil at once but takes time. If your oat milk starts tasting sour, smells foul, turns its color to yellow from creamy, then throw it away.
Recommended Readings:
