Powdered Milk Storage

Hello everyone, i have bought some powdered milk that has been stored in a plastic jar. I want to know the best way to repack it outside of the jars, the reason being is to cut down on weight and space. I think that if i store it in a Ziploc, i may lose some due to the milk getting "stuck" in the plastic fabric.

I am wondering how you guys would store some powdered milk in a backpack and i invite you to share with us your ideas/knowledge !

Thanks

I don't know how others do it but since I never drink it in liquid form I just premix it with the main ingredient. For example in one package or ziplock bag: oatmeal, powdered milk, dried fruit, nuts etc then just add water.

That is a good idea to organize a meal, in my case however i am going to carry a measuring utensils to measure food portions in cups, and grams and reduce the amount of bags.

For this reason, all of my food will be packed in large pound bundles. For example, my powdered milk which i have several pounds of, will be packed in a single bag.

I'm wondering what would be the best material to store the powdered milk to prevent as much as possible the milk from sticking on the storage solutions edges. Ziploc bags for instance, tend to collect "dust" on its edges which becomes difficult to collect and consume and results in a lose of food.

Thanks for the suggestion mate, what kind of re-seal able bag do you use?

I use vacuum sealed bags. I place every meal in a separate bag but it would be possible to place individual bulk components in a ziplock inside another larger ziplock.

I store it in ziplocs, but I only store it already combined with other things (in the right proportion). Sure a few dust particles get stuck but that is pretty inconsequential. Your are certainly going to have more waste by having leftovers because you brought a little too much of one ingredient vs another. You can still store large quantities pre-mixed and have the same reduction in number of bags (plus fewer measuring devices).

If you're packing things into one-pound bundles (to make up that 50-pound load of food you mentioned in another post? ) why not just leave it in the plastic jar? For the amount of food you're taking, you'll never notice the 3 or 4 ounces of jar versus one or two ounces of bag you'll be carrying. Besides, one plastic jar (which can be reused for milk you buy in a box, or other non-milk stuff) would seem to be more environmentally friendly than all the bags you'll use up instead. Also, it's going to be a lot harder to poke a hole in the jar than in those multiple ziploc bags, especially considering how often you'll be getting in and out of them. (And, as the powder sticks in the closure, as you know it will, you could end up with an unsealable bag full of powder; I doubt you could easily wreck the threads on the jar.

For another method, see Colin Fletcher's Complete Walker (any of the four editions) where he describes using a "squirt" dispenser (like a mustard or ketchup container you find in some restaurants) to hold things like milk. It's in the Kitchen chapter.

I find that powdered milk stored in zip-locks (just from the grocery store) for more than about a week pick up a odd plastic flavor. You need long-term food storage quality bags or mylar bags. Something you will use every day (adding a spoonful here and there) does not do will in zip-locks which get gummed up after a half dozen uses. Tying a loose knot in the top of a bag is better. I would tend to agree with the screw-cap bottle. Just re-use something like an Ovaltine bottle (which is already made not to pick up flavors). Fill up the jar; it may not weigh exactly one pound- just write the actual poundage on the bottle.

I have never found a good way to carry it on the trail. I have tried Colin Fletcher's method of a squirt bottle without significant success. Bags do not work, they leak and gunk up. Maybe a small wide mouth bottle, but I do not have one and the cost of shipping make buying a $1 bottle prohibitive.
I do note that in some stores you can buy the stuff in envelopes that make like a gallon.

I don't know what you are finding, but the envelopes of dry milk that I've seen over the years make into quarts of milk.

See if you can find Ziplok bowls with screw on tops. They come in several sizes; one may suit your needs. It may help to keep the powder out of threads if you remove it with a spoon or small measuring cup. (Doing the same may allow zip bags to work.) Tying non-zip bags, as someone else suggested, came to my mind, too.

We all need to find what works for each of us. I hope you find your system soon.

The method I now use is to pour the powder into clean, dry half-gallon canning jars. Once the jars are filled I add a small desiccant pack and seal.

That sounds like a great way to store it in your kitchen, but I think the OP was looking for containers/methods that are appropriate for backpacking.