8 Alternative Uses for Breastmilk

Regina Yunghans
Regina Yunghans
Regina is an architect who lives with her husband and children in Lawrence, KS. As a LEED Accredited Professional and longtime contributor to Apartment Therapy and The Kitchn, her focus is on healthy, sustainable living through design.
published Jul 8, 2011
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When I heard a few years back about a New York restaurateur making breastmilk cheese, I was among the chorus of “ewwww!”s.

Cut to the present day with a 6-month-old, much more education on the virtues of human milk, and a freezerful of expressed milk. I can’t help but find myself searching for ways to use the stockpiled “liquid gold”:

If the milk is stored properly and is not too old (a good rule of thumb is 6 hours at room temperature, 6 days in the fridge, and 6 months in the freezer, and 12 months in a deep freezer), milk banks for mothers who cannot provide their babies with their own milk are a very worthy first option. If looking for alternative ways to feed extra milk to a growing baby, toddler, or even adults, check out these ideas:

  • Make butter! Just put a few ounces of milk in a clean jar and shake vigorously until you have butter.
  • Ice cream can be made by simply substituting human milk for cow’s milk. A great option for moms on a dairy-free diet who are craving ice cream.
  • Freeze it into popsicles or ice cubes for summertime or teething babies.
  • Make cheese like the chef who first set off the media firestorm years ago.
  • Use it as a creamer for coffees and other drinks.
  • Substitute for cow’s milk with human milk in baking or cooking recipes.
  • Donate it to chemo patients, whose digestion can be aided by breastmilk.
  • There is a seemingly-endless list of non-food uses for human milk with its antifungal properties, from removing makeup to relieving scrapes and burns.

Related: Cooking With Colostrum

(Image: Flickr member Daquella manera, licensed for use under Creative Commons)

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