Tetra Paks

[Lou]

the local super market only carry 3 kinds of soy milk. All made by Silk: Plain, vanilla, and original.
I usually go thru almost 3 half gallons every 8 or 9 days so I usually buy one vanilla and one original each week. I also buy one quart Tetra Paks of soy when ever I go to Trader Joes for the days I run out. And when available I get a one quart Tetra Pak of vanilla almond for my coffee. And if I'm really out of milk I'll go to TJs and get a half gallon of their Oat milk.

Anyway, last week they didn't have any on the shelf.

I was telling someone about this and they said that all plant milks don't have to be refrigerated and I should just buy it in bulk and store it.

I started explaining about Tetra Paks, realized I didn't know much about them and it ended up with me on the Google Machine learning more than I needed to know about Tetra Paks.

According to Wikipedia, Tetra Pak (1)is a type of container when used in conjunction with Aseptic processing (2), produce shelf-stable products that do not require refrigeration

I looked in my pantry and the products in Tetra paks say that they have to be refrigerated upon opening and their best used by date is next year.
The items I bought in the refrigerated section say they must be refrigerated and their best used by date is next month.

One thing I learned when looking things up is that Tetra Paks are not recyclable and this may be the biggest reason for them not be more widely used. Plus I imagine the cost of making Tetra Paks and the added cost of the “aseptic processing” also makes them unpopular.

However, I think we need to do more of this. I think the fact that the products don’t have to be distributed in Refrigerated trucks, and kept in grocery stores in the refrigerated section would reduce the cost of the shipping and marketing. Also having products that can be kept in storage for a year should not only reduce waste but also even out price flocculations. (I’m thinking of the diary men who spill milk out to increase the price). And not sure about this but I think Tetra Paks would produce less GHG.

And it’s not that they can’t be recycled it’s that most recycling plants don’t have the machinery to do so. (3)


References

1. Tetra Pak - Wikipedia

2 Aseptic processing - Wikipedia

3. https://www.fiftyshadesgreener.ie/blog/the-very-questionable-sustainability-of-tetra-pak#:~:text=The%20paper%20fibers%20need%20to,website%2C%20it's%20100%25%20recyclable.

 

[PTree15]

I often store shelf-stable plant milks for months with no issues. If one I like goes on sale, I like to load up. I just make sure I check the best-by date and all to make sure they can sit for a while.

 

[silva]

Reminds me to buy a case of TJ's. I have a fear of not being able to get them, TJ's has been discontinuing too many vegan items

Did your friend really thing you could you can store the fridge cartoned plant milk outside of fridge/

 

[Lou]

Did your friend really thing you could you can store the fridge cartoned plant milk outside of fridge/

yes!

in her defense, she buys plant milks in bulk - from Costco - in 1 qt tetra pacs - 12 to a box. but the only other milk she buys is Cow's milk at the grocery store. So maybe because she only has bought Plant milks in Tetra packs and only bought cows milk in regular cartons - maybe she thought it was the type of milk and not the type of carton. (but still....)

I still have to do some research and do the math but I may decide to buy more plant milks by the dozen.
I know I can buy silk but at first glance it seems to be more expensive.

 

[silva]

yes!

in her defense, she buys plant milks in bulk - from Costco - in 1 qt tetra pacs - 12 to a box. but the only other milk she buys is Cow's milk at the grocery store. So maybe because she only has bought Plant milks in Tetra packs and only bought cows milk in regular cartons - maybe she thought it was the type of milk and not the type of carton. (but still....)

I still have to do some research and do the math but I may decide to buy more plant milks by the dozen.
I know I can buy silk but at first glance it seems to be more expensive.

I guess Silk is still 64 oz carton? I was getting Chobani xtra creamy oatmilk when it was on sale, but found it's a 52 oz carton!

I like TJ's soy beverage, tetra, and now playing with making oatmilk. My son's fine with it, just need stuff to do with the pulp. I used in a seitan and . All sticky and oaty taste. I guess I can just add to my cooked oats, or freeze
I'm about to make more and add some cashew creme to it

 

[Lou]

I guess Silk is still 64 oz carton? I was getting Chobani xtra creamy oatmilk when it was on sale, but found it's a 52 oz carton!

I'm not sure. However I just looked in my frig and the Protein Almond milk I bought on Tuesday IS only 59 oz. I have to pay more attention. Although I would have bought it anyway.

They call it downsizing or Shrinkflation. it's deceptive.

 

[silva]

I just made 3 cups oatmilk mixed with 1 cup cashew milk. Both proportions were 1:4. I think I may keep this up. My son is the only one who really uses the oatmilk, and I often end up using it up without really needing too, so this should be more cost effective. Actually, better because I use organic oats. It didn't seem too much work to do maybe every 10 days? We'll see...

 

[Emma JC]

@Lou ... what do you use so much milk on/in?

Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com

 

[Lou]

@Lou ... what do you use so much milk on/in?

Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com

Lets see...
I put .25 cup of milk in my coffee every day. Almost 2 cups a week. 14 oz
I have either cold or hot cereal almost every morning. that is 5 - 6 cups a week. ≈40oz
I have a glass of milk with cookies almost every day ≈ 40
and a few times a week I have a banana /PB shake. ≈ 40 oz
and sometimes a recipe calls for some milk.
In the winter I have hot chocolate a few times a week too.
___________________
134 oz. > 2 gal a week. and I don't go shopping every 7 days. more like every 10 - 12 days. And there may be milk in the frig still from the week before. So maybe I'm overestimating it.

Come to think of it I Have. only been buying 2 half gallons a week.

 

[Emma JC]

that is so interesting - we drink so little milk, especially me as I rarely have cereal, my honey has it about once every two weeks and I haven't had it in months as I just find it too much sugar in one go despite buying the lowest sugar cereals that I can find (I will have a handful for a snack once in a while)

coffee black
my oatmeals don't have milk in them
I don't dip cookies altho' occasionally my honey will dip Dad's oatmeal cookies if/when I buy them which I haven't done in a long time (because he eats them too quickly)
in case a recipe has a milk need I do keep a tetra pak of oat milk around
mmmmmm hot chocolate, been a long time

Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com

 

[Lou]

oatmeal with water instead of milk is OK. but I much prefer it with soy milk. Also it makes the BF so much more nutritious.

Uncle Sam's cereal is hard to find. TJ used to stock it. it has only 1 gram of added sugar and 8 grams of protein. oatmeal usually only has 4.

But mostly I get TJs Vanilla Almond granola - it has 15 g of added sugar. It's just that sometimes I don't want hot oatmeal. And I'm not a fan of cold oatmeal. Even when I have some overnight oats in the frig I add a little milk and nuke it.

 

[LoreD]

oatmeal with water instead of milk is OK. but I much prefer it with soy milk. Also it makes the BF so much more nutritious.

Uncle Sam's cereal is hard to find. TJ used to stock it. it has only 1 gram of added sugar and 8 grams of protein. oatmeal usually only has 4.

But mostly I get TJs Vanilla Almond granola - it has 15 g of added sugar. It's just that sometimes I don't want hot oatmeal. And I'm not a fan of cold oatmeal. Even when I have some overnight oats in the frig I add a little milk and nuke it.

I've been lucky with a local Mennonite surplus close date store. They regularly carry 64 oz Starbucks Almond and Coconut Milk Tetra Packs for a $1.89. This is the plant milk that they use in their stores. The best buy date is end of November. I stocked up, but every time I've been there they always had it.

It makes the 20 minute drive worth it. I go about every 6 weeks and stock up.