16 Best Recipes to Use Up a Gallon of Milk Before It Goes Bad
Make dishes from mac and cheese to cinnamon rolls.
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One of the best ways to save on groceries is to buy certain items in bulk or in larger sizes because they're cheaper by unit price. A perfect example is a gallon of milk. It's almost a no-brainer if you've got more than a few people in your household, because it can be used for everything from your morning latte to your bowl of cereal. But the inevitable happens sometimes: You've got an almost full or totally full gallon that's close to expiring and you don't want to waste it.
Fear not! You can freeze milk for a few months or try one of these recipes to use up your gallon of milk before it goes bad. Every idea here uses a minimum of one cup of milk in the recipe and some of them even use up to six, so you'll really be able to get your money's worth. There are ideas for every meal of the day ranging from make-ahead breakfast recipes to creamy soups and casseroles for dinner, and even some of Ree Drummond's most famous desserts like cinnamon rolls and chocolate pie.
There are also great ideas to convert your milk to a different usable ingredient like buttermilk and ricotta, so you can get double use out of your fridge staple. And these smart ways to use up a gallon of milk are just the beginning! Read through to find other similar ideas, so you'll never let that milk spoil in the fridge again.
Perfect Pancakes
Skip the cereal and make a big batch of pancakes! This uses both milk and buttermilk (you'll find that recipe below). Plus, pancakes can be frozen so make all the homemade pancakes you want.
Get Ree's Perfect Pancakes recipe.
White Lasagna
If you love lasagna like Ree, then you have to try her dreamy white version. It uses a creamy béchamel sauce, which calls for four cups of milk to bind all the layers of cheese, squash, spinach, and noodles.
Get Ree's White Lasagna recipe.
Chocolate Pie
Look no further than Ladd Drummond's favorite pie if you're looking for a "good ol' basic, can't-go-wrong, everyone-loves-it, super-easy-to-make, been-around-forever pie recipe with a chocolate pudding filling" that uses three cups of milk.
Get Ree's Chocolate Pie recipe.
Cauliflower Soup
Would you be surprised to know that according to Ree, "out of all the soups in my repertoire, the one that most says 'comfort food' to me is my mom's time-tested cauliflower soup." It's true! Plus, it'll use two cups of that milk.
Get Ree's Cauliflower Soup recipe.
Crock-Pot Mac and Cheese
Making mac and cheese from scratch feels so special, doesn't it? And it's actually not that hard. You can make it in a slow cooker or other ways here and use up a lot of milk in the process.
Get the Crock-Pot Mac and Cheese recipe.
Baked French Toast
A lot of breakfast casseroles use milk so you'll have a lot of options. Not sure where to start? Try this much-easier way to make French toast that you can make ahead. Leftovers will stay good for several days, too!
Get Ree's Baked French Toast recipe.
Crock-Pot Hot Chocolate
Would anyone ever say no to a cozy mug of hot chocolate on a chilly day? Didn't think so. This big batch uses six cups of milk! Plus, it reheats well in the microwave if you have leftovers.
Get the Crock-Pot Hot Chocolate recipe.
Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells
What do you get when you combine two popular pasta dishes in one creamy casserole? A comforting dinner to feed a crowd, that's what! It has both milk and ricotta mixed in, which you can also make from that remaining milk.
Get Ree's Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells recipe.
Cinnamon Rolls
The secret to Ree's famous cinnamon rolls might be the thick maple frosting on top. But the real hero is the quart (plus 1/2 cup!) of milk you need to create them.
Get Ree's Cinnamon Rolls recipe.
Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
Good news: There is no shortage of potato side dishes that require milk. So get started with this decadent, cheesy idea. It pairs really well with ham or any other big roast.
Get Ree's Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes recipe.
Baked Oatmeal with Berries
If you've got a gallon of milk in your fridge, you probably have a big ol' tub of oats in your pantry, too. Baked oatmeal can be made ahead and reheats well. You can also consider overnight oat recipes, too.
Get the Baked Oatmeal with Berries recipe.
Boston Cream Pie
This classic dessert is more like a cross between a cake and a doughnut than a pie. But whatever it is, it's certainly delicious. Plus, it has milk in both the cake and the filling.
Get the Boston Cream Pie recipe.
Homemade Buttermilk
You can easily convert your milk into buttermilk. And then well, there are so many ways to use buttermilk that you've basically doubled the amount of ideas you can make. Start with salad dressing!
Get the Buttermilk recipe.
Homemade Yogurt
Turn four cups of milk into multiple servings of homemade yogurt! You can make thicker Greek yogurt, too, with just a couple of adjustments. Breakfast just go so much healthier.
Get the Yogurt recipe.
Mint Chip Ice Cream
While some ice cream treats rely on other kids of dairy, plenty have a mix with good ol' milk. Try this classic that will surely be a crowdpleaser once it's churned up!
Get the Mint Chip Ice Cream recipe.
Homemade Ricotta
Once you know how to make ricotta, you'll be able to make endless Italian dinner ideas without having to run back out to the store for a container. This recipe yields 1 1/2 cups of cheese.
Get the Homemade Ricotta recipe.
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