Did we solve the occasional cuppa / MILK dilemma?

[2into1]

As per the title. Easy enough to store a few tea bags, instant coffee, fresh coffee bags etc in your van for unplanned cuppas, but have we found a way to get proper freshest / longest life milk to accompany it.
If I know I'll be brewing I'll take a small flask of fresh milk, but what about those unplanned brews, without resorting to coffeemate etc.

 

[Jodalo]

As per the title. Easy enough to store a few tea bags, instant coffee, fresh coffee bags etc in your van for unplanned cuppas, but have we found a way to get proper freshest / longest life milk to accompany it.
If I know I'll be brewing I'll take a small flask of fresh milk, but what about those unplanned brews, without resorting to coffeemate etc.

Trailer with a goat?

 

[California4x4]

As per the title. Easy enough to store a few tea bags, instant coffee, fresh coffee bags etc in your van for unplanned cuppas, but have we found a way to get proper freshest / longest life milk to accompany it.
If I know I'll be brewing I'll take a small flask of fresh milk, but what about those unplanned brews, without resorting to coffeemate etc.

I have always liked strong tea with very little cows milk. After a trip with someone who was lactose intolerant, I got used to Oat Milk. I’ve tried all of the ‘milk’ alternatives to cows milk and oat milk is the first thing I’ve found that is comparable (for me). I now find I prefer it in tea to cows milk. The long life version has a life of about a year before opening, so I keep a large carton in the campervan all the time. I can then bring it in to the house once opened and use there and then replace with a new one in the van.

 

[WelshGas]

As per the title. Easy enough to store a few tea bags, instant coffee, fresh coffee bags etc in your van for unplanned cuppas, but have we found a way to get proper freshest / longest life milk to accompany it.
If I know I'll be brewing I'll take a small flask of fresh milk, but what about those unplanned brews, without resorting to coffeemate etc.

Something like this?

Semi Skimmed Whole Milk 10ml Sticks Long Life Portions Creamer Sachets Lakeland | eBay

NOT BOXES of MILK. Whole: MAY 2022. Modern and easy to use. 100% pure long life.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[Susan B]

Sainsbury’s sell 500ml cartons of UHT milk. I’ve usually got one of those in the van just in case, and like California4x4 I’ll just take it into the house to finish it if it has been opened.

 

[Jodalo]

If you are a coffee drinker, then evaporated milk is quite palatable and easily stored in those small tins in the van. It also has a long shelf life, just right for emergencies. Not nice in tea though.

 

[Calimili]

Sainsbury’s sell 500ml cartons of UHT milk. I’ve usually got one of those in the van just in case, and like California4x4 I’ll just take it into the house to finish it if it has been opened.

But what if it’s summer, sunny and warm. Temps inside a parked California can reach 50 Celsius. Not sure the milk won’t deteriorate...

 

[Susan B]

But what if it’s summer, sunny and warm. Temps inside a parked California can reach 50 Celsius. Not sure the milk won’t deteriorate...

I haven’t found it to deteriorate. But then I’m not exactly in hot part of the world! UHT milk is heated above 75C as part of the process, so I can’t see how that would harm it. It is designed for long shelf life, unrefrigerated.

If it won’t store safely in a carton, then sachets or little creamers of UHT will have exactly the same problem. They are all heat treated using the same process.

 

[WelshGas]

But what if it’s summer, sunny and warm. Temps inside a parked California can reach 50 Celsius. Not sure the milk won’t deteriorate...

Fridge?

 

[California4x4]

But what if it’s summer, sunny and warm. Temps inside a parked California can reach 50 Celsius. Not sure the milk won’t deteriorate...

 

[Calimili]

Fridge?

Yes, but it would need to be always on. In summer with solar, not an issue for the batteries, but I would not personally leave the fridge on 24/7 just for the milk, when I’m not on a holiday or weekend away.
i think the purpouse of the thread it is to find a solution to have milk available for that spontaneous “brew” in an unplanned drive with the Cali, 24/7/365

 

[mickmull]

For coffee then a tube of condensed milk - mmmm....

 

[WelshGas]

Yes, but it would need to be always on. In summer with solar, not an issue for the batteries, but I would not personally leave the fridge on 24/7 just for the milk, when I’m not on a holiday or weekend away.
i think the purpouse of the thread it is to find a solution to have milk available for that spontaneous “brew” in an unplanned drive with the Cali, 24/7/365

Unopened UHT milk is fine, but as soon as it is opened - Fridge, or get the single serve sachets.

 

[Auberg-ine]

Don't you have these? UHT, so no problem indeed.

 

[Calimili]

Don't you have these? UHT, so no problem indeed.

View attachment 65447

UHT is available everywhere. The question is, will it withstand the high internal temperature of a Cali parked in the sun, very likely 50 Celsius?
It may but shelf life reduced dramatically.

UHT milk stored at 4 and 20 °C had the longest shelf-life of 34–36 weeks, limited by sediment formation. Storage at 30 and 37 °C considerably decreased the shelf-life of UHT milk to 16–20 weeks, whereby changes in sediment formation, taste and colour were the limiting factors.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844019360918

 

[Auberg-ine]

UHT is available everywhere. The question is, will it withstand the high internal temperature of a Cali parked in the sun, very likely 50 Celsius?
It may but shelf life reduced dramatically.

UHT milk stored at 4 and 20 °C had the longest shelf-life of 34–36 weeks, limited by sediment formation. Storage at 30 and 37 °C considerably decreased the shelf-life of UHT milk to 16–20 weeks, whereby changes in sediment formation, taste and colour were the limiting factors.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844019360918

I keep a 6-pack (200ml) for months in a styrofoam box (an old Ice-cream transport box I still had somewhere). It did happen that I opened an expired carton without checking the date, and that indeed there was some 'sediment' in it, like cream flakes. But not tasting bad.

 

[Calimili]

you can keep it for months if you start counting from October

 

[capt kirk]

Something like this?

Semi Skimmed Whole Milk 10ml Sticks Long Life Portions Creamer Sachets Lakeland | eBay

NOT BOXES of MILK. Whole: MAY 2022. Modern and easy to use. 100% pure long life.

www.ebay.co.uk

I had some of these in the van but in the hot weather they burst so no more

 

[Borris]

Unless you are in the middle of the Sahara just how far would you have to go to buy some milk?

Unless we are away for a few days we don't usually bother turning the fridge on. For most outings we usually take a small stainless steel flask of cold fresh whole milk and a 1.5 litre Thermos jug flask of pre boiled hot water. The tea bags, coffee, mugs etc are always available in either of our vehicles. So teas and coffees are almost instantaneous.

On the very rare occasion when we haven't come out prepared it's merely a case of buying milk and water. We have kept UHT milk in the vehicles but it's never really been an issue to buy fresh whole milk which we much prefer. If we have anyone with us that can't or won't have whole milk, then they can either drink what's on offer, go and find a semi skimmed cow or just go thirsty.

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Fresh milk on tap.

 

[Stuart]

I've not checked this but I would be surprised if the inside of your fridge gets anywhere near 50c, even turned off on a very hot day

 

[Borris]

Actually this topic has just reminded me of camping and picnics in the 1950's with my late grandad and grandma. He had been in the SBS during the war and had gotten into the habit of making tea using "Connie annie" (tinned condensed milk). I suppose they could always get that but not fresh. It tasted so good as a young child.

Those evocative smells of the methylated spirit and paraffin fueled Primus stove in use along with bacon being fried and the smell of the canvas of his ex army bell tent and the bare grass within have never left me. Nor has the feeling of being terrified as a four year old whilst sliding from one side to the other on the leather back seat of his Ford V8 Pilot as he drove it at speed down winding country lanes. He was a truely wonderful Grandfather but driving wasn't one of his strengths! On another occasion also aged about four, l did several full vertical circuits of his Hillman Husky when he rolled it several times into a field after hitting ice. Apart from numerous bruises to the other occupants I came off worse with a broken collar bone.

Back on topic, I've been meaning to try his "Connie annie" tea again just to see if it is as good as I remember it. Just the once mind as it's full cream and rammed with sugar.

 

[WelshGas]

I had some of these in the van but in the hot weather they burst so no more

I've had no problem. Keep them in the L lower kitchen cupboard.

 

[Susan B]

Unless we are away for a few days we don't usually bother turning the fridge on. For most outings we usually take a small stainless steel flask of cold fresh whole milk and a 1.5 litre Thermos jug flask of pre boiled hot water. The tea bags, coffee, mugs etc are always available in either of our vehicles. So teas and coffees are almost instantaneous.

I’ve found a stainless jug flask is useful on longer trips too. Whenever we have boiled the kettle, any leftover hot water goes in the flask. Then we always have some hot water for washing dishes, hands etc.

 

[WelshGas]

Actually this topic has just reminded me of camping and picnics in the 1950's with my late grandad and grandma. He had been in the SBS during the war and had gotten into the habit of making tea using "Connie annie" (tinned condensed milk). I suppose they could always get that but not fresh. It tasted so good as a young child.

Those evocative smells of the methylated spirit and paraffin fueled Primus stove in use along with bacon being fried and the smell of the canvas of his ex army bell tent and the bare grass within have never left me. Nor has the feeling of being terrified as a four year old whilst sliding from one side to the other on the leather back seat of his Ford V8 Pilot as he drove it at speed down winding country lanes. He was a truely wonderful Grandfather but driving wasn't one of his strengths! On another occasion also aged about four, l did several full vertical circuits of his Hillman Husky when he rolled it several times into a field after hitting ice. Apart from numerous bruises to the other occupants I came off worse with a broken collar bone.

Back on topic, I've been meaning to try his "Connie annie" tea again just to see if it is as good as I remember it. Just the once mind as it's full cream and rammed with sugar.

In the Persian Gulf with the RAF, NAAFI tea was brewed strong with 1 dessert spoon of Condensed milk. No added sugar.
Milk was reconstituted from dried skimmed milk powder + Dried Cream powder + 8 oz of butter in 10 gallon batches, warmed to dissolve everything then cooled in a fridge. Not too bad.