When I worked at Dean Foods, we were experimenting with adding extra milk proteins to skim milk, to make it taste "fuller" than regular skim, without increasing the fat content (although we did allow the fat to get just below the 0.5% threshold to be called nonfat). It never went anywhere when I was there, but maybe the Texans who took over the company found some old files and tried it. Or maybe some other dairies just figured it out on their own.

When I worked at Dean Foods, we were experimenting with adding extra milk proteins to skim milk, to make it taste "fuller" than regular skim, without increasing the fat content (although we did allow the fat to get just below the 0.5% threshold to be called nonfat). It never went anywhere when I was there, but maybe the Texans who took over the company found some old files and tried it. Or maybe some other dairies just figured it out on their own.

This product has been available, called "Skim Plus", in the NY metro area for many years. Can't remember which dairy produced it.

Cathy2 wrote:Oberweiss (at least as of this meeting more than 10 years ago) uses a cold centrifuge process. Still spun to separate and remove the cream. This cold processing allows their skim milk to taste better than milk heated to expedite separation, though at a cost of time.

Did they explain why? I find that interesting.

Also, I find the glass/plastic theory dubious at best. Show me consistent, repeated blind taste tests of folks preferring glass over plastic and I'll reconsider. More importantly though, milk in paper carton is extremely easy to find, whether you go to cvs, WF/TJ/Jewel/Dominicks, or costco. We've been buying the 1.5 gallon pkgs (3 1/2 gallon paper containers) of organic 1% at Costco for years.

Pie Lady wrote:I may have missed it upthread, but is it just me or does skim taste like real milk these days? I remember when I was younger, I thought it tasted like chalky water and I refused to drink it. Recently I tried some and I loved it. It tastes creamier than I remember.

Good question. That's my recollection, too, but I wonder if it's just a matter of getting used to skim and tastes changing. I actually don't like regular milk for anything but cooking these days. Cereal or post-workout drinks get skim milk. Same sort of thing happened to me when I started drinking diet colas. Used to think diet soda was disgusting, now I find regular soda sticky and overly sweet. I think it's just as likely that we got acclimated to skim milk.

I grew up with skim milk only. I am 5'9 and had no growth or nutritional issues When my girls were babies, the pediatrician pushed whole milk to provided the fat needed for growth. I gave them skim instead. They have grown without problem and have no nutritional issues. But I am concerned with the hormones and buy Trader Joes' hormone free skim milk. I wish I had started that earlier.

Many pediatricians recommend starting whole milk at about age 1, as the fat helps with brain development. A switch to 2% can happen at around age 2. Some info here:

http://www.parenting.com/article/whole-or-two-percent

Binko wrote:

Pie Lady wrote:I may have missed it upthread, but is it just me or does skim taste like real milk these days? I remember when I was younger, I thought it tasted like chalky water and I refused to drink it. Recently I tried some and I loved it. It tastes creamier than I remember.

Same sort of thing happened to me when I started drinking diet colas. Used to think diet soda was disgusting, now I find regular soda sticky and overly sweet. I think it's just as likely that we got acclimated to skim milk.

I completely agree with the sodie thing. I can't remember the last time I ordered a regular Coke on purpose. I much prefer the taste of the diet and the regular just tastes like syrup. I can feel the coating on my teeth and I want to brush afterwards. Plus, the lack of sugar in the drink means I don't have to feel guilty about eating dessert later.

I agree on the diet vs regular soda point too. I can't stand the sweet stickiness of regular soda. Although I usually use skim milk, I'd confess to preferring 1%. On the other hand, I was at a fancy hotel restaurant in Ireland a couple of years ago and for breakfast decided to treat myself to their Irish oatmeal with locally produced full cream. I found the mouth feel of the oatmeal disgustingly greasy and could barely finish the bowl.

Like water softness, it's a matter of what you are accustomed to.