I have a cold, and am congested to the point where I can't smell anything. I gave my kids cereal and milk this morning, and they ate it, before my husband smelled the milk and said it was soured (even though it wasn't past the date yet). I feel like such a bad mom! What happens if someone drinks sour milk? Will my poor kids get sick?
My children have found hidden sippy cups with some semi curdled milk and they took a few drinks before realizing that it didnt taste quite like milk and nothing has ever come of it. If they ate it without really scrunching their faces im sure it wasn't sour enough to effect them at all.
They won't get sick, maybe a tummy ache but figure that a lot of things are made with sour milk. The taste is the most thing effected. Make sure your fridge is the right temp if the expiration date isn't up yet. It should be below 40 degrees. I keep a thermometer in my fridge actually to make sure it stays cool enough. Bacteria can grow at above 40 degrees which would be what sours milk.
I am sure they are fine though, YOU ARE NOT A BAD MOM!
I used to be a freak about expiration dates, getting rid of milk on that day, you can actually use it up after a few days past the expiration date, same with yogurt.
I've done this a couple of times too. I am lactose sensitive so I don't eat very many milk products but my husband and kids do. Most of the time nothing happens. Your kids may give you a funny face, eat breakfast without the usual gusto but other than that nothing. Once or twice when they drank a sippy cup full they have had some diarehea but not enough to worry about. I think these things happen, YOu feel like a hortrible person for doing it but it hasn't killed them yet and probably won't anytime soon. But to keep yourself from feeling bad later on you could always pour a little in a cup and take a sip before you give them some.my Hubby taught me Don't just smell the top. There could be perfectly good milk in the container but the top stinks. Hope this helps T.
I guess by now you know how it turned out, but I thought I'd let you know you can always take it back to the store if it sours before the sell by date. I've done it a couple of times with milk and once with sour cream that had separated. No questions asked, I can either get a refund for that days price (or price on receipt if it's still around) or go get a replacement. I don't do it if there's just a little bit left, but I will if it's half or more.
It just means that it has more bacteria in it than usual. Milk always has bacteria in it. Pasteurized doesn't mean sterilized. That's why it still has to be refrigerated. Sterilized milk is that ultra-high temp or UV treated milk that comes in a box on the shelf (not usually in the US).
But they're not harmful bacteria. I wouldn't worry about it.
As for the post about expiration dates, it's so true! If you read it carefully, it actually says, "Sell By." So if a store has to sell a gallon of milk by Sept 3, does that mean that the person who buys it on Sept 3 has to drink it all before midnight, or it will instantly turn rancid? I think not! The Food Pantry actually has a license to use and distribute food after their expiration dates. It doesn't go bad instantly on that date. There's a huge buffer built into the expiration dates.
I dont know for sure but my guess is, it depends on how sinsitive there tummys are. Probably not though... i mean we eat cottage cheeze and blue cheeze LOL. But I dont know, you could try a google search on the question... Dont feel too bad ~ as much as we would like to be perfict we cant be. Maybe since they didnt taste it it wasnt too bad.. Good Luck hope nothing comes of it :)
