Skim milk
Skim milk – the low-calorie milk that contains around 0.1 percent fat. Skim milk is the residue that is left behind after a pot of whole milk has all of its milk-fat removed. Due to being a low calorie, low-fat milk, skim milk is mostly used by people who are on a strict healthy diet. Quite surprisingly, it’s also an ingredient used by farmers to fatten their pigs.
Substitution For Skim Milk
Sometimes you might not find a bottle of skim milk inside the general store. Similarly, you might not find it anywhere else or you’re just starved for time and cannot visit another store. But it’s nothing to sweat about because skim milk can be substituted with a lot of things.
We will discuss some of these skim milk substitutions to give you a more versatile cooking approach.
There are two main categories for skim milk substitutions, dairy substitutes, and non-dairy substitutes.
Dairy substitutes
- Low-fat powdered milk
Low-fat milk powder is the best skim milk substitute. Because it’s basically the powdered form of skim milk.
Low-fat milk powder is produced by dehydrating skim milk at temperatures between 130 degrees and 135 degrees Fahrenheit. For replacement, a cup of skim milk equal to ¼ cup of low-fat milk powder. Also, use cold water because low-fat milk powder mixes a lot better with cold water than hot water. If you’re baking a cake it’s better to mix the milk powder with the dry ingredients instead of your wet ingredients.
- Low-fat sour cream or yogurt
Both sour cream and yogurt are produced by fermenting a dairy product with lactic-acid producing bacteria. Just like any other dairy product, your local grocery store should have containers labeled low-fat sour cream and low-fat yogurt.
For replacement, a cup of skim milk is equal to a cup of low-fat sour cream or yogurt. But skim milk is not acidic whereas the other two replacements are acidic and possess a tangy flavor. So we advise you to use them as a replacement when baking, especially if you’re using baking soda as the leavening agent.
- Half and half
If you can’t find a box of skim milk you might just find a box of low-fat Half and Half. Low-fat half and half – a mixture of skim milk and low-fat light cream – is a great skim milk substitution.
Even though half and half is fifty percent skim milk, it’s still a lot creamier than a box of 100 percent skim milk. As a result, you’ll have to combine ¾ cup of low-fat half and half with ¼ cup of water to replace a single cup of skim milk.
Low-fat half and half is a good skim milk substitute if you’re cooking something saucy, for example, a pot of delicious creamy gravy.
Non-dairy substitutes
Almond milk
One of many milk substitutes, a box of almond milk is produced from ground almonds, filtered water, and sometimes a small amount of brown rice syrup. Almond milk with a little bit of brown rice syrup is called the sweet version, whereas the unsweetened version – which is the best skim milk substitute – doesn’t have a sweetener as an ingredient.
Almond milk has a similar consistency that works well with various desserts. Its nutty flavor is a great addition to your smoothies, but unfortunately, this substitute is not that great when used in making savory dishes.
Coconut milk
Coconut milk – with a hint of coconut flavor – is made from coconut flesh and hot water. Similar to almond milk, coconut milk has a similar consistency that works well with various desserts. But unlike almond milk, coconut milk is a good addition to savory dishes. For example, Malaysian curry uses coconut milk instead of whole milk or skim milk.
Soy milk
Soy milk – the most versatile milk substitute – is made from soybeans and water. Popular throughout the world, soy milk is a popular alternative used by vegetarians, vegans, people on diet, and normal people.
Due to added thickeners, soy milk has a similar milk-like consistency. It’s used as a substitute when baking, cooking savory dishes, and desserts.
Soy milk is a great skim milk substitute but just like other plant-based milk substitutes, soy milk is extremely sensitive to high boiling temperatures. When cooked over high heat, soy milk tends to curdle easily.