Half and Half Options

Posted by Justme15222@reddit | preppers | View on Reddit | 48 comments

I'm going through comfort items; restocking, replacing as needed, etc and realized I don't have a half and half option for long term. I keep condensed milk in the house, which is just ok, and G7 3 in 1 Instant Coffee for camping and travel. But they're both only good for about 2 years. I don't have anything I can put away for LONG term storage and forget about.

I see Ready Hour has an option, but based on the ingredients, it's just powdered Coffee Mate. Not a fan of theirs at all. Are there any long term options that aren't just well packaged Coffee Mate out there that you guys recommend? Or should I look into powdered heavy cream that I can mix with powdered milk for a good cup of coffee?

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clayton_ogre@reddit

Get a milk cow or goat lol

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Mechbear2000@reddit

Bingo!

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HOB_I_ROKZ@reddit

Or learn to enjoy black coffee

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Justme15222@reddit (OP)

I wish! Someday I'll have space for a small homestead, but that day isn't today.

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FrontEndCore@reddit

Powdered heavy cream with powdered milk is your best long-term mix. Look for freeze-dried dairy sealed with oxygen absorbers. Test a small batch first before stocking up for storage.

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infinitum3d@reddit

Why is condensed milk “just ok”.

Canned goods last a long, long time. Condensed milk can still be good 2 years or more past its Best By date, as can Evaporated Milk.

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Argon717@reddit

At 2 years, comfort is out the window...

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livestrong2109@reddit

Yeah at two years you're either in deep shit or had better have made friends with someone who owns a cow. And you're not getting coffee two years into shtf. Honestly stock up on black and green tea. It might not taste branded new two years in but it's cheaper than coffee and basically immortal on some level.

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Lucky10ofclubs@reddit

Some aged tea bricks/cakes last past 20 years no sweat. You would probably die before it really goes bad as long as you keep it dry.

Taste it first because some of it tastes… interesting. A pu er tea you buy at too steep of a discount will 90% smell like fish. Don’t be that guy.

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Justme15222@reddit (OP)

Condensed milk is just OJ because I prefer cream and sugar. It's a decent option for storing. And I was looking for a set it and forget method for my long term storage. I don't eat in the mornings, I just drink coffee. So if I were trying to keep things normal, I'd keep doing coffee.

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infinitum3d@reddit

I get it.

I don’t think there’s a ‘set it and forget it’ for creamer. The fats go rancid.

Any neighbors have a cow?

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Arlieth@reddit

I would absolutely use condensed milk from a can 10 years out. It's canned. What's it gonna do, bark at me?

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Many-Shower-6200@reddit

if this is really a deal breaker for you, you can freeze dry half and half yourself but you'd need to buy a freeze dryer (or rent one). The other option would be to contact someone with a freeze dryer and ask them to do a special run for you. If you don't know anyone then go to Etsy and look up freeze dried foods, you'll find a lot of folks who do this as a cottage industry, contact them and ask. Easy Peasy.

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OldSchoolPrepper@reddit

freeze drying half and half is a good idea.

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IlliniWarrior1@reddit

honestly - only have a million & one other things that SHTF concern me - before I start worrying about cream in my coffee .....

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Justme15222@reddit (OP)

I start my mornings with coffee and only coffee and I can't stand it black. Was just looking to see what options there are that I hadn't thought of yet that could be a more a set it and forget it option.

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Paranormal_Lemon@reddit

Have you tried getting quality beans, and different roast levels? A good light roast is a totally different and even has more caffeine. IMO putting anything in good coffee is like putting ketchup on a steak.

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premar16@reddit

There is nothing wrong with wanting to thrive during hard situations and not just survive

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OtherwiseAlbatross14@reddit

If you can't survive without cream in your coffee when the world is falling apart, you're wasting your time

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Justme15222@reddit (OP)

Wasting my time? I was looking for suggestions or things I hadn't heard of or thought of. Many of which, these comments contained and were very helpful. I plan on giving them a shot in the coming weeks.

I'm more of a prepping for Tuesday, not doomsday kinda person. We're way more likely to get hit by bad weather and have a grocery shortage than the world falling apart more than it already has. But thanks for your helpful suggestion.

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Yeah_right_sezu@reddit

I've tried Nestle's Quik chocolate milk powder, it's #okay# but I like chocolate syrup in my coffee. Eyebrows up! Okay I admit it isn't your typical Jack Webb, just the facts level prepper material.

I have lots of Guilty Pleasures because if I have to shelter in place when the SHTF, I'm going to be the only guy with chocolate milk, baby! Most of my scenarios are responses to a NUCFLASH report, or when a nuclear bomb gets snuck into CONUS and detonated. I used to plot the radio active fallout for my detachment commander in the US Army, and man, does that bum you out. I'd be depressed for a week, delivering a report to him that a 50 kiloton detonation killed 3/4 of a million people in a city like Istanbul, for example. We always used the small yield explosions because it was a good way to use our calculations for a vector. The big ones just killed everybody, which doesn't give you a good practice to calculate where the fallout cloud goes. But, I digress. I'ma have a pizza when the SHTF, I advise each and every one of you to do the same.

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Justme15222@reddit (OP)

I found out by accident you can use pudding mix to make hot chocolate and there are a long shelf life chocolate puddings out there. Might be worth trying for a creamier mocha 😉

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Ryan_e3p@reddit

You and I did very similar things in the military. CBRNE tech here, 3E971.

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premar16@reddit

I like coffee creamer or yogurt in my oatmeal so I have also been trying to find alternatives. I have condenses milk saved, I have powered coffee creamer, Yogurt bites (freeze dried yogurt), shelf stable liquid milk, meal replacement shakes have various flavors and last a long time

Also if you are a woman you can ask this question in TwoXPreppers

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NoHuckleberry2543@reddit

I just weaned myself off of creamers/whiteners over the course of a few years and have been drinking black for a decade and a half.

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shortstack-42@reddit

I just found canned condensed and evaporated oat milk and goat milk. Since I have a dairy allergy, it’s worth trying (that or get goats and hope I don’t get too miserable with my allergies to the actual goats).

After 40ish days without power, internet, or cell post Helene in WNC, I can attest that it’s the little things that keep you positive and productive. Tea, coffee, and that box of cookies in the cupboard that you forgot until you moved the jar of spaghetti sauce…bliss. And worth obsessing about like Gollum and his precioussss I’m a Tuesday prepper, but last year was a brutal reminder that comfort isn’t “meaningless in a real disaster”.

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atheistpiece@reddit

Non fat dry milk with some xanthan gum might do the trick

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NefariousnessLast281@reddit

My household was without a fridge for about a month earlier this year. We used premier protein drinks bought at Costco as creamer. They are shelf stable and come in flavors like vanilla or caramel, that mix well in coffee. Generally I use boxed oat milk as creamer. It’s also shelf stable but has to be refrigerated after opening.

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Justme15222@reddit (OP)

I'll have to try this tomorrow. We already have the shakes in house. Thanks!

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NefariousnessLast281@reddit

There’s a limited edition pumpkin spice premier protein at Costco right now, if you feel like being festive.

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La-Belle-Gigi@reddit

Canned evaporated (not sweetened condensed!) milk makes a good substitute for half-and-half.

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Kitchen-Hat-5174@reddit

You got a couple options, buy the source and maintain that source be it mini goats or sheep or cows. Or, you could make your own nut milk with a blender, peanut milk, soy, almond, etc. you just need a thickener. Buy a nut milk based creamer and look at the ingredients to see what they are using and try to make your own.

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Ryan_e3p@reddit

Even powdered heavy cream isn't likely to last as long as you'd like (more than 2 years). Non-fat powdered milk will last much longer, but because of the key ingredient; fat. Fats tend to go bad, even if powdered up.

Me? I would try to get creative. I know corn starch thickens things up, as does a few other things, and it might be worth trying to mix it in with some rehydrated nonfat powdered milk, bring it to a simmer, then letting it cool and thicken up. But, there are likely easier options out there. Just thinking off the cuff from what I have a steady supply of.

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CloudFrog21@reddit

I like that approach, using what’s already on hand. Do you think adding a bit of powdered butter or ghee powder could help bring back some of that creaminess, or would that make it spoil faster?

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Ryan_e3p@reddit

Worth a shot, to be honest.

I've tried making my own oat milk before, with mixed success. Using it in cereal? Absolutely. As a "creamer"? Big fail. Then I tried adding... Something to it, I forgot what it was, but it made it too chunky. I should try again when I get a chance. I initially tried it because I love having a big ol mug in the morning. It's my breakfast. But I hate black coffee (stains teeth, and often too bitter), and creamers are loaded with calories, and oat based creamers are a bit healthier, provided they aren't loaded with sugars.

Yeah, maybe I'll give it another go this weekend. I'm whooped right now. Just started another 10 gallons of mead, and I need to take a break from the kitchen for a bit.

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Justme15222@reddit (OP)

I have a good supply of oats in place of wheat berries (stupid celiac) so this is a good idea! Thanks

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Carloocho@reddit

Depending on how you like your creamer, I'll mix 1 3/4 cups powdered milk mixed as directed 1 can condensed milk 1 Tbs vanilla extract (or whatever flavoring you like) Adjust this to your taste

The basic recipie for condensed milk is 3/4 cup powdered milk 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup warm water Blend til smooth.

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Eredani@reddit

For long term you are kinda stuck with powdered dry low-fat milk.

Another option is to vacuum seal and freeze heavy cream. I do this with other high-fat items like butter, chocolate, and peanut butter. Properly sealed, they’ll last for years frozen without significant degradation. I keep redundant backup power for my freezers, so long-term frozen storage is a practical part of my plan — and I rotate items out periodically to maintain freshness.

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DuePark8250@reddit

A good cup of coffee does not require milk. Only bad cups of coffee do. Buy better coffee, brew it right and drink it black. Problem solved.

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lostscause@reddit

during COVID it was the first thing we ran out of. Ended up milking a goat and using that.

mixing fresh goat milk and powdered milk gave the best results.

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