Although dairy alternatives like nut, soy, and even pea milk have been growing in popularity over the past few years, milk (from cows! — remember those?) has been a staple of American diets for centuries. But just like many of the fresh essentials we shop for, the decisions we make when it comes to buying this seemingly simple product are becoming more and more complicated every day. The questions we’re faced with when walking past the dairy cooler are now much heavier than choosing between regular or chocolate-flavored: pasteurized, homogenized, whole, or fat-free? What even is raw milk anyway? And wait — what about organic?
To make your choice a little bit easier, here’s a basic guide to understanding milk terminology and some things to keep in mind before you buy.
Real milk! From a cow!Food52/James Ransom
Milk fatLet’s start off easy: One of the first things you notice in the refrigerated aisle is that milk cartons are labeled with their percentage values. These numbers indicate how much fat is in the milk by weight. The most common types sold in the United States are wh... Read more
