Hey mamas,
I have two kiddos that can't tolerate regular cows milk. One can do milk just no lactose and one can't even take a small bite of yogurt or regular cheese even without puke city. So, to my actual question. I had both LF milk and soy milk in my fridge, then my kids got terribly sick, all three even the baby with a terrible tummy bug and they were all off the grid for like a week with any dairy or even soy product. They were just getting well and the lovely flu virus made it's rounds, how, I don't know bc we hadn't even left the house for a week but nonetheless, they all got it and so for another week no milk or soy. So today everyone is much better and I still had some LF and soy milk in the fridge, not sure exactly when I got it, sometime in that past two weeks at least a week and a half ago I'd say. So would it still be good? I chuked it bc well my kids were so sick and I am just going to try them on a small amount of milk tomorrow and I didn't want to risk it. But I was curious, is it good to the sell by date, usually a month out or so after you open it? Or is just good for about a week or so after being opened? Thx :)
Lactose-free milk lasts a lot longer than regular milk because it doesn't have the lactose sugars in it to speed up the spoiling process. Smell it. If it smells spoiled like regular milk does, or "off" then you toss it.
If the soy milk gets "too thick" or it gets a weird oily sheen which I like to refer to as "pre-silky chunks" then toss it.
It states on the containers of most milk products like this that they should be consumed within "7 to 10 days". It takes us 7 to 10 days to go through a half gallon of LF milk, because my youngest is the only one who needs it and she doesn't drink it anyhow...but I wouldn't keep it past 10 days.
It probably wasn't the milk. Remember that illnesses have incubation periods and stomach viruses can come from literally anywhere.
Milk and milk substitutes have dates on the packages. Unless you lost electricity or your fridge is working correctly, your milk should be safe if you are within the date stamped on the package.
I would seriously consider switching to coconut or almond milk instead of soy. It is MUCH better for you and you do not have the hidden dangers of GMO produced crops or phytoestrogen issued (especially if you have boys). Just my two cents.
We have both types in the fridge, and it says on the carton to use within 7 days of opening. If it was a couple days after that, it would probably be fine, but since you are unsure of the date you opened it, and the kids are getting over a stomach bug, I would just get new ones. Their stomachs might not be completely over it yet.
