It's not often that I review things as basic and a half-gallon of milk. Normally, I wouldn't. But this product jumped out to me on a few different levels. First, it's organic and grass-fed (all buzzwords right now) AND for the price. Second, this half-gallon set me back nearly $5 and that is a premium beyond the price of a regular half gallon and even the organic half gallon.
Types of milk
Now just to be clear, here is how milkfat correlates with how it is labeled in the US. In order for it to be:
- Heavy Cream-it must be 36% fat
- Light Cream- it must be 30% fat
- Half and Half- it must be between 10.5% and 18% fat
- Whole Milk- it must be 3.25% fat
- Reduced Fat Milk- it must be 2% fat
- Low Fat Milk- it must be 1% fat
- Skim Milk- can be between 0% and .5% fat (and still be labeled as fat free)
Now, this is just north of the whole milk fat level, but not out of range. It's actually closer to the UK's definition of Whole milk as they allow is 3.6% fat.
Well regardless, this is some creamy milk. The quality is all there.
Taste
So what would justify the price tag? According to American Dairy Association, Grass Fed Cows produce more of a fatty acid which in turn could protect you from certain cancers. Plus there are more Omega-3s. However, research in this area is emerging in this area plus to see a benefit, many people aren't consuming it in the amounts needed to perhaps make a difference. So while the research isn't conclusive, it is something to consider.
So the choice remains with the end consumer as to how to spend your dollars.
For the amount of milk my household consumes I'm willing to pay the premium. I found this milk to be creamy and delicious. And the fact that this seems to be a substantially healthier product makes me wiling to shell out the extra dough.
The fact that this is ultra-pasteurized makes storing an extra half gallon even easier as the expiration date is much further away than most conventional milk options.
Overall
For $4.99 if you can stomach the price, then this is a great buy as it's delicious and super creamy, plus the expiration date allows for more flexibility.
The price is lower than many competitors and this has become a regular purchase in our household
Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!
Visual rundown
The container of Trader Joe's Organic Milk from Grass Fed Cows:
Calories and ingredients
How Trader Joe's describes this product:
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The Bottom Line
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Trader Joe's Organic Milk from Grass Fed Cows
Product Name: Trader Joe's Organic Milk from Grass Fed Cows
Product Description: Trader Joe's Organic Milk from Grass Fed Cows is higher fat milk from cows who only eat grass.
Price: $4.99
Summary
Trader Joe's Organic Milk from Grass Fed Cows is premium milk at a premium price
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Taste
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Value
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Worthy of Repurchasing
Pros
- Rich, creamy taste
- Ultra pasteurized so it will be able to sit in the refrigerator a bit longer
- A healthier milk in general according to the research.
Cons
- Price. While not out of line with most organic from grass fed cow milk competitors this is sold at a premium price.
Interesting. But for me $5 is a big ding on my wallet. If it is a gallon sized then maybe I'll buy it.
Hey Alek! I totally understand. It's a huge premium over organic, let alone regular milk. Thanks again for stopping by!
We just bought some premium half and half - brand name - Danzeisen Dairy. I use milk in my coffee, but half and half is the choice of DH. He says there is a big difference, or at least enough of one to have us try it again over Shamrock.
I'm going to check out the prices on their milk, but I suspect they will be similar to what you are showing above. I'll get some for use in making my yogurt, buttermilk, and putting into my coffee, and see how that goes.
Was enjoying your little videos of recipes in the corner until the Round Up commercial came on. And then so many alcoholic drinks. Enjoyed the ones on Utah, though. ;->
Virtual hugs,
Judie
Hey Judie! I'm a milk with my coffee type of girl, but this felt like half and half. And yes, I totally agree there can be quite the difference between dairy brands in terms of flavor. I notice it most with butter, but now it made me more acutely aware with my milk. I like to make cocktails on this blog from time to time too. That is such a funny pairing of video with ads though! Thanks for letting me know!
Considering that this is ultra-pasteurized, doesn't it end up killing all the goodness and the make the milk compeltely sterile and nutrient-free (pretty much junk food)?
Hi Saurabh! Actually, it is only a reference to the temperature it is heated at, how long it can stay unopened, and a subtle taste difference. Cooking Light put up a great article, here is my reference: https://www.cookinglight.com/cooking-101/what-is-ultra-pasteurized-milk
I hope that helps!
I can use it in my coffee! I don't need creamer. It's delicious!
Hey Paula! Same here, it is my favorite milk these days. Thanks so much for sharing!
I love the milk. Honestly, I don't think $4.99 for grass-fed milk is a bad price. Others are usually the same size for a little over $6.00. My medium mocha cost about over $4.00 for regular milk.
Hey Cindy! I know it is expensive, I only made the comparison since regular (not organic/grass-fed) is so much less expensive. But you are absolutely right about other brands. Thanks so much for taking the time out of your day to share your thoughts here.
Buckle your seatbelts ladies and gents we got one of those people with a giant comment that no one reads and only a handful of people skim through.
Let me start by saying I was attracted to grass fed milk and beef because cows are often fed soy which is present in the animals milk and meat. I need to avoid soy because it causes some weight gain in men and decrease in testosterone. Might be a placebo effect but since I cut out soy- and I mean ALL things with any traces of soy in them my mood has improved, my weight has dropped and my libido has increased. Let me tell you soy is f*ing everywhere. Excuse the language but this situation requires it. You'll see if you read labels and research enough. There's almost no escaping soy.
I came here because I wanted to know if trader Joe's does that scam where they put a label that says "Grass Fed" and like 10% of the milk is from grass fed cows or the cows were only fed grass sometimes.
The side label is tricky. You have to read into it. It says The cows that produce this milk live on a farm dedicated to organic milk from grass fed cows. So the cows that produce this milk happen to live on a farm dedicated to grass fed cows. Do they mean 10% grass fed cows or 80% grass fed cows? You can say a cow that eats one handful of grass is a grass fed cow. Technically true. You can also say that a farm is dedicated to these grass fed cows that have all eaten only one handful of grass each.
The next section says those "grass fed cows" graze on pastures and are only fed forages.
Now looking into the term "forages" I see that it's a very broad term. It can mean pasture, crop residue, immature cereal crop, similar plants cut for fodder, or silage.
Looking into that term "Silage" I found that it is usually grass and hay but also that soybeans can be harvested as a hay or silage crop. Wow so they left a loophole where they can feed their cows non grass things like soy which is the very thing I'm trying to avoid.
Very tricky Trader Joes. Misleading us while not technically lying to us. They must have lawyers and mainstream media companies come up with ways to sneakily phrase things. They think consumers can't use their brains. Well here we are. At least I can.
What do you think? Did they leave convenient loopholes in their side label and use broad terms? Or am I just overthinking it? Leave your comments below.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and being so detailed. Most important, thanks for stopping by and sharing!
The container also says “ultra-pasteurized” on the top and “homogenized” on the side. So which is it? But I believe it says 100% grass fed cows?