Sounds like you either got a crappy brand (brand makes a big difference in taste) or didn't find the right mix ratio. Good powdered milk isn't half bad once you figure out the right ratio. It'll never taste as good as fresh, whole milk, but it's not the nasty tasting stuff that it used to be years back.5 years.
My house...... forever.
I'd rather get the vitamins another way than drink that swill..
Rubbermaid makes mixing pitchers. They have a handle with a shaft. At the bottom of the shaft is a flat plat with angled openings. As you raise and lower the handle, the plate on the bottom swirls the liquid through it. It mixes powdered milk better than anything I've ever used. I don't know if any stores sell them. I ordered mine from Walton Feed years ago.I have been using organic,non instant non fat dry milk for years. I rotate it as often as I can- I recently went through a small bag from 2006. Absolutely no problems with it. I don't drink it straight- use it for cooking and coffee mostly. I notice it needs to be warmed up a bit in order to mix it up without lumps. Use a good whisk and heat it then chill it. works great. I now buy it, date it, and vaccuum seal it. should last for years.
If you rotate through it, you'll always have at least a couple years worth, even stored in the boxes. Otherwise, it needs packed in a sealed container with O2 absorbers. Mylar bags are a good, inexpensive way to package it.I was wondering how to store it? I buy the ones in the boxes. Should I repackage it? If so... how?
One of the reasons dried foods can last so long is because germs and other nasties can't grow in that dry of an environment. The canneries that pack long term storage food aren't sterile environments. Visit your local Bishop's Cannery some day. It's ran the same way the big canneries are. They open bags of the products, pour it into open cans, and when they have a bunch of cans full, send them to the lidding machine. Of course the cans are clean, but the food is exposed to the open air for a long time before sealing. Of course, it's always wise to keep everything as clean as possible whenever handling food, especially your hands.Also you will find it fairly well sterilized in it's original packaging. If you are going to repackage with o2 and moisture absorbers etc, make sure the working environment is sterile as well. You can easily add nasties and contaminants that could leave you in trouble years down the track when opened / consumed.