For adults cutting down on fat, choose milk labelled skimmed and compare fat and saturates per 100ml; filtering alone does not make milk skimmed. If you use chilled milk slowly, Arla says its filtered Cravendale skimmed milk keeps for up to three weeks unopened when refrigerated at 0°C to 5°C. Check the opened-life instructions too: a longer unopened life may offer little benefit once the bottle is open.
If you are changing from a higher-fat milk, look for the skimmed label and compare fat and saturates per 100ml. The NHS identifies skimmed milk as an option for people cutting down on fat; the word ‘filtered’ does not tell you its fat content.
If an unopened bottle often sits in your fridge, compare its stated unopened life and required storage temperature. Also check how quickly you must use it after opening.
If standard skimmed milk is not to your taste in drinks or cereal, Arla B.O.B. is marketed as tasting like semi-skimmed milk. That is a brand description, so compare its nutrition panel with other skimmed options rather than assuming the products are identical.
Start with the skimmed designation and nutrition panel, then decide whether chilled unopened life or cupboard storage fits how you use milk.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fat content | Check that the bottle says skimmed. Compare fat and saturates per 100ml on the nutrition panels; ‘filtered’ describes processing, not a fat level. | I’m cutting down on fat, so the skimmed label and nutrition figures matter more to me than filtering alone. The NHS identifies skimmed milk as a lower-fat swap. |
| Unopened life | Check the bottle’s use-by date and storage instructions. Arla states that Cravendale filtered skimmed milk keeps for up to three weeks unopened at 0°C to 5°C; do not assume that period applies to other filtered milks. | Milk may sit unopened in my fridge for a while, so a stated longer unopened life could be useful. |
| After opening | Read the opened-life instruction separately. Arla states seven days for Cravendale once opened, and Tesco Groceries states seven days for Tesco Filtered Skimmed Milk. | I may take several days to finish an opened bottle, so unopened life alone will not settle my choice. |
| Storage format | Distinguish chilled filtered milk from UHT milk. For a UHT carton, check its unopened storage directions and how soon it must be used after opening. | I need milk I can keep in a cupboard before opening; UHT skimmed milk is an alternative, but it is not the filtered chilled option I may have been looking for. |
| Taste and nutrition | Compare products on the same per-100ml basis. Waitrose lists Arla B.O.B. at 0.4g fat and 41kcal per 100ml and describes its semi-skimmed-style taste as a brand claim. | Taste matters to me in tea or cereal, but I still want to see how the fat and calorie figures compare before choosing. |
| Household suitability | Check whether skimmed milk is intended as a main drink for a young child, and read the ingredient and allergen label. Filtering does not make cow’s milk milk-free. | Several people use milk in my household, so I need an option that fits each person rather than making one bottle the default. |
Filtered milk can be semi-skimmed: the M&S filtered product described by Marks & Spencer is semi-skimmed, not skimmed.
For a lower-fat milk choice, check the milk type first and then compare the fat and saturates shown on the pack’s nutrition panel.
Arla’s up-to-three-week unopened claim for Cravendale applies while it is refrigerated at 0°C to 5°C. Arla states that it should be used within seven days once opened.
Consider when you normally open a bottle and how quickly you finish it, then follow the storage directions on the one you buy.
The NHS says skimmed milk should not be given as a main drink to children under five.
Take that age condition into account before choosing milk for the whole household.
Filtered skimmed cow’s milk remains a milk product. Filtering is not a reason to assume it is lactose-free or suitable for someone with a milk allergy.
Check the ingredients and allergen label for the particular product rather than relying on ‘filtered’ or ‘skimmed’.
Tesco Filtered Skimmed Milk is a chilled, filtered skimmed option.
Arla Cravendale Filtered Skimmed Milk is a chilled option for shoppers comparing unopened life.
Arla B.O.B. is filtered skimmed milk marketed with a semi-skimmed-style taste.
The M&S filtered milk described by Marks & Spencer is semi-skimmed rather than skimmed.
These Morrisons options are UHT skimmed milk for cupboard storage before opening, rather than the chilled filtered milk discussed above. Check their after-opening directions if you use milk slowly.
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The six-pack suits someone who wants skimmed milk that can be kept without refrigeration until opened; it is UHT, not filtered milk. The product information states 0.1g fat and nil saturates per 100ml. Refrigerate after opening and use within three days; the listing says it is not suitable for children under five. Check the best-before date on the cartons.
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This single carton is a skimmed UHT option that does not require refrigeration until opened; it is not filtered milk. The product information states 0.1g fat and nil saturates per 100ml. Refrigerate after opening and use within three days; the listing says it is not suitable for children under five. Check the best-before date on the carton.
No. Filtered milk is not necessarily skimmed: check the milk type and compare fat and saturates on the nutrition panel. The NHS identifies skimmed milk as an option for people cutting down on fat.
No. NHS guidance says skimmed milk should not be given as a main drink to children under five; filtering does not change that age condition.
No. Do not treat ‘filtered’ as a lactose-free or milk-free label. Filtered skimmed cow’s milk remains a milk product, so check the particular product’s ingredients and allergen information.
Follow the dates and storage directions on the bottle you buy. Arla states that Cravendale Filtered Skimmed Milk keeps for up to three weeks unopened at 0°C to 5°C and should be used within seven days of opening. Tesco Groceries states seven days once opened for Tesco Filtered Skimmed Milk; those instructions do not establish the same unopened life for both products.