Choose milk by who will drink it, rather than assuming lower fat suits everyone. NHS guidance includes lower-fat milk as an option for a breastfeeding parent, but says skimmed and 1% milk do not contain enough fat to be a main drink for children under 5. For babies under 12 months, cows’ milk should not replace breast milk or first infant formula as their main drink.
Age changes the choice. The NHS says skimmed and 1% milk are not recommended as a main drink for children under 5 because they do not contain enough fat. For a baby under 12 months, first infant formula is the suitable alternative to breast milk.
The parent’s drink is a separate decision from the baby’s. NHS breastfeeding guidance includes lower-fat milk among drink choices and advises choosing lower-fat dairy where possible.
Pack size and the instructions after opening can matter when a bottle lasts several days. Arla states a seven-day opened life for its specified filtered Cravendale milk at 0°C to 5°C; Sainsbury’s instructs shoppers to use its specified fresh semi-skimmed milk within three days of opening.
Decide who will drink it and whether it will be a main drink before comparing fat levels, pack sizes and storage instructions.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Drinker’s age | Check whether the milk is for a baby under 12 months or a child under 5, and whether it will be a main drink. The NHS says first infant formula is the suitable alternative to breast milk in the first 12 months; skimmed and 1% milk are not recommended as a main drink for children under 5. | If I am buying my child’s main drink, I need to choose by their age—not by the fat level I prefer for myself. |
| Adult milk choice | Compare whole, semi-skimmed, 1% and skimmed labels for the fat level you want. NHS breastfeeding guidance includes lower-fat milk as a drink choice for the parent. | I may want lower-fat milk for my own drinks while keeping my child’s milk choice separate. |
| Nutrition label | Compare values on the same basis, such as per 100ml. Sainsbury’s lists 3.7g fat per 100ml for its specified whole milk; its specified semi-skimmed milk is labelled 1.8% fat. Check the current pack for the exact variant. | When comparing two bottles, I want to know which figures belong to each milk rather than relying on the cap colour. |
| Storage and size | Read the date and refrigeration instructions, including the time allowed after opening. Arla states up to three weeks unopened and seven days after opening at 0°C to 5°C for its 2L filtered Cravendale semi-skimmed milk; Sainsbury’s specifies three days after opening for its 2.272L fresh semi-skimmed milk. | Milk is used unevenly in our household, so I want a pack we can finish within its labelled storage period. |
| Processing and allergens | Check the pack’s pasteurisation statement and milk allergen information. The Food Standards Agency advises pregnant women, infants and small children not to consume raw drinking milk. | If the milk is for someone in those groups, I need a pasteurised option and a current label I can check before use. |
An adult’s lower-fat preference does not settle a young child’s main-drink choice. The NHS says skimmed and 1% milk are not recommended as a main drink for children under 5; before 12 months, first infant formula is the suitable alternative to breast milk.
Decide who will drink the milk and whether it is a main drink before choosing its fat level.
Opened-pack instructions differ: Sainsbury’s specifies three days for its 2.272L fresh semi-skimmed milk, while Arla states seven days at 0°C to 5°C for its 2L filtered Cravendale semi-skimmed milk.
Compare the current bottle’s date and storage directions with how quickly your household will use it.
An unfinished large bottle may have to be discarded if it cannot be used within its labelled storage period.
The Food Standards Agency advises pregnant women, infants and small children not to consume raw drinking milk.
For those household members, choose pasteurised milk and check the product label.
The bottle in hand carries the instructions needed for that purchase, including its date marking, allergen information and directions after opening.
Check those details, along with the fat level and pasteurisation statement, before using it.
These named products and ranges illustrate different labels and storage directions; the details of one bottle do not apply to every milk sold by the same retailer.
Arla’s filtered 2L semi-skimmed milk is an example for households comparing opened-pack instructions.
Tesco lists a 2.272L British whole milk described as pasteurised, standardised and homogenised.
Its named British milk listings include both whole and semi-skimmed options.
Asda lists a 2L Cravendale filtered semi-skimmed milk.
M&S describes its 2L filtered British semi-skimmed milk as coming from M&S Select Farms.
Waitrose lists whole, semi-skimmed and skimmed milk in its Essential British Free Range range.
These Morrisons UHT skimmed milk options are for comparing adult household purchases: one is listed as six 1-litre packs and the other as a 1-litre product. Neither changes NHS advice against skimmed milk as a main drink for children under 5.
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This six-pack offers skimmed milk for adult household use. The NHS does not recommend skimmed milk as a main drink for children under 5; check each pack’s date and storage instructions before use.
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This 1-litre skimmed milk is an option when choosing milk for an adult rather than a child’s main drink. Check its date, milk allergen information and storage instructions on the current pack.
No—not as a main drink before 12 months. The NHS says first infant formula is the suitable alternative to breast milk during the first year; choosing a different fat level of cows’ milk does not change that guidance.
The NHS does not recommend either as a main drink for children under 5 because they do not contain enough fat. Its guidance distinguishes this from using skimmed or 1% milk in cooking from age 1.
Yes, it can be a choice for the parent. NHS breastfeeding guidance says no special diet is needed and includes lower-fat milk among drink choices; that advice does not determine a young child’s main drink.
Use the period stated for the particular bottle, not a rule for all filtered milk. Arla states seven days after opening at 0°C to 5°C for its specified 2L filtered Cravendale semi-skimmed milk, while Sainsbury’s specifies three days for its named fresh semi-skimmed product.
The Food Standards Agency advises pregnant women, infants and small children not to consume raw drinking milk. For those household members, choose pasteurised milk and check the label.