Can you freeze milk? I will let O’Chef answer that one:
If you mean, “can I buy a gallon-sized plastic container of milk and chuck it in the freezer when I get home?,” the answer is no. At the very least, you have to free up enough space in the container so that it doesn’t burst when the milk expands in freezing. It will expand by 9 percent, so you need to remove about a cup and a half of milk per gallon to prevent a flood.
The other possible interpretation of your question is, “does freezing (and thawing) diminish the quality of milk?”
The people who promote and sell milk do not want you to freeze it. According to the National Dairy Council, freezing causes “undesirable changes in milk’s texture and appearance.” The dairy council wants every glass of milk you drink to be fresh, cold, and delicious. It wants you to love milk. It doesn’t want you (or your children) ever to associate splotchiness or graininess with a glass of milk.
And freezing milk does cause some degree of separation among its components. Skim and low-fat milk freeze (thaw, actually) better than whole milk, as there is less separation. You can shake the thawed milk vigorously or beat it in an electric mixer, but it still will not have the same “mouth feel” as milk that has not been frozen. The dairy board and other milk groups suggest that you might prefer to use previously frozen milk in cooking and baking, and save never-frozen milk for drinking.
There is some disagreement on how long you should keep milk in the freezer (ranging from three weeks to three months). Milk readily absorbs other flavors, so the sooner you get to it, the more likely it will still taste like milk. It should be thawed in the refrigerator, and will take a day or more for a gallon to thaw thoroughly.
Can you freeze cheese? YES! Now, I can hande this one!
I buy the big 5 pound bags of shredded cheese at Sam’s and divide the cheese into smaller bags and then freeze them. Just bang the bag on the counter and use in cooking or defrost in the refrigerator or in a bowl on the counter. I can also toss American Cheese (as is) in the freezer and let it thaw in the refirgerator before use. No problems there. But, if you are thinking about other types of cheese, I will let O’Chef answer:
Either freeze fresh, soft cheeses, such as mozzarella and goat cheese, in their original packaging, or wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and put that in a zipper-type storage bag before tossing it in the freezer. She says they should be eaten within about two months, and should be thawed in the refrigerator.
Ricotta cheese cannot be frozen very successfully. Mascarpone can be frozen, Lambert says, but it may separate or shatter when defrosted. It can be re-emulsified, though, by whipping it vigorously with a wire whisk while it is still very cold.
Soft-ripened cheeses, such as Brie and Camembert, should not be frozen “unless absolutely necessary,” whatever that means. Semi-soft cheeses, like Monterey Jack, Munster, Havarti, and Gorgonzola, tend to become crumbly after freezing. And hard aged cheeses, such as Cheddar, Colby, Gruyère, Asiago, and Manchego, will simply benefit from continuing their aging process in your refrigerator.
I have frozen whole gallons of milk when we had too much and weren’t going to use it up before the expiration date. I just put it in the freezer (upright deep freeze). The jug did swell, but it never burst for me. Of course the jug was always frozen upright. When it was thawed (we shook it well to distribute it good), it tasted like it was diluted. Other than that we didn’t notice any other difference. My kids aren’t too picky and were happy to have any milk they could get. 🙂 I have also frozen hard types of cheese successfully. It is better to freeze already shredded cheese as the block when thawed will crumble when you try to grate it. If it is for melting in a dish, this should be fine though. Hope this helps.