Now that Max is transitioning from Holle organic infant formula to whole milk, I started looking into the best brand of organic milk to give him.
Originally, I thought that as long as I was buying him organic milk, it was pretty much all the same. (Honestly, I just really didn’t put much thought into it when I was only purchasing milk for Mr. C and myself.) At my local grocery store, they sell three big name organic milk brands that I already recognized: Horizon Organic, Stonyfield, and Organic Valley.
I also noticed that in the same section, they had a huge, thick glass milk jug with nondescript labeling. Sometimes, I can be a sucker for packaging, and let me tell you, the ridiculously heavy, old-school glass milk jug, definitely got my attention.
This post isn’t meant to be a review on the brand of milk I am now buying for Max (Trickling Springs Creamery), but rather to raise awareness in the importance of evaluating where the milk comes from and how it is processed.
The Cornucopia Institute provides an organic dairy report, ranking the dairy farms from best to worst. During my research, I learned that Horizon Organic is one of the worst organic dairy brands to buy. I had absolutely no clue.
Understanding the different types of organic milk
In order for milk to be labeled as organic, the cows must have been given no antibiotics or synthetic hormones, be provided with access to the outdoors, and be fed with 100% organic feed – no pesticides, animal byproducts, or genetically modified crops.
Even within the organic milk spectrum, there can be a wide range in the quality of milk based on the dairy farms – amount of pasture time for the cows, type of feed, cows per acre, etc. Pasture time and diet is important because cows that eat a poorer diet produce milk with less beneficial omega-3 fatty acids than those eating a more natural grass-based diet. (Think: farm-raised salmon vs. wild salmon.)
What is ultra-pasteurization?
During my research, perhaps my most startling discovery was the meaning of ultra-pasteurization and the fact that most organic milk is ultra-pasteurized (say what??).
An Ultra-High Temperature (UHT; a.k.a ultra-pasteurized) dairy product means that it has been heated at or above 280° F for at least 2 seconds (to produce a product that is shelf-stable with an extended shelf-life).
So basically, all of the UHT milk sitting in the refrigerated section is just deceptive marketing. With aseptic packaging, they may as well be sitting on a shelf for up to 6-9 months.
Yup, you heard me right.
Remember Parmalat anyone?
What is high-temperature-short-time pasteurization?
The other type of pasteurization is known as High-Temperature Short-Time (HTST), which requires heating the dairy product to at least 161.6° F for 15 seconds.
As high heat (and excessively high heat even moreso) can denature proteins and damage nutrients and enzymes, it would be ideal for milk to be minimally heated. However, sadly, I neither live on a farm nor do I own a dairy cow, so the next best (and most hygienic) option, is to buy HTST organic milk.
Finding the brand of organic milk that works for your family and baby
The brand I ultimately chose, which is only available locally, uses milk from cows that are pasture-raised and grass-fed. They have a ratio of 1.25 cows per acre and allow the cows to be pastured 250-300 days a year. During the winter, their cows eat stored grasses.
Since they source from two local dairy farms and only provide milk regionally, they are able to process milk through the HTST method of pasteurization. Surprisingly, other than the $2.00 bottle deposit, the price of milk from Trickling Springs Creamery is similar to the other organic brands.
I definitely feel very lucky to live in a neighborhood with a grocery store that sells HTST organic milk. If I had not seen that glass jug next to all the other organic milk brands, I would never have thought to delve further. But, for those of you without that option, with all things considered, I would still buy ultra-pasteurized organic milk over non-organic pasteurized milk.
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I thought I was buying organic milk since it came in a glass bottle now I’m realizing it’s not certified organic (homestead creamery) has gone through the certification they said. Should I switch to ultra-pasteurized organic milk?
Hi Jenifer, there are definitely some positives to Homestead Creamery – pasteurization method, smaller farms, cows have access to pasture, and they, allegedly, follow organic practices without the actual certification. However, I also read that the cows are fed mainly grains and corn and allowed to pasture during the warmer months. (I could be wrong since I couldn’t find an official site for Homestead Creamery.)
In this case, I would try to buy milk from cows that are mainly grass fed. I know Organic Valley has a grassmilk line which I think is an excellent option and I’ve seen at local Whole Foods supermarkets. However, if your next best option option is say, a regular organic milk brand, you are probably splitting hairs. And, if you believe that Homestead Dairy does follow organic practices, I would probably give them the edge!
I’m so happy I found you!! Thanks for all of the information and education you provide here. I have yet to see the grass milk line but I’ll be looking for it this weekend (:
What brand is that in glass bottle? I can t find any
Adrian, if you are referring to the milk in my post, it’s Trickling Springs and only available in the Northeast.
Wait so if you didn’t have the local brand which of the three organic grocery store ones would you choose based on your research?
When I can’t get Trickling Springs, I always buy Organic Valley.
Yes!!!!!! Just found Trickling Springs at Whole Foods, Organic Valley and Maple Hill are excellent too. Thank you!!!!!!
I’ve been buying Kalona Supernatural from my local Fruitful Yield which has cream at the top and seems to be the best organic whole milk I can find. I’m going to look into local creameries. We have a farmer’s market that sells products, perhaps they also sell milk. It’s hard to find good quality milk that’s fresh and not full of crap. I was highly surprised by the pasteurization process for organic milk. It really is a marketing boon for companies to say something is organic which literally means nothing anymore. It’s organic if it’s from the earth, you know the source and can verify it is grass fed and natural all the way through. Thanks for sharing what you’ve learned!
Hi Beth, it’s great that you could find a good organic milk brand. It really is shocking how deceptive marketing can be at times! I’m constantly learning more about truly healthy foods and non-toxic products.
Hi Lotus,
I just bought Trickling springs organic milk yesterday. It is the first time i bought this brend and i love the taste. I was not sure the nutrition is as good as other 3 organic brand, because it does not say the nutrition facts on the glass bottle like what the percentages are vitamin A, D, and calcium…….
Do you have research about the nutrition facts on Trickling spring milk?
Thanks.
Hi Kristi, Trickling Springs adds vitamin A and D to their reduced fat (2%) and nonfat line. However, their whole milk line is without added vitamins as, according to Trickling Springs: “Vitamin A & D is naturally found in the milk fat and we are not required by law to add it so we bottle our Whole Milk fresh without any additives.” Calcium won’t very much across brands.
You can find the nutrition facts for Trickling Springs Whole Milk here.
Hi there. Though I am happy to see the extra time you put into finding better milk, I just thought I would share some info. Organic or not all cows milk is one of the most abusive & HORRIFIC industries ever to exist. Just like you – I THOUGHT I was doing good when I sought after the ‘better’ milks for my 6 yr old son & my family. What the farmers, cartons & pictures dont tell u …is that as soon as ALL baby calves are born… in order to have milk for humans, the baby calf is dragged away immediately . There is no sound in this world that is worse than the sound of a mother cow screaming & bellowing for her baby as it is dragged away. On some (very rare ) farms that are labeled humane ….even worse the newborns are fitted with awful nose inserts to prevent the baby from extracting milk from the mother. The baby will try & try but it can not nurse. All these atrocities (and I haven’t even mention the worse) are all done so that human babies can drink milk that is meant for baby cows. Now add that to the recently published research/ articles on the health risks of cow/animal milk on humans …and I think you readers too will soon decide that nobody (except for baby cows) should consume dairy!!!
My son is 6 yrs old. …always drank/consumed large amounts of milk and has always eaten other dairy/milk products (cheese, yogurt etc.). I have always loved animals & as a family we stay very active. But… to make a long story short I NO LONGER consume any dairy at all and have just recently (3 mo. ago) just transitioned my son completely OFF of all dairy as well. Don’t get me wrong it was a slow & tedious task. I only wish I had been given the info. sooner cause it would of been easier if he were a baby. Like any mother I was WORRIED about calcium …but now know there are healthier options, which actuually have more digestible calcium. (We use different types of unsweetened plant based milks for cereal)
Little did i know the other good side effects that would follow. My sons allergies have almost completly diminished. (I live in the panhandle of florida & the yellow pine pollen is covering everything) .
Well anyhow, I can only hope that this helps anyone that reads it. I wish I had known this stuff sooner myself . I am an everyday normal person/mom /wife . Just doing my best to do the best for my family. I love all animals too, and think they deserve all the same care & love as we do. My husband is a physcian and after seeing for himself the changes, he now even passes this info. on to his patients. (I am so proud) take care!
Honestly curious, is your family vegan?
I love this! My boy is turning 1 tomorrow and Dr said to switch at this point and this is helpful. I was also suckered by a glass jug at a local grocery store months ago for hunny and I, so I will now look into that brand. I believe it was local, but I will be researching this weekend before going grocery shopping. Thank you!
do you think that trader joes brand of organic whole milk is good?
Hi Juliana, currently, Trader’s Joe’s organic milk comes from an unknown origin and is not ranked well by Cornucopia. You can read about it here.
Snowville Creamery a great option if you live in Ohio! Pasteurized but not Ultra-pasteurized milk from grass grazed A2 cows that are not given hormones. Plus buying from them supports small farms using sustainable methods, and many of their farmers keep nursing cows together with their calves. The fact that they discuss the treatment of their animals on their website shows the company’s commitment to food transparency, which is SO important in this age of industrial food production. http://www.snowvillecreamery.com/
I went to go buy organic whole milk for my baby for the first time and forgot my phone which I always use beforehand to check out the best brands and came home with Horizon Organic Milk! I then got my phone to validate my purchase when I can across your post!
I was hoping to have more info on why Horizon is the worst one to buy?
I’ll have to finish this one unfortunately and buy better for the next one!
Hi Courtney, it’s great that you are thinking about these things! The main reason I don’t like Horizon is because they run larger scale dairies which include cows that have been non-organic for the first year of their lives. They do not give their cows adequate pasture time, and have not shown that they are concerned with the health and longevity of their animals. They also declined multiple invitations to submit their information to the Cornucopia study.
I believe happy, healthy cows produce better milk and would rather buy milk from cows that are treated better and have more access to pasture.
What do you think about Maple Hill Organic whole milk?
Hi! Finding this post a little late but I am also wondering what you’re thoughts are on Maple Hill Organic 100% Grass-Fed Cow Milk?