Ready to use

Skim milk poured into a glass reveals its characteristic thin, pale blue-white color.

The distinctly thin consistency and pale blue-white hue are the most immediate visual identifiers that distinguish skim milk from whole or reduced-fat milk.

Dairy & Eggs

Skim Milk

Fat-free milk for lighter drinking, coffee, and cooking

All the protein and calcium with none of the fat, skim milk is the lighter choice for coffee and cereal, though it lends less richness to cooking. Keep it cold and use within a week.

Skim (or fat-free) milk is whole milk with essentially all the cream spun out, leaving under 0.5% fat. What remains is the watery, protein- and sugar-rich part of milk, so it tastes thinner and cleaner, looks faintly blue-white, and lacks the round mouthfeel of fuller milks. It carries the same protein and calcium as whole milk with a fraction of the calories and saturated fat, which is why it's the choice for lighter drinking and calorie-aware cooking. In the kitchen it behaves like whole milk for most purposes but gives less body — sauces feel leaner, coffee foam is airy but less velvety, and baked goods come out a touch less tender.

Measured in: ml
Storage: Refrigerate
Shelf life: 7 days

Allergens

Dairy

Find it in

Dairy

Types & varieties

Pasteurized skim

The fresh standard; clean flavor, short fridge life.

UHT skim

Shelf-stable unopened, handy pantry milk with a faint cooked note.

Powdered skim (dried milk)

Reconstitutes with water; great for boosting protein in doughs and sauces.

Protein-fortified skim

Filtered to concentrate protein for a fuller body without the fat.

How to choose

Pick the latest date and the coldest carton. Skim should look bright white with a slightly translucent, bluish cast — that's normal, not spoilage. If it smells sour or looks lumpy it's done. For frothing, very fresh cold skim whips into voluminous but stiff, dry foam — better for cappuccino than a silky latte.

How to store / food safety

Hold at or below 4°C on a shelf, not the door. Use within about a week of opening. As with all milk, only pasteurized skim is safe for pregnant people, infants and the immunocompromised.

How to cook

Skim scorches and curdles more readily than whole milk because there's no fat buffering the proteins, so heat it gently and avoid hard boils with acid. To restore body in a sauce, whisk in a little dried-milk powder, a starch slurry, or a knob of butter at the end.

Common uses

Everyday lighter drinking and cerealCalorie-aware smoothies and shakesLean white sauces and soupsCoffee for those avoiding fatProtein-boosting doughs with added milk powderLightened custards and puddingsBread bakingOvernight oats

Tips & pitfalls

Add a spoon of powdered milk to skim to thicken sauces without adding fat.
Skim froths into stiff, dry foam — ideal for traditional cappuccino caps.
Use whole or semi-skimmed where richness matters; skim shines in lighter cooking.
Heat very gently; with no fat it scorches and skins faster.
Finish a skim-based sauce with a pat of butter for mouthfeel.

Nutrition

56kcal

Energy

234 kJ · per 100 g

Where the calories come from

Protein 41%Carbs 56%Fat 3%

Protein

5.7g

11% DV

Carbs

7.7g

3% DV

Fat

0.2g

0% DV

Fiber

0% DV

Sugars

7.7g

of which

Sodium

77mg

3% DV

Notable micronutrients

Vitamin B1225% DV

Riboflavin (B2)18% DV

Calcium15% DV

Phosphorus13% DV

Zinc9% DV

Selenium7% DV

Source · USDA FoodData Central · approx. Yogurt, plain, skim milk

View on FDC →

In the shops

Matched grocery products

Skimmed Milk
Hacendado · 1 L · Mercadona
€0.82
Skimmed Milk Asturiana
Asturiana · 1 L · Mercadona
€1.13
Skimmed Milk
Hacendado · 1.5 L · Mercadona
€1.47
Skimmed Milk
Hacendado · 6 L · Mercadona
€4.92
Skimmed Milk Asturiana
Asturiana · 6 L · Mercadona
€6.78
Skimmed Milk
Hacendado · 9 L · Mercadona
€8.82

Good to know

Type: Fat-free cow's milk, under 0.5% fat
Flavor: Clean, thin, mildly sweet, watery
Nutrition: ~34 kcal/100g, ~3.4g protein, ~0g fat
Storage: Refrigerate at or below 4°C
Buy: Furthest date, well chilled, sealed

Substitutes

Semi-skimmed milk — A little fat for more body; near-direct swap.
Unsweetened almond milk — Similarly light and low-calorie for drinking and cereal.
Reconstituted milk powder — Mix to skim strength for cooking in a pinch.

Pairs with

CoffeeOats Berries Honey BananaCocoaCinnamon

Also called

fat-free milk · leche desnatada · llet desnatada