Just one time this past week, I purchased a half-gallon carton of Stonyfield Organic Whole Milk for review. Like their reduced fat (2%), lowfat (1%), and non fat (0%) milk products, this one was pricey, but delicious nonetheless.
While I normally avoid drinking whole milk, I made an exception in this Stonyfield case. Why? Because I’ve been so pleased with all the reduced fat offerings from Stonyfield that I was curious to see how they handled a whole milk offering. I’d say that they handled whole milk quite well.
In terms of flavor, this milk is quite creamy compared to their skim milk, and noticeably thicker than even their 2% milkfat milk. I have nothing negative to say about the taste of this whole milk. My big concern with drinking any whole milk though, (including Stonyfield, has, since young adulthood, centered around the high fat content and the attendant health rammifications of that. Never the flavor. Flavor-wise, I prefer whole milk to skim. But health wise, I prefer skim milk to whole. This remains true today, even for such a premium organic whole milk brand such as Stonyfield. Given whole milk’s inherrant unhealthy fats, I’m pleased that Stonyfield has made their whole milk as healthy through their organic processes, as whole milk can practically be. If you drink whole milk, you should give this brand serious consideration.
But to the product : Indeed, I’ve consumed hundreds of gallons of whole milk like this one during the 1970s and 1980s, and thus, have a good idea of how very good whole milk should taste. I find this organic milk delicious. It recalls to mind the days prior to all the newfangled extenders, pesticides, hormones, and other farming processes that crept into milk during the last two decades, that in my view, very much degrade its taste. Drinking Stonyfield is like going back in time to a point prior to all this milk adulteration of today. I like Stonyfield whole organic milk the most of all the other whole milk products I’ve tried.
Benefits, Pros, Advantages, and Features
- At roughly $3.94 per half-gallon carton, this milk is priced similarly to other name brand organic milk products in my area, such as the Horizon and Great Value brands.
- This product contains just one additive: vitamin D3. They do not put vitamin A or DHA omega-3 fatty acids into this product, which I appreciate.
- They package this whole milk in a carton; not a plastic bottle. Its great taste therefore, is far less impacted by the leeching plastic compounds from a plastic container, that sometimes get into the milk and destroy its gently sweet yet mild creamy flavor in the brands that use plastic. The carton is a big reason this milk tastes so pure.
- I’d prefer the old-style glass bottles ideally. But the carton used here comes in a close second to preserving all of the flavorful glory of whole milk.
- The carton also shields the milk from excessive light exposure, which can degrade the milk’s flavor as well as its nutritional values. Though the carton is not completely opaque, it allows only a small amount of light to fall on the milk.
- This product keeps for roughly two months in the refrigerator so long as it’s kept cold, and you do not open it. However, my personal experimentation reveals that even once opened, this milk still does not sour for several weeks.
- So it’s a wonderful drink to stock pile if you’ve got the room in your refrigerator. It keeps so long due to the ultra-pasteurization, but Stonyfield recommends that once you remove the pull-ring seal from the carton, that you use up this milk in seven days.
- The flavor is mild with a noticeable creamy taste; particularly if you’re used to drinking skimmed milk as I am. Due to this higher cream amount, this organic milk passes virtually no light at all. It looks pure white and rich in a clear glass.
- Though there are dietary advantages to adding the DHA omega-3 fats, I am grateful that Stonyfield, like Great Value, offers this product without any more than the required vitamin additives.
Disadvantages, Cons, Problems, and Concerns
- This milk contains 150 calories per one-cup serving. This is typical of whole milk but somewhat high for my liking. It has 8 grams of fat, 5 of which are saturated fat, and it has more cholesterol than reduced fat milks, at 30 milligrams per serving.
- My incessant complaint about most organic milk products like this one, is that they typically cost quite a bit more than their non-organic counterparts. So, plan to pay roughly twice as much per half-gallon as you’d pay for an equal amount of non organic whole milk. I don’t mind forfeiting this extra amount of money, as Stonyfield milk tastes much-improved over that of the non organic brands in my view, and is healthier besides. It’s worth the extra though I wish we didn’t have to pay so much extra for it.
Ingredients
Organic grade A milk, vitamin D3.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving size: 1 cup, or 240 milliliters. Servings per container: About 8.
- Calories: 150. Calories from fat: 70.
- Total fat: 8 grams, 12% DV.
- Saturated fat: 5 grams, 25% DV.
- Cholesterol: 30 milligrams, 10% DV.
- Sodium: 120 milligrams, 5% DV.
- Potassium: 350 milligrams, 10% DV.
- Total carbohydrate: 12 grams, 4% DV.
- Dietary fiber: 0 grams, 0% DV.
- Sugars: 11 grams.
- Protein: 8 grams.
- Vitamin A: 4% DV.
- Calcium: 30% DV.
- Vitamin C: 0% DV.
- Vitamin D: 25% DV.
- Iron: 0% DV.
Product Rating
I love Stonyfield Whole Organic Milk. But I must temper my rating somewhat, due to the additional expense as well as the presence of the milk fat. However, this is true of whole milk in general and not specifically to Stonyfield. In terms of the quality of this specific brand of milk, I’d rate it at 96 out of 100. But due to the health disadvantages of whole milk in general, I’d rate this product over all at 87 out of 100. Hopefully, they’ll learn how to decrease the cost-per-half-gallon to approach that of the non organic milk products.
Where To Buy Stonyfield Organic Whole Milk
Find this product at your favorite larger local grocery stores, including Walmart and Giant Eagle.
Look for it in the bright red and white carton with the leisurely cows grazing in a pasture on the front, and with the white cap, in the refrigerated dairy section.
References
Revision History
- : Adjusted category and tag assignments, fixed typos, and added whitespace.
- 2012-06-06: Originally published.