After a long-winded search, we’re sharing 19 breast milk storage ideas that give you flexibility and functionality.
Whether you’re a new mom or you’ve confronted milk storage before, breast milk back stock can lead to serious anxiety. And even if you know the guidelines to storing milk, the actual storing part – can feel overwhelming.
Some breast milk storage ideas include:
Here’s to channeling our inner mama organizer below, so you don’t have to. And giving praise to the parents we found during our scrolling binges with genius breast milk storage ideas.
first organize your pantry, fridge, and freezer!
Cleaning your whole fridge and your pantry allows you to gain clarity around what milk storage concepts suit your family best.
World-renowned tidying expert and a mother worth obsessing over, Marie Kondo, stands by revising and decluttering spaces as a whole, instead of zoning in on small pieces of a project.
Here is a Kon Marie inspired checklist to follow for whatever you face:
- Imagine Your Ideal Pantry or Fridge
- Discard Old or Unused Items
- Tidy by Category, Not by Location (protein bars, cartons, condiments, fruits, etc.)
- Revisit Your Fridge/Freezer Containers and Pantry
- When Adding a New Storage Idea Ask: Does This Spark Joy?
Do this first and the rest will go much smoother. Once your other food storing areas are clean, revisit these breast milk storage ideas with a refined vision.
breast milk storage ideas that make opening your fridge – feel better
Once home to adult food – your freezer is now just stacks of differently dated milk.
Unfortunately Breast Milk Freezer Feng Shui isn’t a thing, but today – we’re making it a thing. Because the way we store our breast milk does affect our health and happiness.
Here are 19 ideas that can give your family space back and said best, work effortlessly for mom brain.
Breast Milk Storage Idea #1
freeze dry your own milk
Breast milk can and should go in your pantry. There are too many moms that don't know, you can freeze dry your own breast milk into shelf stable powder. With the right freeze dry brand, your nutrients can last up to three years or longer.
Freeze drying gives you the ability to store in your pantry or have carefree breast milk storage when you travel.
It’s My Leche was born from our own pains with breast milk storage and the pending doom of our precious milk’s expiration tag.
You don’t need to always worry about organizing your fridge and timing your frozen stash perfectly.
If you’re running out of space or time, that is what our Everyday Leche was made for. It’s your milk made into powder.
Parent tip: Does your frozen milk smell or taste sour, soapy or metallic? It may be due to an enzyme called lipase. Freeze drying neutralizes 90% of the enzyme allowing picky babies to drink up.
Breast Milk Storage Idea #2
trays! (made for milk)
While freezing all of your milk the tray way may not work for a larger supply, trays really come in handy for those times when baby wants just a bit more.
According to the CDC, once your milk has thawed at room temperature, it’s good for 1-2 hours.
Warming a single cube means you won’t have to thaw a whole 4 oz storage bag and risk milk gone bad.
Parent Tip: Even if your trays are microwave safe, never heat your breast milk in a microwave! Instead thaw by placing your cube in a bottle submerged in lukewarm water or in the fridge for 12 hours.
Trays made for milk have airtight tops like the one called Milkstache by Ceres Chill. Souper cubes are also great. Both BPA free.
Breast Milk Storage Idea #3
rotate with a dispenser
Having a dispenser in your fridge makes it so much easier to rotate your milk by date, so no precious bag goes bad.
Breast Milk Storage Idea #4
leche's super durable, freeze-flat bags
Leaking bags? We think not. Preserve every. single. drop. with our new pack of 25 premium bags. These babies come double zipped, BPA-free, and built for flat freezing. For ultimate stacking, combine with your favorite dispenser.
Breast Milk Storage Idea #5
the pitcher method
Cool freshly expressed milk in the fridge by itself to match the temperature of any milk already in the pitcher. Then, mix. This will prevent your previously refrigerated milk from warming up.
The pitcher method is great for collecting milk pumped on the same day and for a lot of mommas, it just feels easy. Which we need more of. Combining milk from the same day allows you to put the same date on your label.
The CDC states refrigerated milk is good for up to 4 days, so if you do mix days in your pitcher, be sure to label with the oldest date for expiration.
Breast Milk Storage Idea #6
color coding labels + containers
Color coding can give the eyes an easy way out of straining through milk dates.
For containers, use waterproof colorful labels to quickly visualize and group what milk is oldest. You can label the fronts by week and sort bags in order within the container for easy selection.
For bottles, you can try reusable color coded bottle labels, although the writing here can be tricky when wet.
Or stick with what's most reliable, use different color sharpies on permanent labels or bags themselves.
Breast Milk Storage Idea #7
freezer flats on etsy
Once you have a bag that’s durable and lays flat, you can take stacking them one level further and use the freezer flats. Combine multiple in a single flat. Layer them like bricks.
Breast Milk Storage Idea #8
clear soda can organizer
These clear containers are particularly helpful for freshly bagged stashes in the fridge or small stashes in the freezer.
With Brightroom’s Soda Organizer, you can sort your bags easily because of its sloped design. BPA free and freezer safe.
While our Leche bags can lean firm when full, flimsier milk bags will not hold shape enough for this. For lower strength bags, select the dispenser or freeze flats.
Parent Tip: Not all soda containers are freezer safe or BPA free, make sure to look at product details.
Breast Milk Storage Idea #9
dedicated breast milk storage freezer
Breast milk freezers exist! But really any deep freezer will do.
If you have a larger supply of milk, treating your milk flow to a dedicated freezer or deep freezer gives so much more grace to your adult food freezer.
Head Nod to HR: Chestfeeding employees? Dedicated breast milk freezers by Momcube were designed for office environments, some even have lockers!
Breast Milk Storage Idea #10
mason jars with handles
Glass containers can be an essential part of storing and defrosting milk. Mason jars, ideally with airtight lids, can be at the foundation of your routine. Larger jars follow the pitcher method and are most useful when bought with a handle.
Instead of defrosting individual bags, empty your contents into one of these mason jars.
To limit the jars going in and out of the fridge throughout the day, try smaller stackable mason jars like these.
Parent Tip: Store your bottles towards the back of the fridge. This allows them to remain consistent in temperature. When stored on the side of a door, the temperature will fluctuate.
Breast Milk Storage Idea #11
storage baskets
Baskets that have 3-4 inches inches in height will support your breast milk bags, while adding a little visibility. But let's get something straight about breast milk storage, there are no rules. And our DIY hacks are meant to give you full creative permission to use what you have. If it works, it works.
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diy breast milk storage ideas
Breast Milk Storage Idea #12
budget hack: use a soda box
Because of their width, soda and juice boxes store breast milk bags perfectly. But we’re seeing all kinds of boxes being used, so have at it.
Breast Milk Storage Idea #13
budget hack: use a bag as a dispenser
Often the simplest storage option is something you already have. DIY a dispenser with household items. This momma’s milk storage idea was a gift bag. Just cut a slit at the bottom.
Breast Milk Storage Idea #14
budget hack: use a tissue box
Effortlessly the prettiest DIY option for a smaller stash. Select a tissue box with a design you love. Label the front with an affirmation to keep you going.
Breast Milk Storage Idea #15
budget hack: use a shoe box
The shoe box can work for the fridge too, but shape wise, makes the most sense for storing large quantities of breast milk in the freezer.
If you get to the point you may need a second box, consider freeze drying your breast milk. The excess milk lasts for years, you could easily donate it, and at the least – you can take back some space.
Breast Milk Storage Idea #16
budget hack: use a diaper box
The mega dispenser of all DIY storage ideas. According to those that have tried it, this big box can hold about 12 6oz bags.
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travel-friendly breast milk storage ideas
Breast Milk Storage Idea #17
freeze dried breast milk sachets
Leche Premier is your breast milk freeze dried, but for on the go. Complete with 15 individual sachets filled with your shelf stable powder. Easy to pack, throw in your go bag, keep emergency stashes at grandmas or share with your baby's caregivers.
Breast Milk Storage Idea #18
the silicone milk box
Carrying up to 40 oz, it’s hard not to love Junobie’s version of a milk box. Particularly great for smaller travel days or walking around with fresh milk because of its silicone carry strap.
If you’re on the go and freeze dry your milk with Premier Leche, reconstitute your sachet with 4 oz of purified or distilled water.
Then, pour in your box. At room temperature your milk will be good for up to two hours or four days refrigerated.
Breast Milk Storage Idea #19
coolers made for breast milk
Both the Sarah Wells Cold Gold cooler and the PackIt Freezable Cooler are five star rated.
The Cold Gold cooler has a taller design, detachable and adjustable carry strap, and a bundle of useful features. The PackIt Freezeable Cooler is, you guessed it, fully freezable, so the bag itself adds hours for your travel. Great for breast milk storage on the plane.
send us more milk storing ideas!
So there they are.
The best breast milk storage ideas: freeze dry, trays, dispensers, double zipped bags, pitchers, color coded labels, freezer flats, soda organizers, dedicated freezers, mason jars with handles, storage baskets, shoe boxes, tissue boxes, gift bags, soda boxes, diaper boxes, travel sachets, milk boxes, and breast milk coolers.
While these ideas are lifesaving (maybe even fridge saving?), we know there’s so many more moms who have perfected an idea and now have a more manageable breast milk process.
We want to know how you did it. Do you have any storage ideas you think would help other mamas?
Tag us on Instagram at @itsmyleche so we can share it here (we’ll tag you back)!
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