​Make your own wonderful dairy recipes at home with our glass bottles

There's a real conversation opening up around dairy; particularly as people become more conscious of their health and the environment. Many people are keen to try fermented foods that help their natural gut flora and support their immunity and health. Most of us are looking at ways to help our families enjoy tasty, delicious recipes. And we're all keen to try to minimise waste and to do our bit to support the planet.

By making smart decisions in our kitchens, we can tick off every box. So today we're going to take a look at the ways you can use milk bottles at home and make your own delicious dairy products. When you make your own you can easily use up extra milk which might otherwise go off, and you can create absolutely delicious recipes in the process. Making your own doesn't only allow you to control the ingredients and the materials that you use, it also allows you to save money. Looking for something interesting to try with the kids? Why not have a go at yoghurt making, butter churning or even soft cheeses?

Make butter in a jar

Did you know that you can make your own butter in a glass jar? Find one of our popular canning varieties or a traditional screw-top lid glass jar and fill it halfway with heavy or double cream. Make sure the lid is on and then shake, shake, shake! It's hard work and takes a while, but it's a great workout and it's also a lot of fun for older children who can be trusted to keep hold of the glass. Use a plastic container for younger ones and share the shaking! You'll see that solids eventually form, so keep going until you have a ball of recognisable butter. Pour off the buttermilk, which you can use to make scones, and then rinse the butter well so that any remaining buttermilk is removed; kneading it as you go. It's a messy process but the butter will spoil very quickly if you don't rinse it well. Then, add salt to taste and any finely chopped herbs if you'd like to make herb butter. Roll it up and either serve immediately or store in the fridge. This butter will taste better than anything you could buy in the shops, and it's a great way to make use of any cream bargains you find in the supermarket at the end of the day!

Make yoghurt in your slow cooker

It's so easy to make your own bio yoghurt, and it tastes incredible too. Just grab your trusty slow cooker for this recipe and heat your milk up to 82c. Let it cool again at 43c for a couple of hours and stir in 100g of bio yoghurt, either from the shop or from an earlier batch you have made. Turn the slow cooker off, wrap it in a towel to preserve the heat and let it sit overnight. It can take up to 12 hours for the yoghurt to set, but you'll be left with an absolutely dreamy yoghurt with a fresh, zingy and 'live' flavour, not to mention a huge array of beneficial bacteria that will boost your gut and immunity. Try mixing it with a fresh fruit compote from your summer berries, or swirl in a little stewed apple with cinnamon. The yoghurt also works wonderfully with your homemade granola recipes. Store in the fridge in glass bottles.

Kefir in a milk bottle

You can also easily make your own kefir if you buy some kefir grains. Sterilise a milk bottle or wide-lidded glass bottle. Put half a teaspoon of the kefir grains inside the jar and add a pint of milk. Leave the milk on the worktop for up to 24 hours so that it ferments. You'll know that it has become kefir when it thickens. Put it in the fridge once it sets, and then strain it within 48 hours through a sieve. Rinse the kefir grains and save them for another batch. You can drink the kefir immediately, or put it in the fridge to store. Try adding a drop of lemon or oil or a slice of lemon zest to really bring out the fresh flavour.

Stock up on your glass bottles

Glass milk bottles are beautiful to look at, sterile and great for the environment. You can find a wide range online at Wares of Knutsford and we store all sizes and lid varieties, whether you prefer a traditional screwtop milk bottle or a larger preserving style glass bottle with a snap lid. Our delivery rates are highly competitive and we offer excellent prices and fast order fulfilment, with superb customer service at all times. Discover a huge range of kitchen essentials at Wares of Knutsford, and sign up to our newsletter for all of the latest news and offers. With new products constantly coming online, plus ideas, inspiration and competitions, there's something for everyone at Wares of Knutsford.