Strawberry Milk vs Buttermilk: Which is Better?

Strawberry milk is a staple in many of our childhoods – although it may not be as popular as chocolate milk, it’s still a delicious option that hits all the right taste buds!

Another unique milk type is buttermilk, which is especially popular in baking and cooking! It has a flavor profile that’s quite different to strawberry milk, and they’re opposites in many ways – despite being essentially different versions of regular milk!

Now, to really understand which is better, we have to get into the nitty gritty details of both strawberry milk and buttermilk, comparing the two in many ways to see which one fits your needs the best!

Let’s jump in and check them out!

Comparing strawberry milk vs buttermilk

Both strawberry milk and buttermilk are animal-based, making them unsuitable for vegan diets. They also have milk as an allergen, and aren’t good choices for paleo and keto diets either!

	Strawberry milk (whole)	Buttermilk (lowfat/1%)
Type	Animal-based	Animal-based
Allergens	Milk	Milk
Vegan?	No	No
Paleo?	No	No
Keto?	No	No

Differences between strawberry milk and buttermilk

The main differences between strawberry milk and buttermilk are their flavors and textures.

Strawberry milk tastes like, well, strawberries! Unfortunately, the ones you get in the store don’t contain any real strawberries, but use artificial flavoring in most cases. However, you can easily make homemade strawberry milk that uses real ingredients! It’s also very sweet, and isn’t really used for baking and cooking like buttermilk is…

Buttermilk is tangy and slightly sour, quite different from strawberry milk! It also has a thicker and even creamier texture, and is mainly used in baking or cooking – however, you can drink it straight too! It’s made by adding a probiotic culture to regular milk, which ferments it.

How to use strawberry milk vs buttermilk

There are many ways in which you can use strawberry milk and buttermilk, including: 

Strawberry milk:

• Enjoy it as a refreshment.
• Add it to your cereal for a unique twist.
• Make strawberry smoothies. 
• Mix it into your pancake and waffle batter for a fun twist.
• Put it in your coffee for a very unique flavor.
• Freeze into popsicles.

Buttermilk:

• Drink by itself or use like kefir. 
• Use it for marinades and brines.
• Tenderize meat with it.
• Add its tangy flavor and creamy texture into many recipes.
• Moisten different bakes like pancakes, cookies, and cakes.
• Use it to make thick and creamy dressings and dips.

Can you substitute strawberry milk for buttermilk?

For drinking and a few recipes, you could use these interchangeably.

However, buttermilk and strawberry milk are very different in terms of flavor, so most recipes that call for buttermilk specifically won’t work with strawberry milk. If you’re making something like pancakes, though, you could really change the dish up by experimenting with substituting these for each other!

I recommend keeping buttermilk in recipes that call for it rather than trying strawberry milk in those, as buttermilk has moistening properties that can be important. 

Nutrition: Strawberry milk vs buttermilk

Strawberry milk tends to have a lot of added sugar, and has much more overall than buttermilk. It also has more calories, fats, and carbs – strawberry milk has one of the highest carb contents out of all milks! Keep in mind that the fat content will depend on the type you choose, with there being whole, low-fat, and non-fat options.

Buttermilk has a bit more protein, with 10 grams per serving. It’s also high in carbs, and both have very similar calcium and vitamin D contents. 

Buttermilk also has probiotics in it, which is great!

Per 1 cup (237 ml/8 oz.)	Strawberry milk (whole)	Buttermilk (lowfat/1%)
Calories	210	120
Total fat (saturated)	8 g (5 g)	2.5 g (2 g)
Total carbs	27 g	15 g
Total sugars (incl. added)	25 g (14 g)	11 g (0 g)
Protein	8 g	10 g
Calcium	20% DV	25% DV
Vit D	10% DV	10% DV

How to store strawberry milk and buttermilk

Strawberry milk should be stored in the fridge with the lid sealed tight. It’ll last around 6-9 days, or slightly less than regular milk lasts (7-10 days). The extra sugar and artificial flavorings in strawberry milk are what makes it last a little less. 

Buttermilk should be stored in the fridge too, lasting you around 7 days unopened. Once it’s opened, use it within 5 days for the most freshness! Keep an eye on the best-before date, but some brands claim that it’ll last up to 14 days after opening – take that with a grain of salt!

Strawberry milk vs buttermilk: Which is better?

So, which is better?

Strawberry milk is a great choice if you want a sweet and flavor option, while buttermilk is the choice to make if you want to use either of these for baking and cooking. 

Overall, I recommend buttermilk as strawberry milk has a fair bit more sugar, calories, and carbs, and buttermilk is a great choice for baking that simply can’t be replaced by strawberry milk!

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