I just keep it in the cabinet....not the one over the stove....the cool one.

I had a can that lasted for years just stored in the pantry.

I keep mine in its zipper bag in the baking drawers (with flour canisters, etc.) and haven't had it go bad. It can get clumpy from humidity, so I wouldn't want to keep it in the fridge. Or would if the ambient was high humidity. I suppose you could put a sugar bear (or polished piece of flowerpot (polished so no splinters) in it. It's dry to middling humidity here, and it takes quite a while for the buttermilk powder to go clumpy and sad. Do use very dry hands and tools with it.

I'm so glad you asked that! I bought a can a few months ago for a recipe and then didn't get it made; the can is still sitting on the cupboard shelf and I wasn't sure if I should pitch it.

I also had some that I kept on the pantry shelf, and then promptly forgot about it. It did turn hard as a rock in about a year, but I grated it up and dissolved it in liquid and it was just fine.

Annie

See, I didn't pose the question very well. I was wondering, if you keep yours in the fridge, in the original container, or if you put it in a jar or something.... same for if you keep it in the pantry/cabinet.

I am thinking of putting it in a canning jar, but not in the fridge... not a lot of space in there.

Moni

Mine was packaged in a tin with a snap on plastic lid, kept in the pantry. You want a container that excludes light. So not a canning jar. Perhaps a zip-loc Mylar bag. I recycle zip-loc Mylar bags that originally contained croutons. Just have to make sure they're thoroughly washed and aired out to eliminate odors. (DS likes the garlic croutons.)

I keep mine in the fridge in its original container and it has never gotten clumpy.

Same as Lars.

Mine is in heavy opaque plastic packaging with a good zip seal. It's easy to squeeze the air out. The air can be a problem with a can or jar. Not necessarily, but can be. I prefer the original packaging when possible because they've usually chosen it to do a good job for storage. If it were a can with a lid, however, I'd probably put it in a freezer zipper bag and then into a canister. To exclude the air. Because I don't use enough of it, fast enough.

Annie, good thought about grating. I'll try to remember that. Or run through the Vita-mix. :)

Mine is in a cardboard container. I keep it in the pantry with one of those moisture absorbing packets from a medicine bottle in it. It clumps up into a rock hard mass otherwise. Wherever I kept it, I would make sure it stayed dry, so in an airtight container if possible.

An alternative to powdered buttermilk is to make buttermilk from buttermilk & regular milk. I buy a half pint of buttermilk, empty it into a quart jar & fill the jar with regular milk. Let it set out at room temperature until it thickens up...usually within 24 hours. Then refrigerate. Depends on how warm your kitchen is. You can repeat this process a couple or three times, using your home made buttermilk to make more. I find that after 2-3 times, I need to buy a fresh half pint of buttermilk but I don't use it up very fast. If you go through a lot of buttermilk quickly, then I think you'll be able to keep that original half pint of purchased b'milk going a lot longer.

Both my goat and buttermilk came in cans with a plastic snap lid. Both manufacturers say for best quality, after opening, store in pantry up to 8-10 weeks. Or freeze. Unopened there should be a best-by date. usually 2-3 years from purchase. I would think if it is hard and clumped the quality would be compromised. 'Hard' would mean some moisture got in at some point.

I would not hesitate to use it much longer stored in the pantry, even 3-6 months but my climate/pantry is very dry. I agree the package/can it came in is the best for storage. Ball jar would be fine though.

I bought a 100 pack of the oxygen absorbers for 9$, 100cc. for bulk spices.

I keep mine in the freezer in one cup measures. Food saver shrunk. But I only buy it maybe once a year and the goat milk powder is probably a couple yrs old so freezer is best for my needs.