Milk, reduced fat, fluid, 2% milkfat, with added nonfat milk solids, without added vitamin A

2% milk is the middle ground between whole and skim, and the added nonfat milk solids give it a slightly fuller body and a touch more protein than a plain reduced-fat milk. It is the everyday pour for cereal and coffee, but it also works in most cooked applications where whole milk would otherwise be used: bechamel and other sauces, mashed potatoes, pancake and muffin batters, custards, and mac and cheese. Because it is lower in fat than whole milk, sauces and custards made with it will be slightly less rich, so cooks who want a thicker result often add a bit more flour, cornstarch, or egg yolk to compensate. It steams reasonably well for coffee drinks, producing a passable microfoam, though it will not be as silky as whole milk foam.

Pick up cartons with the latest sell-by date, and give one a shake before pouring since milk fortified with added solids can settle slightly. Once opened, keep it cold and use it within about a week for best flavor; it should not sit out at room temperature for more than two hours. At only 56 calories and under 2 grams of fat per 100 grams, it is a low-calorie way to add protein and calcium to a meal without much added fat, delivering 11% of the Daily Value for calcium and a modest 3.95 grams of protein per 100 grams. Its low sodium content, just 59 milligrams per 100 grams, also makes it an easy choice to pour freely over cereal or into coffee without much sodium tradeoff.