Totally discovered this on accident!

Neither DH nor I drink milk (we both use rice or soy milk), but we do buy it from time to time for certain recipes.

I had a package of chocolate instant pudding mix in the cabinet and was really needing a chocolate fix, but we didn't have any milk.

We just so happened to have 2 12-oz cans of evaporated milk in the cupboard.

I figured, hey, that's exactly how much I need, it should work.

So I used the evaporated milk to make the pudding.

OMG! This is the best pudding ever! So thick and creamy! Much much better than made with fresh whole milk! I'm making pudding this way from now on.

As an added bonus, now all the ingredients I need for it are shelf-stable.

We don't eat pudding much, but now we can have all the ingredients on-hand.

Not sure if anyone else already knew this trick, but I just had to share.

Wow! That does sound yummy!

I think in the 1940's and 50s and much earlier, they cooked with canned milk much of the time out of necessity, and so I think its great that you discovered something from your grandmothers pantry thats cool

prterrell..i assume it is the large box of instant pudding.. with the 2 cans of milk.. yes, my mama always used canned milk.. she was a great cook..i want to try this.. sounds yummy

Yeah, it was a family sized box. If it were the 4-serving size, I would have only needed 1-1/3 cans, in which case I would have used 1 can and filled in the other 1/3 with the half-and-half we have around for coffee. Oooo. That makes me think. What would pudding made with all half-and-half be like?

thanks prterrell.. that is exactly what i thought.. going to make it this week.. ha!

Yes my parents used it in their coffee and tea, and also for cooking.

I am a little older and have to laugh because I used to use it all the time in my mashed potatoes, and then started using heavy cream or reg milk instead, I don't know why I stopped.

I mix condensed milk with pudding mix all the time. Try this for the yummiest cake filling: 2 boxes instant pudding mix mixed with 1 can condensed milk and 1/4-1/2 cup water. Fold in some cool whip or whipped Rich's bettercream!! My favorite is the white chocolate pudding! Everyone loves it!

I always use evaporated milk in my scratch banana pudding that was the recipe my aunt gave me years ago. I also use it when baking when out of milk.

Try making the cook and serve vanilla pudding with the evaporated canned milk. It is absolutely wonderful and is even better when eaten warm.

I have to smile when I see everyone discovering canned milk. I'm dating myself when I say I have been using it since I was a child helping my mom in the kitchen. It is one of the staples in my cupboard and I love the flavor it gives to hot chocolate, puddings and a number of other things. I have loved it, even considering the 10 gallons daily of delicious, fresh milk I got from my own milk cow. (Believe me, with that much milk I had to take up cheese making. So it was not out of necessity that it remained on my shelves!)
NoahLili, I am looking forward to trying your recipe for filling. Surely does sound good.