 When you consider that one in five people, including more than 50,000 children in North Dakota, do not have enough food to eat each day, milk is a vital part of their diets. It is also one of the most requested items at food pantries, but the least donated as often there is not enough refrigeration. Typically, fresh milk only lasts 20 days, but shelf-stable milk can last up to a year without additional refrigeration.