Also - Sanalac comes in a big box full of of individual quart sized foil pkgs. It took me years to go through a box on just cheesecake and pudding and I've noticed no deterioration in flavor.

It's been more years since I used Carnation. The problems I noticed with it were, it wouldn't keep from year to year, it's consistency would change. Caking, yellowing... so I'd have to get a new box every year and even then it had a certain 'boxy' stale flavor. It was OK for choc pudding but not great for cheesecake. Grainy, gritty sounds familiar too.

FWIW - It's been a while since I purchased either so things may have changed. I don't know what either would taste like as just milk and I'd rather have a nobake cheesecake than a real one anytime.

yadda-yadda - Hey it's November:
Since most of my trips are solo, I'll split a box of cheesecake into quarters by weight (as exactly as possible;-)). The required milk powder, mix and crumbs (w/ added sugar) are bagged separately inside a ziplock that with the addition of a little water becomes both shaker and bowl. Add filtered water to the milk and shake. Add mix - shake. Add the butter sealed crumbs on top and wrap in a wet towel while the Walleye is frying... Serve w/ coffee followed by a quiet evening paddle... Pure heaven and the night has just begun. There's still cocoa and rum laced with, oh I don't know, perhaps Coffee Mate? - Life's little pleasures are in the details...