Time to class up tea time with these milk jugs

There are a few things my grandmother managed to drill into my father as a young age, and even fewer that he’s retained long enough to pass on to his children. But the cardinal sin of putting a milk carton on a dining or coffee table is one of them.

It’s totally fine to make a cup of tea by the kettle and grab the milk out of the fridge for a glug. But if it lingers any longer it becomes conspicuous by its loitering presence. A milk carton should never, ever venture beyond this fridge-counter sojourn; not to the island where a friend awaits a chat, not to the living room where you grab a few minutes peace after work and certainly never to the dinner table where you’re serving a caffeinated aperitif.

I know that it’s the definition of #notions, but it’s so well ingrained in me that a milk jug was one of the first things I bought when I moved into my scruffy rented flat (clearly savages lived there before).

Plus, it just looks so much better! So, in that vein, and because we’re all trying to adult a bit better, here’s a selection of milk jugs to elevate your tea and coffee presentation.

Keep it simple with this gorgeous pourer from Article, €40.

If kitsch if more your thing, Graham & Green‘s animal jug collection (around €33) are fun and sure to get some attention from visitors.

If you really cannot be dealing with the constant decanting and throwing away the unused milk dregs from a jug, why not opt for a stoppered glass milk jug that can go from fridge to table with ease. This one from Myran, from €25, comes with an airtight lid to seal in freshness.

Keep it Irish with one of Caroline Dolan’s diary jugs. Available in three colours, they have great texture and add a rustic feel without going full-blown country kitchen. Available from Irish Design Shop, from €45.

This may be a ritual I inherited from my well-to-do grandmother, but that doesn’t mean your milk jug needs to be stuffy old crockery covered in a smattering of flowers. This is a milk jug, but make it fashion, and I am here for it. Available from Amara, €63.

Featured image: Revol pitcher, €72, Amara