Milk which will not be made into butter must be made into cheese.

Understand the thought

Meaning in plain English

When the intended use of something is unavailable, consider whether another suitable use is possible. The saying encourages adaptation to a constraint rather than insisting that the original plan is the only worthwhile outcome.

What the words are saying

The milk image offers a second product when the first cannot be made. Its practical reading concerns redirecting a resource rather than abandoning it simply because an initial purpose has failed. A material, skill or piece of work may serve another task, provided that the alternative really fits. The saying does not establish a food-processing rule or guarantee that anything rejected for one purpose is safe or useful for another. Adaptation requires a fresh assessment of what is available and what the alternative needs. The point is to investigate a feasible second use, not to disguise a problem by giving it a new name.

Everyday example

A club cannot print its planned large poster, so it adapts the approved design into smaller notices that its available printer can produce clearly.

When to use it

Use it when an original plan fails but the available work or resources may suit a different legitimate purpose.

Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.