Yogurt is a tasty treat that has healthy fats with probiotic features. Most people love yogurt, especially during the warm seasons. It can help you feel better on a sunny day, especially the cold one. If you love yogurt, buying them in bulk at times is economical. At times you might buy many of them when there’s a flash sale.
Because plain yogurt is low on carbs, healthy, and delicious, it is widely considered a staple of many low carb diet recipes. Adults and children also love flavored versions of yogurt, but remember that sweetened yogurt contains a high amount of carbs, just like other kinds of desserts. You should be careful not to overindulge in eating sweetened yogurt if you’re on a strict low-carb diet.
Given that it’s a dairy product with live bacteria, it can be a good health decision. But can you freeze it without interfering with these benefits? What will you do to keep them fresh longer? And which method can you use to freeze your yogurt and for how long? Find your answers here.
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Can You Freeze Yogurt?
The answer is yes. You use your freezer to store other food to avoid wastage. It’s the same way you can use it to freeze yogurt. But it’ll also depend on what you’ll want to use it for afterward.
This is because it can change its texture after thawing, which is something you may never like. Also, its flavor might change. When you freeze yogurt, its consistency will also change to that of cottage cheese-like.
If you are using it to prepare various recipes, you won’t realize the difference. You can use frozen yogurt for baking. It can also help you in cooking and making simmer sauce, spreads and dips. It’s advisable to freeze your yogurt for a maximum of one month. But if the expiry date is before that date, ensure you use all of it by then.
Why Does Greek Yogurt Say Do Not Freeze?
Greek yogurt usually is thick and creamy. But when you freeze it, its water will be drawn from the gel making the protein structure collapse.
When this happens, Greek yogurt will have two separate layers, which can interfere with its texture and taste. So, they say “do not freeze” to avoid interfering with its structure and texture.
Can You Freeze Greek Yogurt?
You can freeze Greek yogurt and still retain its nutritional benefits. All you require is to use the best method to freeze it.
If you do that, it can last up to two months. But it will become watery after you thaw. If you want to eat it, ensure to mix thoroughly to make it smooth and with equal thickness.
Can You Just Freeze Yogurt to Make Frozen Yogurt?
You can freeze yogurt to make it frozen. However, it may turn out to be hard as a brick if you let it solidify.
If you freeze yogurt to make it frozen, it will be tangy and with a thinner texture. You can either freeze yogurt in smaller portions using silicone freezer trays.
Making them into smaller pieces will help it retain its texture and consistency. Alternatively, you can use ice cube trays, which makes them a bit smaller than the silicone freezer trays.
Can You Freeze Yogurt for Smoothies?
You can freeze yogurt to make fruit smoothies. All you need to do is to put the yogurt in ice cube trays then freeze it.
After it has frozen, place the yogurt cubes in a freezer-safe container and then use them for making your smoothies.
Can You Free Yogurt Before It Expires?
Yes, you can freeze yogurt before it expires. To extend its life, place it on a clean snack bag and seal the top tightly. After that, squeeze the yogurt from the bag into an ice tray, then give it some time to settle. But tap the tray to make the yogurt resolve faster.
You can freeze it until the day you’re ready to use it. Ensure you mark the expiry dates with a marker pen. Doing so will help you know when you’re to eat them up before they expire.
But it can also stay in the freezer for about two months past its expiry date. However, it may have a different taste and flavor after thawing. Once you get the yogurt out of the freezer and it melts, eat it all without leaving leftovers.
Can You Freeze Yogurt for Baby Food?
Given that freezing helps extend the life of yogurt and avoid wastage, you can freeze it. Frozen yogurt for baby food can help them reduce pain while teething. Freezing the yogurt for baby food will also save you from going to the shops frequently, saving time.
Since you can mix yogurt with other foods like vegetables and fruits, freezing them together can help preserve when they’re out of season. So, you’ll be able to feed your baby healthy treats throughout the year, even when they’re out of stock. But ensure you freeze them properly to last longer.
Remember, freezing yogurt doesn’t interfere with its nutrients or health benefits, so your kid will eat healthy food. If you’re debating whether it’s right to give your baby frozen yogurt, consult with a pediatrician. However, older babies can eat it in moderation to avoid developing complications.
Can You Freeze Yogurt into Popsicles?
You can make yogurt popsicles, especially during the hot summer days. Yogurt popsicles are one of the best summer treats that’s easy to make. Pops are so refreshing and satisfying. If you have kids, make them homemade yogurt popsicles and see how they’ll enjoy it.
You can use either plain or Greek yogurt. However, Greek yogurt can do well since it’s creamy and thick. To make your popsicles sweet and amazing, add some fruits like blueberry or strawberry.
Can You Freeze Yogurt and Eat It Like Ice Cream?
Yes. But most likely, your yogurt ice cream won’t taste like ice cream. To avoid making your yogurt hard while freezing, add some sugar. The sugar will make it soft so that you can scoop it like ice cream. But it’s advisable to use natural sugar like honey to prevent it from forming ice.
While frozen yogurt is a fun, sweet treat, one should bear in mind that they come in larger serving sizes compared to ice cream. Hence, you have to keep your serving size in check if you’re on a diet. It’s better to stick to half a cup or about a baseball-sized serving at most. For self-serve yogurt, you could fill your cup with fruits and serve a small amount of delicious frozen yogurt as a topping.
Frozen yogurt is healthier than ice cream as it has live bacteria, which is beneficial to your health. Add more fat to make your yogurt creamy, scoopable, and smooth.
You can use either coconut cream, mascarpone cheese, or heavy cream. It’s better to prepare homemade frozen yogurt as the ones that are sold in the stores mostly contain more water than yogurt.
The best pairings for frozen yogurt include the following ingredients:
- Hot Fudge Sundae: While chocolate syrup and ice cream make up an awesome combo, the combination of chocolate syrup and frozen yogurt is even healthier, especially if you use low-sugar yogurt.
- With Fresh Fruits: Take a few slices of sweet fruits like mangoes, berries, bananas, or apples. Put them all in a medium-sized bowl and place a dollop of low-fat frozen yogurt atop.
- Toast: Toast a slice of bread, slather butter on it, and add a dollop of frozen yogurt on top.
Others: Frozen yogurt also goes well with cake sandwiches, waffles, frozen almond milk, and potato chips.
How To Freeze Yogurt Using Ice cube trays
You can freeze yogurt using different methods. However, the procedure will depend on what you're planning to use it for after thawing.
Materials
- Yogurt
Tools
- Ice cube trays
- Freeze bag
Instructions
- If you intend to use frozen yogurt to make smoothies, this is the perfect way to keep it in the freezer. The ice cube tray will make them smaller, which you can easily mix with other ingredients while blending.
- All you need is to buy the ice cube trays and put the yogurt in.
- Then give the yogurt time to become frozen before transferring them to a freezer bag.
- The bag will prevent them from picking flavor that's in the freezer and being too frosty.
Freezing in containers
You can either keep it in the freezer while it’s still in its package. Or use an airtight container if you have a big tub and store it in smaller portions.
If you’ve bought a bigger pack of the small yogurts in smaller containers, you can put them in the freezer that way. Freezing yogurt this way seems the easiest as you don’t need to repackage it.
Freezing in a tub
Another method you can use to freeze yogurt is by using a big tub. You’ll only transfer the yogurt in the tub and put it into the freezer.
Freezing yogurt in tubes
If you have kids that love go-gurts, this is the best way to freeze your yogurt. It can help you save money on store-bought go-gurts. Plus, homemade doesn’t have much sugar like the ones you buy. So, it’s a healthy option for your family. This method is ideal if you want to freeze yogurt over a short period without affecting its texture.
How Long Does Yogurt Last in Freezer?
Whether you use a tube, airtight container, or ice cube trays, don’t let your yogurt overstay in the freezer. The maximum duration should not exceed two months. During that period, ensure it’s deep inside the freezer since the constant temperature change can make it spoil.
Also, avoid putting it on the freezer’s door as it will interfere with its bacteria. Ensure you mark their expiry date to avoid missing the duration you need to eat them up. But remember, it may fail to have its original taste and texture.
Yogurts with high-fat content tend to last longer in the freezer than the ones with lower fats. Note that once you get your yogurt out of the freezer and its thaws, don’t let it stay out for long without eating it. This is why marking the dates is important. It’ll help you know how many days it can stay out of the freezer.
To know the duration, it can stay out after taking it out of the freezer, do calculations. Use the number of days it’s been in the freezer and minus its original expiry date. If it’s four days, then eat it up within four days.
How Long Does It Take Yogurt to Freeze?
The hours you can freeze yogurt depends on what and when you want to use it. If you want it hard, freeze it for up to six hours or let it stay overnight. When you’re ready to serve your yogurt, give it some time, like 30 minutes, to chill. Doing this will make it soft and easy to scoop.
What Happens When You Free Yogurt?
When you free yogurt, its texture will change. Instead of being smooth and silky, it’ll become watery and grainy. So, when you eat it, your mouth will have a grainy feel.
Also, its flavor will change. Usually, yogurt is a bit sour, but if you freeze and then free it, it’ll become tangier. If you love acidic food, this will be a good result. But if not, you’ll be in great shock. However, you can use it for cooking other foods instead of throwing.
Another thing that will happen after freeing your yogurt is a change in its consistency. Water will be on its own and also milk. But that’s not a big worry as you can mix it thoroughly to make it even. But it will be a bit thinner with more water than before.
How to Thaw Frozen Yogurt?
If you want to thaw yogurt, remove it from the freezer and put it in the fridge. Let it stay overnight if you plan to use it the following day. The refrigerator will help it not go bad and also prevent it from being too warm. The time it will take to defrost depends on the type of container you did store it on.
If you realize its texture isn’t appealing to eat after thawing, use it for baking or making smoothies.
If you forgot to put it on the fridge overnight, allow it to thaw on the counter. But ensure you eat it all. Or return it to the refrigerator after one hour to prevent it from spoiling.
Does Freezing Yogurt Kill the Probiotics?
The answer is yes and no. when you freeze Greek yogurt; some bacteria may die. Some may also become dormant. Although you thaw the yogurt and get back to room temperature, the probiotics will become active again.
Note that not all yogurts contain probiotics, even though all of them have live bacteria. Live probiotic gets killed at a temperature of -18 degrees and above.
How Do You Store Leftover Frozen Yogurt?
You can store leftover frozen yogurt after opening for not more than two hours. Use plastic wrap to cover the area which you did uncover, then re-close it. Doing this will prevent it from forming ice and also help maintain its texture.
Alternatively, you can keep it in an airtight container but without the containers sealed.
Conclusion
Freezing yogurt is the best way to reduce daily trips to the store, especially if you love eating it. However, ensure you use the right method to freeze it either in an airtight container or ice cube trays.
Note that freezing won’t kill the probiotic but help enhance its tangy taste. If you don’t like the taste of frozen yogurt, use it to prepare smoothies or pops.
If you have a question about anything relating to the topic, please ask it in the comment section. Remember, you can freeze yogurt for around one month but mark its expiry date.
