Can you freeze greek yogurt

Regularly consuming probiotic-rich foods like yogurt may confer a host of health benefits, including enhanced immunity, improved digestive health, and lower cholesterol levels 1 , 5 , 6 , 7. While they are killed at higher temperatures, they survive in your freezer for at least a few weeks 8 , 9 , One test-tube study looked at frozen yogurt made with two traditional bacteria strains — L.

After a day freezing period, researchers found no significant decline in the amount of bacteria present in the yogurt 9.

Researchers suspect that the live bacteria simply lay dormant until the yogurt is thawed 9. You also should take into account that certain added ingredients, such as fruit and grains, may be detrimental to the survival of bacterial strains This is because freezing collapses the protein networks in yogurt. The process releases water that, when frozen, separates from the milk solids.

The health-boosting live and active bacteria found in yogurt survive freezing. The most discernible change is its texture, which is grainier or thinner after freezing. Look for ingredients like pectin a fruit fiber , xanthan gum a sugar , and gelatin a protein , which prevent yogurt from separating in the freezing process.

They do so by gelling, or lending a consistent structure to the proteins found in yogurt This prevents the milk solids and water from separating as much as they would without doing so. Then, label your yogurt and simply stick it in the freezer.

This helps ensure that the yogurt stays within a safe temperature range that inhibits unsafe bacteria from thriving 11 , Freezing greek yogurt is a perfectly fine thing to do, and it will extend its shelf life by several months. Besides that the health benefits stay exactly the same.

Eating greek yogurt after it has thawed is just as good for you as eating it straight away. Though freezing it does have an effect on the texture. After defrosting the consistency changes. The yogurt will separate, and I can definitely recommend stirring it a couple of times before you have some.

I personally love greek yogurt, it tastes amazing to me, even after it has thawed. Though some people might feel like it can lose its smoothness and some of its flavor. Oh yeah, freezing greek yogurt will not produce the popular and well-known ice cream dessert. When freezing Greek yogurt, it is not advisable to simply place the entire tub in the refrigerator.

It is preferable if you do the following:. Greek yogurt pancakes are a delicious and healthy way to start the day. Check out this super simple method:.

Lunchtime cravings for Greek yogurt and pasta? Why not combine these two ingredients to make Greek yogurt pasta? More information can be found here:. Slice up some of your favorite vegetables or serve pita bread sticks with a flavorful Greek yogurt dip Tzatziki :. Yes, you can freeze Greek yogurt! In tubes: If your kids love go-gurts, you can start making your own by freezing your favorite yogurt in these tubes.

After the cubes are solid, they can be enjoyed as is or in a smoothie. Simply add a few cubes to the blender with the rest of your smoothie pack! Scoop the yogurt into each cup in the ice cube tray. Tap the tray to settle the yogurt.

Place the ice cube tray in the freezer, freeze until the yogurt is solid. Remove the frozen yogurt from the tray and transfer them into a zip bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. This method is more time-consuming but also very useful. I walk you through several yogurt freezing methods in this quick video.

Whether you freeze yogurt in its own container, an air-tight container, an ice-cube tray, or in a zip bag, you can keep yogurt in the freezer for up to two months. However, you can use that frosty yogurt in recipes like my Blueberry Coffee Cake recipe or add it to oatmeal for extra protein.

For optimal texture for spoon consumption, use within days. The recommendations above were tested with both regular and Greek yogurt. And guess what?!