If yogurt is one of your favorite dairy products, it may help to know you can increase the shelf life by freezing it.
The yogurt will last longer and you can make the most from the yogurt you find on sale.
Can You Freeze Yogurt?
You can freeze yogurt, but the taste and texture of the yogurt may change once it has been frozen. This makes it more suitable for future smoothies and recipes rather than eating as-is.
How Can You Freeze Yogurt?
Freezing yogurt doesn’t need a lot of preparation. If you’re in a hurry, you can just toss the original container into the freezer.
However, there are some other ways you can prepare the yogurt if you want.
Preparation for Freezing
Unlike many other foods out there, yogurt doesn’t need a lot of preparation.
Some may prefer to stir the yogurt a bit before putting it in the freezer to avoid the ingredients separating.
You can also choose to transfer the yogurt to another container for freezing if you want.
While the standard plastic container is typically fine, the seal on the top can sometimes pop open.
Because of that, you can also choose mason jars or similar containers to freeze the yogurt in.
Considerations
Whenever you freeze something, there are changes that can occur within it. Keep the following considerations in mind when you’re freezing yogurt.
Taste
Over time spent frozen, the taste of the yogurt may diminish somewhat.
It’s worth keeping in mind that you may not want to freeze yogurt if you want to eat it as is later on.
However, it will still be perfectly good to add to recipes or smoothies.
Texture
Much like the taste of the yogurt, the texture will become less enjoyable after being frozen. It’ll still be okay to use, you just may not like it as much if you try to eat it by itself.
Color
For the most part, there won’t be too much of a change in the color from freezing. In some cases, it may dull a little but it shouldn’t be too much of a concern.
Nutrients
One thing you won’t need to worry too much about while freezing yogurt is a diminishing in the nutrients.
Yogurt is developed to provide probiotic assistance when it’s eaten. However, before we consume it the yogurt is kept cold.
The cold keeps the probiotics in a dormant state. Consequently, freezing it will only add to that dormant state.
When you eat the yogurt, your body will warm it up and allow you to get the benefits.
**Have lots of butter to spare? Find out if you can freeze butter in this guide here!!!**
How to Thaw Frozen Yogurt
The best way to thaw frozen yogurt safely is to move the container from the freezer to the fridge at least a few hours before you intend to use it.
This keeps it cool while allowing it to unfreeze.
Avoid leaving it on a counter or placing it in a microwave or other heating device.
Unlike the cold, heat will kill the probiotics and leave your yogurt tasting less pleasant.
How to Use Frozen Yogurt
As previously mentioned, freezing yogurt may not be the best idea if you just want to snack on some yogurt later on.
However, it can be used perfectly well in smoothies and other recipes that require yogurt. You’ll still get the same effects and the yogurt can even be stored in single-serving amounts to make usage easy.
If you’re a fan of smoothies, you can also pre-mix your smoothies with the yogurt and freeze those.
Other Ways to Store Yogurt
Because yogurt needs to remain cold, there aren’t many other options for storing it.
If you aren’t keen on freezing the yogurt then storing it in a fridge is the other option. It can’t be stored in room-temperature locations as it will go bad very quickly.
The limited storage options are a good reason to think about what you want to do with excess yogurt when you find it on sale.
Related Questions
What happens if you put yogurt in the freezer?
Something worth keeping in mind is that yogurt will expand as it goes through the process of freezing. Because of this, you’ll want to make sure the container you use has a little extra room.
That also means you should be careful if you place the yogurt in the freezer in the original container; the seal on the container may come open.
Another good reason to place it in a different container is to give yourself a chance to stir the yogurt. If left as-is, yogurt will separate as it freezes, making it harder to use later on.
How long can you freeze yogurt for?
When frozen, yogurt can last up to about 8 weeks. However, when you get close to that time period it’s a good idea to check it before consuming it.
If the yogurt smells or looks off, then it may be best to avoid it. Otherwise, go ahead and use it however you plan to.
Does freezing yogurt kill probiotics?
There’s no need to worry about losing out on the probiotics by freezing your yogurt. While it may affect a few, the vast majority will only go dormant.
When you eat the yogurt, it will warm up and the probiotics will be able to do their job.
Can you freeze yogurt and eat it like ice cream?
You can turn yogurt into a substance similar to ice cream, but it takes a little more preparation than just freezing yogurt by itself.
This starts with adding other ingredients like sweeteners and vanilla. Additionally, you can mix in any of your favorite additions like chocolate, fruit or cookie dough.
Finally, find a proper container to store it in. This could include yogurt cups, a freezer bag or a large, air-tight tub.
If you want the best results, make sure you freeze Greek yogurt.
Related Content: Can you freeze buttermilk? It seems like a delicate beverage for storing.
Conclusion
Whether you’re buying yogurt at the store or using homemade yogurt, the process of freezing it isn’t a difficult one. Yogurt can be frozen with minimal preparation and thawing yogurt is a very simple process.
If you love using yogurt in your recipes, this is a great way to make it last longer.
