Can You Freeze Greek Yogurt? Here’s How To Do This Right

We all for buying various foods in bulk simply because they’re on sale and that goes for yogurt too. However, quite often, the massive sales are due to an approaching expiration date, so you may be left with just a bunch of food to throw if you don’t have time to consume it all. One of the things we found on sale oftentimes is Greek yogurt, which like most dairy, has a relatively short shelf life. So, can you freeze Greek yogurt so you have it for longer?

Greek yogurt is great consumed as is or part of a number of dishes, it goes great with salads, meats, and of course, Greek dishes. 

Can You Freeze Greek Yogurt?

One of the questions we received quite a few times from our readers is whether or not Greek yogurt can be frozen. In fact, here’s one of the messages we received:

Q. I bought several containers of Greek yogurt on sale, but I can’t eat them all by their expiration date.  Can you freeze Greek yogurt?

So, can you? Yes, you can freeze Greek yogurt, extending its shelf life by several months.  The quality and benefits of the yogurt should remain intact if frozen properly, although the consistency may change once thawed.  The yogurt will separate, making it necessary to stir thawed yogurt to improve the consistency. 

Also, yogurt may lose some of its smoothness and a bit of its flavor in the freezer.  Freezing Greek yogurt will not result in the ice cream-like consistency of commercially prepared frozen yogurts. That requires additional ingredients to ensure a smooth, consistent texture.

How to Freeze Greek Yogurt?

While you can freeze unopened containers of Greek yogurt, the yogurt may expand in the freezer.  It’s recommended to freeze yogurt in airtight freezer bags to avoid both freezer burn and the yogurt absorbing odors from the freezer. Seal the freezer bags completely, and then label the yogurt with the date frozen using a permanent marker.  Frozen yogurt should be consumed within six to eight months of freezing.

Many people don’t like the consistency of the yogurt once it has been defrosted and don’t eat it plain.  Instead, thawed Greek yogurt is perfect for baking, thickening soups or casseroles, or for adding to dips.  It also makes great smoothies.

To freeze Greek yogurt in small, single-serving quantities for smoothies, scoop some yogurt into ice cube trays.  Place the trays into the freezer.  When yogurt is frozen through, pop the cubes out of the tray and transfer them to freezer bags. Remove the air from the freezer bags and seal completely.  Label the bags with the date frozen using a permanent marker. Remove one or two cubes at a time when preparing smoothies.

Plain yogurt can also be flavored before freezing, by adding small pieces of fruit or fruit puree to the yogurt before freezing. Freezing yogurt in ice cube trays allows for several different flavours to be made at once, without having to work in several batches.

How to Keep Frozen Greek Yogurt Longer?

One cool thing you can do to make sure your Greek yogurt lasts longer, even when frozen, is to use a food saver. Generally speaking, food savers make a perfect seal which helps keep the flavors of the foods you’re freezing and prolong the life of the food. Basically, you can keep the bags in the freezer for longer. 

We are particularly happy with the results we got by using the FoodSaver V4840 2-in-1 Vacuum Sealer Machine which works with bags of 8 or 11 inches, meaning you can definitely make single-serve portions, or freeze up larger meals. 

How to Thaw Frozen Greek Yogurt?

To use frozen yogurt here’s what you have to do:

• remove the bag from the freezer and let defrost in the refrigerator for several hours
• remove from bag and stir to improve consistency if separation has occurred
• for cubes, remove a cube from the bag and add directly to smoothie ingredients, or allow the cubes to thaw in a bowl in the refrigerator

There you have it – this is how you can freeze, keep, and thaw your frozen Greek yogurt. When you want to use some Greek yogurt for a delicious dessert, you can try out the Frozen Yogurt Recipe With Raspberry and Blueberry. You can even make the dessert before freezing the yogurt separately if you want.

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