Can you freeze Greek yogurt? The short answer is yes. You might want to do this to lengthen its shelf life or to store large quantities that might not need to be used immediately. But before you move all your yogurt to the freezer, you’ll want to read about how Greek yogurt is affected by freezing it in our details below.
What is Greek Yogurt?
Greek yogurt is known as concentrated or strained yogurt. It is made by eliminating the whey and other liquids from regular yogurt. Because most of the liquid is removed, Greek yogurt is much thicker and tangier than regular yogurt.
How To Freeze Yogurt
Freezing yogurt can be quite straightforward and simple. The key is to make sure the yogurt hasn’t gone bad, before it’s frozen, then you can proceed with freezing it using one of our four ways to freeze yogurt.
Four Ways to Freeze Yogurt
Did you know you can freeze yogurt in its original container, in a freezer safe container, in an ice cube tray, or as individual servings? Here we describe how.
In the Original Container
You can transfer unopened or opened yogurt to the freezer in its original container. If the yogurt is unopened just make sure that it hasn’t reached its expiration date yet and then you can put it in the freezer.
To freeze opened yogurt in its original container, remove the lid, place a layer of plastic wrap across the top, replace the lid and place it in the freezer.
In a Freezer-Safe Container
You can also freeze yogurt in a freezer safe container. A freezer safe container can include a zipped freezer bag or a plastic container that seals with a lid.
Just transfer the desired portion to the freezer safe container and place it in the freezer. Don’t forget to label and date your yogurt so you’ll remember what it is.
In an Ice Cube Tray
You can freeze yogurt in an ice cube tray for the purpose of using them in smoothies or other dishes and uses where small portions or quantities are conveniently used.
Once the yogurt cubes freeze, transfer it to zipped freezer bag or sealed freezer safe container to keep it from getting freezer burnt.
In Scoops
Using a scoop and freezing it in individual portions can come in handy. Just use a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and your favorite sized scoop, such as an ice cream scoop. Scoop the yogurt and place it on the parchment paper and then transfer it to the freezer.
Once the scoops have frozen, move them to a sealed freezer safe container such as a zipped freezer bag or food storage container with a lid. This will keep them from becoming freezer burnt.
How Long Does Yogurt Last in the Freezer?
Yogurt will last in the freezer for up to 2 months.
What Happens When You Freeze Yogurt?
Before freezing your Greek yogurt, you’ll want to know that it can separate when it thaws. It has a tendency to become watery and grainy. As a result, you might prefer to use it mainly in baked recipes, rather than eating it by the spoonful after it’s been frozen.
The texture becomes grainy.The flavor changes and becomes tangy.
The consistency becomes thinner.
Be sure to use a spoon to mix well or place it in a blender to blend it back together if needed.
How to Thaw Yogurt
There are 3 main things to know about thawing yogurt. You should thaw it in the refrigerator whenever possible, yogurt that’s already been frozen can’t be refrozen, and you’ll likely want to blend it if it separates. Here are the details.
In the fridge overnight. Thawing yogurt in the refrigerator overnight is what is recommended. It’s best to plan ahead when possible and transfer your yogurt to the refrigerator if it needs to be thawed before you use it.
Cannot be refrozen. It’s important to know once yogurt has been frozen and thawed, it cannot be refrozen. It either needs to be used or thrown away.
Blend if it separates. If your yogurt separates after it’s been frozen, you can put it in the blender and blend it back together or put it in the food processor to mix it back up.
How to Use Frozen Yogurt
Here are some of our recommendations for how to use frozen yogurt. In many of these dishes, you can use cubes of yogurt directly from the freezer and place them into the ingredients.
smoothies
popsicles
shakes
marinades
salad dressing
dips
cakes
breads
muffins
How to Eat Frozen Yogurt Frozen
A couple of great ways to eat frozen yogurt while it’s still frozen are to eat it straight from the container using a spoon.
Or you might like to add a popsicle stick to an individual serving size before the Greek yogurt is frozen to serve them as popsicles.
How to Keep Frozen Greek Yogurt Longer?
To allow a lengthy shelf life for your Greek yogurt is the most ideal situation. Here are some tips to do just that!
Store your Greek yogurt in the refrigerator at a temperature that’s 40F degrees or less.
Use a food saver with a good seal or a vacuum sealer that allows all excess air to be removed.
And of course, you can freeze it using our instructions above to fully maximize shelf life.
How to Store Greek Yogurt Properly
Here are our tips to properly store your Greek yogurt for the longest possible shelf life.
Keep it sealed. The number one best tip is to keep your Greek yogurt sealed and in the refrigerator. If you’re not ready to eat it, then leave the store seal in place.
After you open the container and break the store seal, make sure to cover it with plastic wrap or transfer it to a food safe container that has a lid that seals.
Never eat it directly from a large container. Refrain from eating directly from the large container where the yogurt is stored.
This can contaminate the yogurt and cause it to spoil faster. Instead, transfer the portion that you plan to eat to another bowl.
Store it in the main body of your fridge. Some people make the mistake of storing Greek yogurt on the door of the refrigerator.
Instead, store it in the main body of the fridge where it will stay cooler even when the refrigerator door is opened.
Does Yogurt Go Bad After Freezing?
Freezing yogurt doesn’t cause it to go bad. As long as it’s put in the freezer before it expires or before it goes bad, it will still be good after it’s frozen. Freezing yogurt is a delicious way to lengthen its shelf life.
How To Tell if Yogurt Has Gone Bad
There are four key indicators to look for to know if your yogurt has gone bad. A good starting place is to check the expiration date.
While yogurt can potentially last a few days past its expiration date, checking the date first can be informative. Here are some tangible signs that your yogurt has gone bad.
Mold. Mold of any color indicates bad yogurt. If mold has formed on your yogurt, your yogurt has spoiled and needs to be thrown away.
Curdling. If there’s curdling, your yogurt has gone bad and should be thrown away.
Excess liquid. Excess liquid can also indicate spoilage. So, if there’s a lot of liquid when you open the container, your yogurt could be spoiled.
Strong sour smell. Smell your yogurt to see if it smells sour or tastes sour. If so, throw it away.
Frequently Asked Questions About Greek Yogurt
Following are frequently asked questions for can you freeze Greek yogurt. If you have a question that’s not answered here, feel free to drop it in the comments box below and we’ll be happy to answer it.
How long does it take to freeze yogurt?
The amount of time it takes to freeze yogurt depends on the size or the quantity to be frozen and the temperature of the freezer. It takes about 3 hours to freeze 1 cup of yogurt, about 6 hours to freeze 1 quart, and about 1 hour to freeze 1 ounce.
Can you freeze Yoplait yogurt?
Yes, the brand name and the variety do not matter as far as freezing is concerned. You can freeze yogurt.
Can you freeze yogurt and eat it like ice cream?
Yes, but if you want it to have the consistency of the frozen yogurt you can buy in the store, you’ll want to use an ice cream churn or ice cream maker and make it according to the instructions. Placing yogurt directly from the refrigerator to the freezer will cause it to freeze in a hard chunk.
What are the benefits of eating yogurt regularly?
A good yogurt such as Greek yogurt can be high in calcium, protein, vitamins, and probiotics. It can enhance one’s gut health.
Which flavors of yogurt work best for freezing?
The flavor of the yogurt doesn’t matter. One flavor doesn’t freeze better than another.
How do you freeze yogurt to eat like ice cream later on?
If you want your frozen yogurt to have the consistency of ice cream, you’ll want to use an ice cream maker or churn according to the manufacturer or recipe instructions and add fruit if desired.
Can you freeze probiotic yogurt?
Yes, you can freeze probiotic yogurt and freezing probiotic yogurt doesn’t kill the probiotics.
How To Freeze Greek Yogurt
Equipment
- zipped freezer bag optional
- freezer safe storage container optional
Ingredients
- Greek yogurt
Instructions
In the Original Container
- You can transfer unopened or opened yogurt to the freezer in its original container. If the yogurt is unopened just make sure that it hasn’t reached its expiration date yet and then you can put it in the freezer.
- To freeze opened yogurt in its original container, remove the lid, place a layer of plastic wrap across the top, replace the lid and place it in the freezer.
In a Freezer-Safe Container
- You can also freeze yogurt in a freezer safe container. A freezer safe container can include a zipped freezer bag or a plastic container that seals with a lid.
- Just transfer the desired portion to the freezer safe container and place it in the freezer. Don’t forget to label and date your yogurt so you’ll remember what it is.
In an Ice Cube Tray
- You can freeze yogurt in an ice cube tray for the purpose of using them in smoothies or other dishes and uses where small portions or quantities are conveniently used.
- Once the yogurt cubes freeze, transfer it to zipped freezer bag or sealed freezer safe container to keep it from getting freezer burnt.
In Scoops
- Using a scoop and freezing it in individual portions can come in handy. Just use a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and your favorite sized scoop, such as an ice cream scoop. Scoop the yogurt and place it on the parchment paper and then transfer it to the freezer.
- Once the scoops have frozen, move them to a sealed freezer safe container such as a zipped freezer bag or food storage container with a lid. This will keep them from becoming freezer burnt.
Notes
Yogurt will last in the freezer for up to 2 months.
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