As a dietitian, I had heard of Greek yogurt and had a general idea of what it was but never really had a desire to try it. For those of you who are unfamiliar with it, Greek yogurt is just yogurt that has had some of the whey strained and removed. Whey is the liquid that is strained and is a good source of protein. What’s left is a thicker, creamier yogurt.
When I first reading food blogs, it seemed like everyone was getting their Greek on with the creamy stuff. I headed off to my local grocery store and found it in the produce section and the prices for one little carton (about ~ 4 ounces) ranged from $1.39 to $1.99. Yikes!! I debated if I should try one or just decide to stick with my regular, but reasonably priced yogurt. Eventually I caved and got one just to try. I went home and had it as a little snack and (gasp!) it was good! It was thick and creamy and stuck with me for hours! It was hard to go back to regular yogurt, but there was no way I could afford to have this stuff on a daily basis.
So what is different about Greek yogurt that makes it 3 times the cost of regular yogurt?
I couldn’t find a direct answer in Google-land, but I have some theories. According to the Stoneyfield website (they make Oikos Greek yogurt), the process of straining the whey uses 3 times the milk compared to making regular yogurt. Also, several of the brands are either organic or all natural products, which are generally more expensive.
A solution to the cost conundrum is to just make your own! When I was researching all things Greek, I found tons of recipes to make your own Greek yogurt. They’re all kind of the same.
Start with a regular yogurt (I prefer non-fat).
Place the yogurt in a strainer or colander that has a layer of cheesecloth or a dishtowel in it. Put it in the fridge (have a plate or dish underneath it to collect the liquid).
Once in the fridge, let it hang out for ~3 hours and take a break. While it was draining, I took a bike ride with my boo,
and played with the pups. Good times!
And when I was done, look at how much creamy yogurt was left:
Remove and flavor however you want! I like to use about a teaspoon of Splenda and some chopped strawberries with ~1/2 cup of yogurt.
Mmmmm...Greek goodness!
Good idea! How long can to keep your homemade Greek yogurt, or do you need to eat it all right away.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog :)
ReplyDeleteFor your greek yogurt, did start with a plain variety, or a flavored one? Looks like something that would be fun to try! Thanks for sharing!
I would think it would stay good for 5-ish days after making it(or whatever is on the carton for regular yogurt), as long as it's kept covered.
ReplyDeleteI used just plain, nonfat yogurt and flavored it at the end. One of the recipes I found said that some of the sweeteners and fruits in 'pre-flavored yogurts' could alter the final product. Thanks for visiting!
I have started making my own fruit yogurts as well and since I am trying to stay away from artificial sweeteners, I used a tablespoon or so of agave nectar to sweeten it and it was great. Try it out and let me know what you think! - Angela
ReplyDeletePS Love the blog!
That's a great idea! I was just telling Kat I have a bottle of agave nectar and I have no idea what to do with it (I bought it on a whim, just to see what it tasted like).
ReplyDeleteI'd like to try using it in my baked goods, but I don't know how to adjust the other liquid ingredients. Any ideas?
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