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!
