Freezing yogurt is a great idea if you’ve got a bunch of tubs that you know will go out of date before you get around to eating them or if you like adding ice-cold yogurt to your smoothies to thicken them up.
What’s more, yogurt is incredibly nutritious. It’s made by fermenting milk with a milk culture, and yogurts that contain active bacteria help your digestive system. Even if your yogurt isn’t teeming with probiotics, it will still be high in calcium, B vitamins, and riboflavin.
This article will take you through the pros and cons of freezing yogurt, other storage methods, how long you can expect your yogurt to last, and how to tell if your yogurt has gone bad.
Here’s the lowdown: only freeze yogurt you’re planning to bake, put in a smoothie, or mix in with something else, as the texture will change. However, yes, you can totally freeze yogurt!
How To Freeze Yogurt
You can definitely freeze yogurt, but it’s recommended that you only do so if you’re planning to use your yogurt for other things.
This is because the texture of your yogurt will change after you’ve thawed it.
Ideally, freeze an unopened pack of yogurt.
However, if you’ve already opened your yogurt, simply transfer it to an airtight container and freeze. You should also open yogurt that has a layer of fruit flavoring, so you can mix it before freezing.
Consider pre-portioning for easy measuring if you’re planning to use your frozen yogurt in smoothies or baking. Just fill an ice cube tray with yogurt, and pop that in a freezer bag.
Remember to label any yogurt you store with the day’s date so you don’t accidentally let it expire!
Give your yogurt ample time to thaw. Depending on how large your tub of frozen yogurt is, it could take 24 hours.
Once your yogurt has thawed, some liquid may have separated, and the texture may be grainy. Don’t worry – just give it a stir and use it in a dish!
Your Other Option: Refrigerating Yogurt
Of course, you can always refrigerate your yogurt.
When it’s unopened, chuck it straight in the refrigerator as soon as you’re home from the grocery store.
Once you’ve opened your yogurt, reseal it tightly. If the tub it came in isn’t resealable, transfer your yogurt to an airtight container, and make sure you use a clean spoon to scoop the yogurt out.
How Long Will My Yogurt Last?
Expect a regular tub of yogurt to last 2-3 months in the freezer, Greek yogurt to last 1-2 months, yogurt with fruit to last 1-2 months, and drinkable yogurt to last 1-2 months as well.
As for how long yogurt lasts when refrigerating it, your best bet is to go by the best-before date on the packaging. However, provided you’ve kept your yogurt cold in the fridge, it will likely be good 2-3 days after that date.
As a rule of thumb, your unopened yogurt should last two weeks in the refrigerator. Once you’ve opened your yogurt, that period goes down to 5-7 days.
With drinkable yogurt, Greek yogurt, and yogurt with fruit, expect them to last 6-10 days in the refrigerator.
How To Tell If Your Yogurt Has Gone Bad
Now let’s cover how to tell if your yogurt’s gone off. Here are the signs to look out for:
- Heavy separation. Separation is normal, especially in Greek yogurt, but a lot of it, and you should proceed with caution!
- Mold. Since yogurt is soft and high in water content, if you see mold in the yogurt or on the container, chuck the whole batch, as bacteria can easily spread right the way through.
- Sour smell or taste. These are surefire signs that your yogurt has been contaminated or has gone rancid, which is when the fats in your yogurt oxidize, causing a harmless but disgusting taste!
The Summary Of Freezing Yogurt
The great thing about freezing yogurt is that you can extend its shelf life from 1-2 weeks to 1-3 months.
Plus, by portioning out your yogurt into ice cube trays, you can make your baking and smoothie-making process that little bit more efficient.
Just remember: you can eat thawed yogurt on its own, but the slightly bitty texture may be off-putting.
