[Can it be frozen? ] 5 recipes for yogurt freezing and shelf life!

Have you ever thought, "I wonder if this yogurt is no good anymore?"

I left about half of it in a large container, and before I knew it, the expiration date had passed by a week...

When I timidly opened the lid, I found more translucent liquid inside, and I gave up on eating it.

There seem to be a surprising number of people like this.

The best thing to do before this happens is to freeze it.

A little-known fact is that yogurt, both store-bought and homemade, can be frozen.

Please try preserving it for a long time using the method I will introduce below.

Advantages of freezing yogurt

Allows long-term storage

The biggest advantage of freezing yogurt is that it can be stored for a long time.

Normally, yogurt has an expiration date of around one week if unopened and one to two days after opening.

This is a difficult period setting for people who eat small meals or who want to spread their meals over several days.

By storing it in the freezer, you can extend its shelf life to 3 to 4 weeks.

Some people are worried that ``freezing will kill the lactic acid bacteria,'' but the lactic acid bacteria contained in yogurt almost never die even when frozen.

Even if the lactic acid bacteria die, their health effects will not change because they provide nutrients for other lactic acid bacteria.

Can be made into sweets directly after freezing

The second benefit of freezing yogurt is that it's easy to make sweets.

As explained in the recipe section of this article, you can make delicious, authentic ice cream with just a little extra effort when freezing yogurt.

The lactic acid bacteria and other nutrients in yogurt are still alive, so you can easily make sweets that are not only delicious but also good for your body.

How to freeze yogurt

For commercially available yogurt

To freeze yogurt, it must be sweetened with sugar, jam, or honey.

This will prevent violent separation of liquid and solid after thawing.

[Freeze plain yogurt (unsweetened type)]

1. Remove the yogurt from the container and transfer it to a Tupperware container.

2. Mix sugar/jam/honey, etc., cover and freeze.
◆Before mixing (I used sugar + strawberry sauce)

◆Appearance after mixing

[Freeze regular yogurt (Kato type)]

For this type, you can freeze the whole commercially available container.

Of course, you can also transfer it to Tupperware and freeze it.

For homemade yogurt

Homemade homemade yogurt can only be frozen for use as seeds.

If the food is thawed after freezing, the liquid and solid will separate, making it unsuitable for consumption.

If you want to freeze them for seeds, put them in Tupperware, seal them, and freeze them (there are no special steps).

How to thaw yogurt and storage period

How to thaw yogurt

[For commercially available yogurt]

Frozen yogurt can be used as is.

If you need to thaw it, thaw it in the microwave or let it thaw naturally in the refrigerator.

[For homemade yogurt]

Defrost frozen homemade yogurt naturally in the refrigerator or at room temperature.

When thawed, the liquid and solid will separate, but both will be used as seeds.

Do not use a microwave oven, as the increased temperature may kill bacteria.

Yogurt shelf life

[For commercially available yogurt]

Frozen yogurt has a shelf life of 3 to 4 weeks.

It cannot be refrozen after thawing as the texture and flavor will deteriorate.

[For homemade yogurt]

The storage period for seeds is 1 month.

It is not possible to refreeze after thawing as the power of lactic acid bacteria will be weakened.

Lactic acid bacteria and nutrition in yogurt

Lactic acid bacteria, nutrition, and calories in yogurt

Yogurt is generally made from animal milk and lactic acid bacteria.

Most yogurts you see in Japan are made with milk and lactic acid bacteria, so you can get both the nutrients of milk and the effects of lactic acid bacteria.

Yogurt has a low calorie content of approximately 62kcal per 100g, as nearly 90% of its mass consists of water.

Yogurt also contains the following nutrients (bold = rich in nutrients).

【mineral】
Sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, iodine

【vitamin】
Vitamin A, B1, B2, B6, folic acid

Like milk, yogurt also covers a fairly wide range of nutrients.

Benefits of yogurt

I mentioned earlier that yogurt has the nutrients of milk plus the effects of lactic acid bacteria.

These ``milk nutrients'' and ``effects of lactic acid bacteria'' bring positive benefits to our bodies.

Benefit 1: Prevent osteoporosis with efficient calcium intake

Yogurt, like milk, is rich in calcium.

Not only is it abundant, but it is also present in a form that is easily absorbed.

Calcium is a nutrient that is difficult to absorb by the human body.

For example, there is an impression that "milk is rich in calcium," but even if you ingest 100mg of calcium, it will not be absorbed 100%.

The calcium absorption rate of milk is said to be 40-50%.

In comparison, 40-80% of the calcium in yogurt is absorbed by lactic acid bacteria.

It is a perfect food for growing children and elderly people who are concerned about osteoporosis, as it allows for efficient calcium intake.

Benefit #2: Improves constipation and returns clean, smooth skin

The lactic acid bacteria contained in yogurt have the ability to improve the intestinal environment.

In the first place, constipation is a state in which intestinal activity is stagnant and food particles accumulate.

By sending lactic acid bacteria there, the intestines are stimulated and begin their normal activities, allowing food particles and toxins that have accumulated in the intestines to be excreted.

As the body is maintained regularly, skin problems such as acne and rough skin will be improved, and you will be able to regain beautiful skin.

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5 easy recipes using yogurt

Mango frozen made with Yonanas

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/2700714

☑材料（1~2人分）
・冷凍マンゴー　1/2個
・冷凍ヨーグルト　200g

<How to make>
1) Use sweetened frozen yogurt while still frozen. Scoop it up with a spoon and add it to the Yonanas.
2) Cut the frozen mango into appropriate sizes and add it to the Yonanas.
3) Turn on the Yonanas switch and you're done.

★This is an easy recipe that does not require draining the yogurt.

blueberry yogurt ice cream

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/4451119

☑材料（約400ml分）
・プレーンヨーグルト　250g
・ホイップクリーム　150g
・上白糖　30g
・ブルーベリージャム　90g

<How to make>
1) Line a colander with kitchen paper and set it over a bowl. Add plain yogurt and drain until it weighs 150g (about 4 hours).
2) Add sugar to whipped cream and whisk.
3) Add 1/4 of the yogurt to the drained yogurt bowl and mix by turning it from the bottom with a rubber spatula.
4) Add all the yogurt and mix again by turning from the bottom.
5) Add blueberry jam and mix gently.
6) Transfer to Tupperware, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and freeze.

★This is a yogurt recipe “before freezing”.

strawberry and soy milk smoothie

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/4459300

☑材料（500~600ml分）
・豆乳　100ml
・冷凍ヨーグルト　200g
・イチゴ　7~8粒
・はちみつ　適量
・氷　適量

<How to make>
1) Remove the stems from the strawberries in advance and place them in a blender.
2) Place sweetened frozen yogurt into a blender while still frozen.
3) Add soy milk and turn on the mixer.
4) Once mixed to a certain extent, add honey and mix further to complete.

★Frozen yogurt alone will keep it cold, but if it's not enough, add ice to adjust the temperature.

yogurt rare cheesecake

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/4469827

☑材料（18㎝丸形1台分）
・冷凍ヨーグルト　400g
●ビスケット　60g
●溶かしバター　25g
・砂糖　20g
・生クリーム　200ml
・マシュマロ　80g
・レモン汁　大さじ1

<How to make>
1) Place kitchen paper in a colander and set it over a bowl. Add frozen yogurt, thaw and drain in the refrigerator.
2) Lay plastic wrap on the cake and set up a cookie sheet.
3) Place the ● biscuits in a plastic bag, etc., and break them into small pieces.
4) Add melted butter (about 20 seconds at 600W) to (3), mix together, spread it in a mold, and put it in the refrigerator.
5) Transfer the drained yogurt from (1) to a bowl, add sugar and mix until smooth.
6) Add fresh cream little by little to the bowl and mix again.
7) Place the marshmallows in a heat-resistant container and heat in the microwave (600W for about 2 minutes and 30 seconds), keeping an eye on the process.
8) Add the marshmallows little by little to the bowl containing the yogurt and mix.
9) Once all the marshmallows have been added, add the lemon juice and mix.
10) Pour (9) into the cake mold and chill in the refrigerator for 3 hours to complete.

easy banana yogurt

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/4461837

☑材料（１人分）
・冷凍ヨーグルト　100g
・バナナ　1本
・スライスレモン　少量
・ピーナッツバター　小さじ1杯

<How to make>
1) Thaw sweetened frozen yogurt in the refrigerator beforehand.
2) Cut the banana into rounds and the sliced lemon into pieces.
3) Mix yogurt, banana, and lemon.
4) Heat the peanut butter in the microwave for about 1 minute and pour the melted butter on top.

★Put peanut butter on top immediately after heating (as it will solidify over time).

Conclusion

What did you think.

Unsweetened yogurt can be frozen by adding sugar, and sweetened yogurt can be frozen in a commercially available container.

Homemade yogurt can also be frozen for use as seeds.

If you refrigerate it, you can only keep it for about a week, but if you freeze it, you can keep it for 3 to 4 weeks.

It's easy once you try it, so please try freezing yogurt.

>> Click here for how to freeze meat

>> Click here for how to freeze fish

>> 3 points to keep in mind when preserving vegetables