How To Take A Break From Yogurt

If you find yourself in need of a yogurt-making hiatus or desire to explore alternative varieties, there is a range of options to consider.

Short term storage:

Freeze the yogurt into ice cube trays. Once frozen, place in a freezer safe bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. If reactivating closer to the 3 month mark use double the amount of yogurt starter per cup of milk. An ice cube try is a perfect way to store a tablespoon of yogurt. You can roll the yogurt cubes in powdered milk to help avoid freezer burn. It’s easy to activate the yogurt starter when you need to. Just take out the desired amount of starter and defrost slowly in the refrigerator. Now you’re back in business!

Long term storage:

Spread a very thin layer of yogurt on a piece of unbleached parchment paper and let air dry for 2-3 days until completely dry. Flake the yogurt off the parchment paper into a freezer safe bag and add just a bit of powdered milk. Store in the freezer for up to 6 months. Again, the yogurt cultures can and will store longer, but for viability’s sake try to stick to six months. If reactivating closer to six months in, use double the amount of yogurt starter per cup of milk. To activate you need about 1 teaspoon of dried starter.