Yogurt is a product known for providing probiotics, which are highly beneficial to the body, especially gut health. However, that’s not my main focus today; instead, I will teach how to store yogurt properly.
It is possible to keep yogurt in the fridge where it can last 1 or 2 weeks. However, when more extensive storage is required, yogurt should be frozen, ensuring a shelf life between 1 and 2 months.
To learn how to store yogurt properly, just read on.
Keep yogurt in the fridge
As yogurt is a dairy product, it must be kept cold the whole time. Leaving yogurt for more than 2 hours at room temperature could damage it.
And in case you are wondering: how to preserve natural yogurt? Or Greek yogurt? All types of yogurts are stored in the same way.
Only in the case of commercial yogurts, the shelf life is longer if they have been unopened; after that, it will last the same as the natural one.
But plain yogurt (or commercial yogurt if you opened it) should be stored as follows:
- Step 1: Pour the yogurt into an airtight container.
If the yogurt is natural, you should transfer it into an airtight container, preferably glass.
You could also pass commercial yogurt into an airtight container if the original package does not have a cover.
- Step 2: Store the yogurt in the coldest area of the fridge.
At the bottom of the fridge, the temperature is much lower and stable, so it should keep the yogurt well.
This way, the yogurt can be refrigerated for 1 or 2 weeks. [1]
How to freeze yogurt
Can yogurt be frozen? You can freeze yogurt without any problem. In fact, it is the only form of storage that achieves a shelf life of more than one month, as long as you follow the freezing guidelines for this product.
To freeze the yogurt the right way, do the following:
- Step 1: Pour the yogurt into small containers.
Pouring into portions is a step designed for future thawing since you only have to defrost the amount of yogurt you consume without harming the rest. These containers must be freezer resistant.
- Step 2: Freeze for a few hours.
It should be left in the freezer for about 6 or 8 hours until the yogurt is firmly frozen.
- Step 3: Transfer the containers to an airtight bag or container.
The bag or container must be suitable for freezing. In addition, you can cover the containers with plastic film and protect them from freezing burns.
- Step 4: Tag.
You must place the storage date on the bag or container to know how long they have been stored.
- Step 5: Save to the freezer.
After performing all the steps, you may freeze the plain yogurt for one month or two. In contrast, open commercial yogurt will stay for five months in the freezer.
To thaw, pass the portions that you will consume to the refrigerator and leave it overnight or for 8 hours.
Store ice cream yogurt
With yogurt you can make ice cream, known as froyo, since it combines the first syllables of the words “frozen yogurt.”
Like regular yogurt, the shelf life will depend on whether it is homemade or commercial.
To store commercial yogurt ice cream, you should only put it in the freezer, in its original container, until the expiration date indicated by the manufacturer. Still, if it has been opened and grabbed regularly, the time is reduced to 6 months.
I recently added a guide about ice cream storage that you can check by clicking on the link, but summarizing is the following:
- Use a container suitable for freezing.
- Transfer it inside a container.
- Tag.
- Store in the freezer.
Following each step, the homemade yogurt ice cream can last about 3 or 4 months in the freezer.
How do you know if yogurt got bad?
To determine if the yogurt is in poor condition, you should examine the following:
- Appearance: if there are black or green stains on the yogurt or container, it means that it developed mold and therefore contains bacteria harmful to the body.
- Smell: yogurt has a particular smell, but if this smell changes and smells very rancid or even rotten and is unpleasant, then it is not convenient to eat it.
- Taste: If the yogurt tastes terrible, it is spoiled and should be discarded immediately.
How long does yogurt last?
| Product | Duration |
| Refrigerated yogurt | 1 – 2 weeks |
| Frozen homemade yogurt | 1 – 2 months |
| Frozen commercial yogurt | 5 months |
| Yogurt Ice Cream | 3 – 4 months |
What is the best way to store yogurt?
The answer to this question depends on the use that you will give to yogurt. For example, when you want to use it to eat with fruits or add it to a cake, it is convenient that the yogurt maintains its creamy and soft consistency; therefore, it is best to store the yogurt in the fridge.
However, it is advisable to keep the yogurt frozen when you need to store it for an extended period or want to store yogurt ice cream.
If you like this kind of content, this website has many similar topics, so feel free to explore, starting with the following posts.
[1] https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/bitstream/handle/10919/84264/FST-286.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
