I love my yogurt maker!! I used to make yogurt all of the time and I don’t know why I stopped.  I do know that I am now craving my home-made greek yogurt and I am by far getting back into the habit of making my own!  The savings alone are amazing!

Ingredients for 1 batch of yogurt ( 1 gallon of milk will make 3 batches of yogurt!)

• 4 cups of milk
• 1/4 cup dry powder milk ( if making greek yogurt, leave out if making regular yogurt)
• 2 tbsp plain yogurt, or a yogurt starter.  ( yogurt needs the live cultures, 2 tbsp of your previous batch will also work, but only use those cultures for 2-3 batches before purchasing a new starter or yogurt container.  I purchase 1 yogurt container per gallon of milk)

Directions:

Step 1: Bring milk to a boil ( about 180 degrees) this will kill any bacteria in the milk

Step 2: Allow milk to cool to room temperature ( around 68 degrees)

Step 3: Plug in yogurt maker and allow to heat while milk cools.  I allow my machine to warm up because we keep the house around 62 degrees in the fall/winter.

Step 4: Add powder milk ( if making greek yogurt) and yogurt culture ( either store bought yogurt or a yogurt starter).  Stir well.

Step 5: Use yogurt maker as directed!  For my machine I fill each yogurt cup and place in the machine uncovered.

Step 6:  Place the yogurt machine cover on and turn dial to the time that the yogurt will be ready.  This is not a timer on my machine, just a reminder of the time your yogurt will be finished.  I allow my yogurt to ferment for the full 10 hours since the temperature in the house is cooler.

The best price that I found my yogurt maker for was on Amazon.  Here is the yogurt maker that I use and love:

To make flavored yogurt just add any ingredients you like!  Granola, fruits, honey… the options are endless!!  Stay tuned for after my yogurt is done as I start posting all of our favorite flavoring for yogurt!!  Yogurt is also great to use in baking, smoothies, and dips!!

I only buy organic/natural yogurt so the price is typically $1.09-$1.39 per 8 oz container, or $3.69 for the large containers.

By making my yogurt I am savings  a ton of money.  The milk is under $6.00 per gallon if you are buying organic or around $3.50 if you are buying the rBst free milk at Whole Foods.  I always make sure the milk at a minimum is the rBst free milk.  I prefer the organic milk, but depending on the week and the price of organic milk I will buy the rbst/hormone free milk.

Here is my savings on making my own yogurt:

1 gallon = 16 cups  Organic Milk $6.00 ($0.38 per cup)  rBst/Hormone free milk $3.50 ( s0.22 per cup)

1 batch of yogurt =  4 cups of milk  Organic Milk $1.52 rBst/Hormone free milk $0.88

1 batch of yogurt = 7 small containers of yogurt ( $7.63 at the store) or a little of 1 of the large containers ($ 5.53 if using coupons at the store)

I also have the cost of powdered milk ($0.55) and a small yogurt container ( as a starter for $1.09, 1 starter per three batches! or $0.34 per batch)

Each batch of yogurt costs: Organic: $2.41 or rbst/hormone free milk $1.77

The savings is unbelievable when you break it down per gallon:

1 gallon of milk makes about 3.5 large containers ( Savings of: $ I) or 21 small containers ( Savings of:$ 15.66).

Another item crossed off of my List of Things to Accomplish this week!!