Making yogurt at home is not just delicious but also surprisingly simple. Once you’ve established your initial culture, it is possible to make yogurt repeatedly until you are in the mood.
If you’ve got too many starters to use at once or want to break from making yogurt from scratch, you’re wondering how to store yogurt starters without harming the yogurt culture.
Do you have the ability to store yogurt starters in a freezer? It is safe to freeze yogurt starter in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container or bag. Active yogurt starters can be frozen for up to four weeks. Dry yogurt starters can be safely kept within the freezer for 3 months.
This post will walk you through the most crucial aspects of storing yogurt starters within the freezer. We will also provide our top 5 yogurt starters.
Freezing Yogurt Starter
The method you use to keep your yogurt starter in storage depends on whether it’s frozen, dried, dehydrated, or activated yogurt.
The freeze-dried, as well as the dehydrated yogurt starters, are more stable on the shelf, and it is easier to freeze and store.
If you’ve started your own culture and acquired the live yogurt culture, however, you can keep it in the freezer if you follow the procedure in the following steps.
Starting Freezing Dry Yogurt
If your yogurt culture has been dry or freeze-dried, you can prolong the life of your yogurt starter by making it freeze-dried it.
The bag or box you choose to store it in must have your bag or box should have a Best before Date that must be adhered to. If you freeze your culture, you can preserve your culture’s integrity for up to three months.
It is recommended to freeze the yogurt in its original container. If you’ve opened it up to make use of a portion, ensure that the container is sealed with an airtight seal and transfer the contents into an appropriate glass container that is freezer safe. Another option is the freezer bag made of silicone.
Since yogurt is high in probiotics, it is crucial to maintain the health of your bacteria as pure as it is and, therefore, don’t store the yogurt in plastic.
Dry yogurt starters can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.
Freezing Active Yogurt Culture
If you’ve made your yogurt and wish to preserve a portion or all of your cultures for later usage, you can put it inside the freezer.
Freezing yogurt starters is a great way to have a break without jeopardizing any health benefits of the lifestyle.
To get the best outcomes, freeze yogurt in the appropriate portions that will allow you to culture a portion of milk. For instance, if you would like to cultivate 1-cup of milk, then freeze your yogurt in portions of 1 tablespoon.
Ice cube tray: The trays are extremely useful for freezing yogurt since they will perfectly fit 1 to 2 tablespoons of yogurt.
Once your yogurt is entirely frozen, move the cubes to a durable, airtight, freezer-safe container. Use safe glass storage containers for freezer use or bags made of silicone that can be reused in place of plastic.
The most important thing to remember while freezing yogurt is that the longer they’re preserved, the less active the bacteria will be. It is recommended to store active yogurt starters for not more than one month.
Packages not opened and sealed with yogurt starters that are dehydrated or freeze-dried are considered safe for shelf storage unless marked otherwise; thus, they can be kept in any dry, excellent location that doesn’t have direct sunlight or heat.
If you don’t plan on using it for more than a few months, your best option is to keep it in airtightness and refrigerated.
How Do You Tell If Home-made Yogurt is terrible?
Most yogurts will characterize the majority of yogurts will have a sweet, tangy taste due to the process of fermentation. If it’s flavorful by a flavoring, it’ll acquire the flavor of the fruit or flavorings.
Home-made yogurt can be healthy and delicious to consume for about two weeks after making it if it is stored in a safe refrigerator.
If you notice any unpleasant changes in the scent or consistency of your yogurt, it could have disappeared. If you try to taste the yogurt and find it not appealing or pleasant, don’t consume it.
Best Yogurt Starters (Chart)
Are you ready to make your yogurt from scratch? Once you’ve learned how to take care of your start-up culture properly, you don’t need to make yogurt every day.
Below are the top five favorite brands and yogurt varieties to start with.
| Kind of Yogurt Starter | Brand | Find it on Amazon |
| Multipack | Vivo Cultures | Probiotic Yogurt Starter Set of 10 |
| Freeze Dry | Yogormet | Freeze Dry Yogurt Starter |
| Greek | Cheese and Yogurt making | Greek Yogurt as a Starter Culture |
| All Natural | Euro Cuisine | All Naturally Yogurt Starter |
| Vegan | Cultures for Health | Vegan Yogurt Starter Culture |
Conclusion – You Can Freeze Yogurt Starter
You can absolutely keep the yogurt starter frozen, provided you have an airtight freezer-safe container or bag. If your yogurt starter is frozen-dried or dehydrated, it’ll remain fresh and safe for at least until the best before on your container and possibly for up to 3 months after the expiration date.
If you are keeping your Active yogurt, keep it frozen in small portions that can be used within a month.
