Can you freeze yogurt? That’s a good question! Here’s the answer.
Want to save this post?
Enter your email below and get it sent straight to your inbox. Plus, I'll send you budget recipes and money-saving tips every week!
Maybe you’ve purchased a lot of yogurt on special sale. Or maybe you bought more than you intended to buy. Or perhaps what you bought is close to its date and you want to make sure it doesn’t go bad.
The good thing is that there are several ways that you can stash yogurt away to use later, despite what the package may say.
Can you freeze yogurt?
I love using my freezer to make sure that I don’t let food go to waste. From freezing berries, freezing vegetables and herbs, even freezing lemons. But then I wondered, can you freeze yogurt? Yes, you can freeze yogurt. But, it depends on how you want to use it.
While you may not love the texture of yogurt in the cup after thawing, yogurt can be frozen for different purposes, such as to use in baking and in smoothies, allowing you to make good use of that great deal you found at the store.
What happens to yogurt when you freeze it?
Since it’s partially liquid, yogurt will expand when you freeze it, so make sure that your containers have a little space to allow for expansion. Often yogurt cups have a plastic seal; don’t be surprised if the plastic seal pops under the plastic lid.
You can also freeze thick yogurt in scoops on a parchment-lined tray until firm and then package it in a ziptop bag or other airtight container.
How long can you leave yogurt in the freezer?
Food stored constantly at 0 degrees F will always be safe; it just might lose taste or texture. Use the yogurt up within 6 to 8 weeks for best results.
How else can I do with yogurt?
You can freeze yogurt as it is in its container, or try one of these tasty options:
- Transform yogurt into these delicious Yogurt Peach Popsicles. Feel free to vary the fruit puree according to what you have on hand.
- Use your vacuum sealer to create your very own Go-gurts.
- Freeze dollops of yogurt on lined trays. Once frozen, store the frozen blobs in ziptop bags to stock a DIY smoothie station.
- Make a batch of freezer smoothies.
Yogurt freezes (and thaws) well if you plan to enjoy it in frozen desserts and drinks or in baked goods. You may not love the texture for eating off a spoon, but you’ll have lots of great ways to use it otherwise.
This post was originally published on October 22, 2008. It has been updated for content and clarity.
Storm DeVincent
Once removed from freezer i strain it through a coffee filter then hit it with a immersion blender, Im sure a food processor will work also. And the yogurt is thick and creamy once again.
Sherry Chamberlin
I would like to know about freezing those Activia yogurt cups. I buy them at Costco and get a whole bunch of them for a good deal. And I’d like to buy a lot more of them at once so I have them because I’m disabled and going shopping doesn’t happen as often for me as it does for other people. I’d like to have them because I like to eat yogurt everyday. And I know I can’t keep them in my refrigerator for that long so I’d like to freeze them. They have those little foil lids on them so I’m wondering if I have to remove it from the little cups or maybe wrap the whole thing in actual tin foil or put them in freezer bags or whatever I need to do. That’s what my question is. How do I freeze the Activia yogurt cups with the foil lid on it? And if it matters I have both my refrigerator freezer and a 5 cubic foot deep freeze. I would rather freeze them in my refrigerator freezer if possible but if somebody tells me it’s best to freeze them down low in my deep freeze I will do that. I have read every comment here and understand the risk about freezing them and how the texture will change but I’m willing to deal with that and possibly make some of those freezer Pops that I’ve read about and tell Kaleb I promise I will put the sticks in right side up.
Jessica Fisher
The texture of the yogurt will be different after it thaws, not as smooth. I would test it with one cup and see how you like it before you freeze dozens.
Laurie Harrison
I blended plain Greek yogurt with fruit and then put in small containers and froze. It is solid as a rock.
Rana Elali
Can we make new yougurt by using frozen yougurt ?
Jessica Fisher
Likely not. In order to make more yogurt, you need live, active cultures that may be killed or weakened during freezing.
Shannon
Can I refreeze my yogurt I have a LG container of Greek yogurt
Jessica Fisher
I’m not sure about re-freezing. Certainly can freeze once for baking and recipes, not sure about thawing and refreezing.
Kathy Murray
I freeze Greek yogurt in ice cube trays wrapped in plastic wrap. Once frozen transfer them to a freezer bag. I use 3 in my smoothie every morning 🙂
marlene
I have some frozen yoplait yogurt thats been in the freezer for a while(3yrs to be exact!)… I was wondering if its still ok to eat? I totally forgot it was in there! LOL
Jessica Fisher
Unless it was a commercial deep freeze, I would say that it’s unsafe.
becky
I too want to freeze a deal on plain yogurt with the seal still on the top and need to know if this is ok, I feed yogurt to my dogs with their food and dont want it to spoil being in the freezer.
Jessica Fisher
It won’t spoil. Texture might be a little different, but it will be fine.
Kaleb
We just froze Greek-Style Vanilla yogart as popsicles. Kaleb (who just turned 7) wants everyone to watchout when putting the sticks into the mold…make sure they are not upside down.
Emmy
You tell Kaleb Thank You.. I probably would’ve put them in the wrong way. (Maybe they have a name or design on them?) He made me smile!
Holly June
We recently purchased those Yoplait Smoothies and loved them! As I was making them, I noticed that there are pieces of frozen yogurt. That’s what gave me the idea to freeze my own yogurt. Based upon the above comments, it looks like I can freeze my yogurt in the small cups they come in, or in ice cube trays, freeze seasonal fruit or buy frozen fruit, and re-create the Yoplait Smoothies at home, much cheaper!
jennifer
This was very helpful. My son likes to eat Dannon All Natural lowfat Vanilla yogurt with fruit mixed in every morning for breakfast and we just moved from Detroit to NC and the nearest grocery store is at least 30 minutes from us here, so I’d like to buy a larger quantity when I shop since we go through a container every few days. I guess I’ll just try freezing one to start and see how we like it.
melanie
so Im tarting weight watchers and I was wondering if I could freeze yogurt in ice cub tray so I could throw it right in the blender with the fruit I just thought it would make it easier
Jessica Fisher
I think you could. Just know that some people have told me that freezing kills the beneficial bacteria.
Cheri
@Jessica Fisher,
Not so Jessica……Stoneyfield says there are billions and will only kill some. Please read posts above your comment. Thanks !!
Heather
I freeze my greek yogurt all the time in ice cube trays to use for my smoothies. Works perfectly.
Sarah
I certainly hope so cause I am going to after I eat some for breakfast tomorrow! I have a large container of stonyfield plain yogurt, but I am the only one who eats yogurt and all I have access to at the time is a micro/fridge, so no using yogurt for cooking or breads or things like that. I’m going to try to freeze it right in the container, hopefully it will work out alright! I’d hate to waste it 🙁
Honey
My friend from college used to eat yogurt cups that had been frozen. This was during the low-fat craze and she thought it was healthier than ice cream. But you would have to put them in serving size cups to do that with the big ones (unless you want to eat that much in one setting:) I like the smoothie and popsicle ideas! I, too, found deals on yogurt this week at Kroger. They had clearanced danactive 4 pack drinkables for 1.19 and I had $1 off coupons. So, for
.19 I decided to get 14 of them (14 X 4 that is) !!
Sheila
One thing that I have noticed on the yogurt tubes instructions for freezing is that it says not to use past the date even if you freeze it. I remember it because I was surprised.
Cheryl
I freeze yogurt but it’s blended with fresh fruit to make “popsicles” at our house – not sure about the texture since we eat it still frozen, but it’s a really nice treat for dessert or a snack.
The Things We Say
I froze a large container of Stoneyfield Organic awhile back and I didn’t care for how it came out. It DID change the texture enough that I threw it out. Terrible I know but we are picky about textures here. It was like it separated and turned into what I remember as a kid something called “ice milk”. So, you’ll have to try it for yourself and see if you all still like it. For me, I won’t be freezing it again other than in my ice cream maker.
Hope that helps.
Sonshine
You shouldn’t have any troubles with freezing it! The texture might be a little different than what it is fresh but it is still yummy. 🙂 Growing up my mom always did frozen yogurt…she would freeze it and then stick in our school lunchboxes and it would stay cold til lunch and by thawed by lunch too. 🙂
Here is something off of Stonyfield’s FAQ that I thought might be helpful to you. 🙂
“Does freezing yogurt destroy or alter the effectiveness of the live cultures?
You can freeze a cup of yogurt. A cup of yogurt that has been frozen and thawed will have a different look and texture than fresh yogurt. The cultures become dormant when frozen, but once thawed either in the refrigerator or by your body heat when ingested; they will become live and active once again. There will be a few cultures that do die, but there are so many billions in our products, that it is truly insignificant.”
HTH! Enjoy getting your deals! 🙂
TGKoebel
Thank YOU for your addition, SONshine!
EmilyV
I’ve frozen yogurt, but I usually use it in smoothies afterward not to eat plain.