I've always had an interest in crafts and DIY projects. When I started making my own soap, candles and laundry detergent, it was for the learning experience. It was also a lot of fun and it resulted in safe high quality products we could actually use in our daily lives.

Make Your Own Yogurt

Yogurt has grown in popularity in recent years because of its health benefits:

boosts the immune system
promotes healthy bacteria growth in the digestive system
contains calcium and other nutrients
One thing to watch out for when buying commercial yogurt is the added sugar. I did some research and found out that many people make their own yogurt, and what better way to control the sugar and other ingredients in the yogurt than to make your own?

Making yogurt is fun, and you can do it with or without a yogurt maker. I prefer to use a yogurt maker and I use the Euro Cuisine model. It is inexpensive and has performed exceptionally well for as long as I've owned it.

It includes the yogurt jars and lids, and it has a pilot lamp, a timer, and the jars are dishwasher safe although I wash mine by hand to minimize the risk of breakage. The jars can store inside the unit which includes a top cover, and the entire yogurt maker can store in its own box in a cabinet or pantry.

What You'll Need - It Begins With Milk

Pasteurized milk (whole, 2%, 1%, fat free)
Powdered milk
UHT (Ultra High Temperature) processed milk
Soy milk (must contain malt, honey, or fructose to ferment)
Fresh or store purchased cow, sheep, or goat's milk
Don't Use These in Homemade Yogurt

Expired milk
Expired yogurt (for the starter)
Flavored yogurt or yogurt with fruit or other ingredients (for the starter)
Packaged Yogurt Starters

I most often use a packaged yogurt starter because I like controlling what goes in my yogurt, especially the probiotics. Probiotics are the beneficial bacteria that result from the fermentation of the milk; it is what provides the health benefits you want from a good quality yogurt.

Some packaged yogurt starters I like include Natren and Yo Gourmet.

Flavored Homemade Yogurt

Earlier I mentioned not using yogurt with fruit or other additives as a starter. However, this does not mean you cannot flavor the homemade google doodle ice cream you are making.

There are many wonderful homemade yogurt recipes out there and they include fruit, honey, flavorings such as vanilla or almond extract, or spices such as cinnamon or nutmeg.

If you haven't tried making your own yogurt, you will discover it is incredibly easy and once you get used to homemade yogurt and all its valuable health benefits, you may be hooked.