Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Crock-potting your yogurt: An interesting idea

I live in a home of yogurt junkies. We can easily go through a package of kiddie yogurt in two days flat.

And that certainly adds up. At $3 or so for each 6-pack container, my wallet may be the only thing getting thinner in my home. Not to mention the amount of trash that's generated, as the closest place to recycle #5 plastic that I know of is about 30 minutes away.

This week at the store, I substituted a large container of plain vanilla yogurt, which unfortunately only comes in low-fat -- an issue when the doctor tells you your skinny baby needs to put on the pounds. So I've been at a crossroads. I can buy the baby variety, which costs closer to $4 or $5, depending on the store; or I can buy the sugar-laden kiddie yogurt, which is lower in the fat my little guy needs.

Today, while reading the many, many e-newsletters I subscribe to at work, I stumbled across a story on making your own yogurt - in a crock-pot no less. (Here's the direct link to the recipe.)

Writes Wall Street Journal blogger Jennifer Huget:
It couldn't have been easier, and the yogurt is fresh-tasting and plentiful (of
course, you can make as much as you like). The recipe made about 8 cups for less
than $5 (the cost of a half-gallon of milk and a cup of plain yogurt).

Even if I stretched my budget for the organic milk, I still think I'll be out ahead. It is certainly worth a try!

2 comments:

JessTrev said...

Fabulous link! I've been wanting to make yogurt but didn't want to buy any kind of device (and I *have* a crockpot!). Tx. Also? Here we can buy whole milk plain yogurt in big containers...dunno about near you..then you can add fruit and honey if kiddo likes it sweet.

Robbie said...

I've yet to find the large containers here, which is why I've put up with the kiddie cups as long as I have. Guess it's time to buy a small crockpot too.