Can you freeze yogurt?

Freezing does not harm yogurt safety and the live cultures largely survive, though numbers drop. What suffers is the gel: the protein network that makes yogurt thick is broken by ice crystals, so it thaws watery with the whey separated out. Full-fat and Greek yogurts hold together better than low-fat, because fat cushions the structure. Stirring hard after thawing recovers some of the texture but not all of it.

How to do it properly

1. Freeze in small portions or in an ice cube tray for smoothies
2. Choose full-fat or strained Greek yogurt over low-fat
3. Thaw in the fridge and stir vigorously, or whisk
4. Use in smoothies, marinades, curries and baking rather than eating it neat

What goes wrong

• Whey separates and the texture goes grainy
• Low-fat yogurt separates worst
• Live culture counts drop, though the yogurt stays safe

Other "can you freeze" questions

• Can you freeze cheese? It depends — Yes, and it stays safe indefinitely — but hard cheese comes out crumbly and soft cheese comes out wet.
• Can you freeze milk? Yes — Yes — leave headspace for expansion and shake it hard after thawing.
• Can you freeze eggs? It depends — Not in the shell. Beat them first, or freeze whites on their own.
• Can you freeze bread? Yes — Yes — freezing is the best way to store bread, far better than the fridge.
• Can you freeze bananas? Yes — Yes — peel and slice them first, because the peel turns black and welds itself on.
• Can you freeze cooked rice? Yes — Yes, and freezing quickly is the safest way to keep leftover rice.
• Can you freeze raw chicken twice? It depends — Only if it thawed in the fridge and never got above 4 °C (40 °F).
• Can you freeze breast milk? Yes — Yes — freeze it flat in bags, and use within six months for best quality.
• Can you freeze avocado? It depends — Yes, but only as a purée — frozen slices go grey and watery.
• Can you freeze soup? It depends — Yes for most soups; cream, milk and potato-based ones separate or go grainy.
• Can you freeze butter? Yes — Yes — butter freezes better than almost anything else in the fridge.
• Can you freeze cooked pasta? Yes — Yes — undercook it slightly and toss it in oil first, or it thaws into a solid block.