should I buy a yogurt maker?

[Ellyane]

Organic yogurt sells for about $3.50 for a 32 oz tub. Organic milk is about $5.50/gallon. I'm trying to figure out if it would make economic sense to make my own yogurt or just buy it, but I don't know how much milk goes into what size batch of yogurt. Can someone help?

Also, if you have a yogurt maker, what kind do you have, and how do you like it?

Does it matter what kind of milk I use - low fat, skim, whole?
How do you sweeten it? Dh won't eat it plain, so when I buy it I get the vanilla flavored. Can I recreate this on my own?

[SamsMama]

I have a Euro Cuisine yogurt maker. I got it for Christmas from my parents so I don't know how much it was. I would recommend this kind. I use it alI the time and haven't had any problems. I wanted it because of the same reason you are mentioning - organic milk and yogurt are so expensive! Mine makes 7 (6oz) yogurt cups from 42 oz of milk (the yogurt containers are 6oz each and you just measure out the same amount of milk right in one of the yogurt cups). Our organic milk is about the same price as a large tub of organic yogurt (approx. 3.75), so for me it's cheaper. You do need to start your first batch with one already purchased 6oz container of yogurt and then you need to do this (use a fresh purchased container) about every other batch or so. You can use any kind of milk. I've used and had success with whole and 1%. I don't sweeten mine, other than to add pureed fruit just before serving. My ds will eat it like that. My yogurt maker came with some recipes but none specifically for vanilla. You could probably just stir in some vanilla extract and a sweetener before serving. As far as sweetener goes, homemade yogurt has much less sugar in it than store bought unless you add tons of it afterwards. By just adding pureed fruit to mine there's no added sugar, just the natural sugars from the milk and fruit (if you're interested!). For my particular maker, you measure out and then boil the milk (I do it in the microwave to cut down on boiling time), allow the milk to cool to room temp., strain through a colander (when using whole milk there will be a lot of "skin" that filters out), mix in 6oz of already made yogurt, pour into the jars, place into the yogurt maker and wait (mine takes about 8 hours). Hope this was helpful!

[Ellyane]

maybe I'm not reading this right.
6oz milk makes 6oz yogurt, right? So if you can buy equal amounts of milk and yogurt for the same price, how is it saving money?

[BHope]

I'm guessing she gets more ounces for the buck with the milk vs. yogurt.

I don't make organic yogurt (one of these days when I figure it all out... maybe.) However, I do make yogurt from milk. I buy the half gallon jugs when they go on special for a dollar. One half gallon jug makes almost twice as much as the large plain containers of yogurt. The Dannon plain yogurt is 3 - 4 dollars a container and the organic yogurt from Cox Farms is more than that. So I definately save money. Even if I went all organic I'd save money. (I could pay 6 bucks per gallon of organic milk and could make almost 5 large jars of organic yogurt. Considering I'd spend nearly 4 - 5 dollars on one jar... that's a serious savings.)

If you are getting 32 oz for $3.75 and one gallon of milk for $5.50, and there are 128 oz in a gallon (doing the math in my head) then you'd be spending almost $15.00 for a gallon of yogurt. Where as you could make a gallon of organic yogurt for $5.50.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

P.S. I make my yogurt in a pan and pour it into containers. I'd love to have a yogurt maker... but don't have the funds. Not to mention, I can't find one in any department store. Hrmph. Anyways, all you need for DIY yogurt is a thick bottom'd pan, a thermometer, sterelized containers, milk, and a starter.

[Naked Camper]

I have a yogurt maker. I love it. I think the yogurt tastes much better in it. I got it when I had to be dairy free for ds and could make soy yogurt.

If you google it, you can find out how to make yogurt in your oven if you oven goes real low. The yogurt has to cure at a certain temp for 8-12 hours (depending on how tart you want it) - hence the benefit of having the yogurt maker and not having to leave your oven on for that length of time.

I also like making my own yogurt b/c I can control what goes into it - opposed to store bought where there are tons of perservatives. I've never done the price comparison...I just like the taste better.

[Ellyane]

for some reason, I've been thinking all along that 1 gallon = 64 oz. but I just checked and it is 128oz. That makes a huge difference!

I've looked into doing it on the stove top, but my lowest setting gets to hot. (I did a test with a pan of water to check.) :shrug I suppose I could try inside the oven, but I can see that turning into days old yogurt cooking away in my oven. :O

[BHope]

This (http://biology.clc.uc.edu/fankhauser/Cheese/yogurt_making/YOGURT2000.htm) is a good link for making yogurt without a special yogurt maker. P.S. I use my oven for yogurt making (http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=177858536&size=l). I preheat it to 200 degrees, pour my yogurt into a sterile glass casserole dish, wrap the dish in a towel, and then place it in the oven. Oven now turned off. I make sure the towel isn't touching anything hot (don't want a fire!) In couple hours I reheat my oven to 200 degrees and turn it off again. My yogurt is always done in 8 hours and my oven is on for less than 40 minutes collectively. I have successfully made the yogurt with it setting for only 4 hours... so even less oven time.

A couple of tips:
Make sure you scald the milk around 185-195 F, some recipes suggest a lower temperature. However, I've found that the lower temperatures don't make the yogurt nearly as tart and yogurt tasting. Of course if you like your yogurt more bland then ignore the fore-mentioned

Make sure your yogurt starter is fresh and unopened. When make your yogurt be sure and have a small 6-8 oz jar for your new starter. Seal it and don't open it until you start a new batch.

[SamsMama]

maybe I'm not reading this right.
6oz milk makes 6oz yogurt, right? So if you can buy equal amounts of milk and yogurt for the same price, how is it saving money?


One carton of milk makes a batch and a half+ of yogurt - more yogurt than I'd get in the big tub by about 4 containers.

[TrinMama]

I started making yogurt on the stove, by scalding, cooling, adding starter, then pouring into a jar and keeping it at the right temp in a thermos filled with water. It was a pain to check the temp to make sure it was at the right temp. So, I went on Amazon.com and bought an inexpensive yogurt maker. I still have to scald and cool the milk, but then the machine keeps it at the right temp without me having to think about it. It is great! http://www.amazon.com/Salton-YM9-1-Quart-Yogurt/dp/B00004SUHY/sr=8-1/qid=1153940777/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-2070070-3295150?ie=UTF8 is the link to the one i have. is that ok to post? anyway, even if $25 sounds like a lot at first to some, it will pay for itself soon! :)

[Ellyane]

that one is on sale, I guess. Now its $17!

[Naked Camper]

I'd buy it :tu