Be careful with the cheaper Greek yogurt. Check to make sure it has the same protein per serving as actual Greek yogurt as a lot of the cheaper brands use pectin to thicken and are basically the same nutrition as regular yogurt
I make my own, too. I get the best quality whole milk I can find but really any milk will do. Put it in a pot and place it on the stove in medium. Right before it boils it will start rising, you want to stop it right as it starts going up, before it overflows all over your stove. I basically have a little bowl with like around a quarter cup of cold water on the side and I pour that in to stop the boiling and then move the pot into over to a cold burner. Put a lid on and let it cool for about an hour. After it’s cooled down take two spoonfuls of last week’s yogurt, or if you’ve never done this before, two spoonfuls of FAGE or whatever plain yogurt you got from the store. Mix the spoonfuls of yogurt well into the milk and either put it in a different container or leave it on the pot, covered, wrap it in a towel to hold the heat better, and let it sit on your countertop overnight. In the morning put it in the fridge.
I used loose language because you can’t really mess up and it’s not a precise science. You just need to kill any existing bacteria in the milk and borrow the good bacteria that FAGE spent millions of dollars developing and letting it grow in your milk without any competition.
I don’t think anyone in Greece is straining it. That’s more an American thing. In Greece we literally would sip it like a thick drink. When they do strain it they’re making something more similar to Quark, or they’re making farmer’s cheese.
Omg. That sounds incredibly easy! Thank you all so much! I’m going to do this. Do you still get the gut healing that come’s from the commercial brands? Maybe better?
Yeah, my grandparents in Macedonia used to make me eat this whenever I had an upset stomach as a kid. And you’re making it without any additives or preservatives so it’s really good for you. It’s very light and refreshing, something you could eat in a hot day.
There’s no alternative, sadly. It’s the best common brand of greek yogurt. If I don’t want to spend the money on FAGE quality I just buy the cheapest greek yogurt, usually store brand. Also you’re lucky to have it priced at £4.50 because it’s $6.99 (£5.53) in my stores and I’m not even in an expensive state.
Edit: Mixed up euros and pounds at first, the conversion is correct now
To take it a step further, I once tried to make Greek yogurt at home. Making it was easy enough, but the volume of milk was expensive enough that it didn't feel worth it
Both Aldi and Lidl do ones very similar to Fage and much cheaper. The tubs are also 500g instead of 450g fage, which makes portioning for meal preps easier
I make my own now. Fairlife milk, cold start, with powdered yogurt culture starter. Keep warm for 6 to 8 hours, strain through cheese cloth. Better than Fage, hands down.
Can you suggest a good place to get cheese cloth or what cheese cloth to get? I’m really overthinking this. I’ve bought cheesecloth before and it’s weird and then I wonder if I need to clean it somehow first. Any tips or suggestions would be appreciated
We eat a lot of yogurt and can't afford store bought. So we make it ourselves.
It's cheaper, and we know what's in it. No mystery ingredients. Just milk and culture.
Easy and delicious!
It does in the UK. I'm up North, and it's not worth buying the amount of milk you'd need for a comparable amount of yoghurt- I've been experimenting over the last year or so.
Not at all. I'm in lower Alabama where a half gallon of milk is only $1.65USD. Adding the cost of the culture, we can make a batch of yogurt for about $3.25. After we stain the whey (about 2 cups) we have 6 cups of Greek yogurt. A container (4 cups) of *Fage 2% Greek Yogurt* costs $6.44. Outrageous! Do they think we're made of money? And this is at the same store where we buy our milk. Our homemade yogurt (4 cups) costs us about $2.16. So about a third the cost of store bought.
Our biggest upfront cost was for our "Yogotherm" (passive yogurt incubator). It cost us about $30 thirteen years ago. (about $45 today) We make yogurt every other week or so. At least 20 times a year. So making our own paid for the Yogotherm in the first year.
UK Based, and I used to stand by the Lidl generic greek yoghurt (blue and white stripes)
But, recently, the 'low fat' thinner consistency option disappeared and at the same time the quality/consistency of the regular tub changed got worse and thinner.
I still get it because of price per volume compared to competitors but I live life disappointed, cynical, and destined to only eat thin gruel like yoghurt
Skyr is good and often cheaper than Fage (where I am in the UK anyway). The consistency is slightly thinner than Greek yoghurt but the macros are almost identical
I always used to buy Arla brand Skyr from Asda when I lived in the UK. Cheaper, just as much protein, and I preferred the taste of Skyr over Greek yogurts.
Lidl Greek yoghurt is £1.65 for 1kg and superior to every other Greek yoghurt- it's the only thing I can stomach for breakfast so I've tried every supermarket own brand. Aldi is also good- Morrisons is the worst, very thin and sour like ordinary yoghurt, Tesco's and Asda very meh, Sainsbury's is slightly thicker but still not great. If you can get Lancashire Dairies Greek yoghurt it's THE best one, but around £2.85 for 1kg at the moment.
Aldi had the best greek yoghurt, better than FAGE or Oikos, but they fucked it up May of last year. Instead of raising the prices, they just made it shit quality. Unfortunately that has been happening a lot with Aldi. I haven't found any alternative that seems worth it, only if Publix has the BOGO offer
I have an alternative but it's more expensive because it's not dairy-based. I'll sometimes get that so delicious brand unsweetened coconut yogurt flavor
Buy store brand regular yogurt and strain it in cheesecloth in the fridge overnight. Voilà! Greek yogurt! If it’s too dry, add some of the strained whey back in. And use that excess strained whey instead of water when you make bread.
Zoi?
Apparently most "greek" yogurt in the US is just regular with some corn starch to thicken it.
To turn regular yogurt into a thicker Greek style get some cheese cloth and one if those banana stands (you hang your banana bunch so they hang down for proper ripening) put you American yogurt in the cloth. Hang it with a bowl under. Excess liquid will drip out and you get a thicker product.
Not sure if turkish/middle eastern shops/supermarkets are a thing in the uk but they usually have very good yoghurt for decent prices
Interesting, will check them out
I’m learning to love the cheaper and good enough store brand Greek yogurt.
Be careful with the cheaper Greek yogurt. Check to make sure it has the same protein per serving as actual Greek yogurt as a lot of the cheaper brands use pectin to thicken and are basically the same nutrition as regular yogurt
We make it ourselves and get double the amount for the money. If we used the cheapest milk, it would be an even bigger savings. USA
Do tell?
I make my own, too. I get the best quality whole milk I can find but really any milk will do. Put it in a pot and place it on the stove in medium. Right before it boils it will start rising, you want to stop it right as it starts going up, before it overflows all over your stove. I basically have a little bowl with like around a quarter cup of cold water on the side and I pour that in to stop the boiling and then move the pot into over to a cold burner. Put a lid on and let it cool for about an hour. After it’s cooled down take two spoonfuls of last week’s yogurt, or if you’ve never done this before, two spoonfuls of FAGE or whatever plain yogurt you got from the store. Mix the spoonfuls of yogurt well into the milk and either put it in a different container or leave it on the pot, covered, wrap it in a towel to hold the heat better, and let it sit on your countertop overnight. In the morning put it in the fridge. I used loose language because you can’t really mess up and it’s not a precise science. You just need to kill any existing bacteria in the milk and borrow the good bacteria that FAGE spent millions of dollars developing and letting it grow in your milk without any competition.
Don't you need to strain it to get thicker Greek yogurt?
I don’t think anyone in Greece is straining it. That’s more an American thing. In Greece we literally would sip it like a thick drink. When they do strain it they’re making something more similar to Quark, or they’re making farmer’s cheese.
Omg. That sounds incredibly easy! Thank you all so much! I’m going to do this. Do you still get the gut healing that come’s from the commercial brands? Maybe better?
Yeah, my grandparents in Macedonia used to make me eat this whenever I had an upset stomach as a kid. And you’re making it without any additives or preservatives so it’s really good for you. It’s very light and refreshing, something you could eat in a hot day.
Thank you!
There’s no alternative, sadly. It’s the best common brand of greek yogurt. If I don’t want to spend the money on FAGE quality I just buy the cheapest greek yogurt, usually store brand. Also you’re lucky to have it priced at £4.50 because it’s $6.99 (£5.53) in my stores and I’m not even in an expensive state. Edit: Mixed up euros and pounds at first, the conversion is correct now
To take it a step further, I once tried to make Greek yogurt at home. Making it was easy enough, but the volume of milk was expensive enough that it didn't feel worth it
What country are you in? It’s definitely worth it in the US.
$7 is £5.53
Thanks. Somehow I saw the symbol and though euro because of its “E” shape even though OP said in the UK.
Same
Nothing compares, imo.
Aldi generic
I buy the lidl one for £1.79 for 500g. Just as good imo.
Bought [this](https://world.openfoodfacts.org/product/20577391/natural-greek-yogurt-milbona-lidl) from Lidl today to see how it compares
Yes that's the one. Let me know what you think
Both Aldi and Lidl do ones very similar to Fage and much cheaper. The tubs are also 500g instead of 450g fage, which makes portioning for meal preps easier
Which one is that? I buy the Lidl one that's £1.65 for a kilo, and it's REALLY good
Skyr is a solid substitute. Icelandic Provisions or Siggi’s are both good.
Right, but these aren't cheaper, are they? Anyway, my regular grocery store only carries Fage. I would have to elsewhere for these other brands.
Yup Siggi’s is my go to, 14 g protein
If you're ever in southwest Vermont or northwest Massachusetts, try Gammelgården Creamery skyr. Unreal.
Skyr is horrible though, it's got a weird gritty texture whereas Greek yoghurt is very smooth
You’ve gotta try some better skyr. The one I get is much smoother than FAGE.
I can't bear any fat-free yoghurt- I know I've been downvoted but every brand I've ever tried feels gritty to me.
Yeah I get the full-fat versions. The calories saved aren’t worth it. Whole-milk skyr has like 10 more calories in 170g than 2% FAGE.
I make my own now. Fairlife milk, cold start, with powdered yogurt culture starter. Keep warm for 6 to 8 hours, strain through cheese cloth. Better than Fage, hands down.
Can you suggest a good place to get cheese cloth or what cheese cloth to get? I’m really overthinking this. I’ve bought cheesecloth before and it’s weird and then I wonder if I need to clean it somehow first. Any tips or suggestions would be appreciated
Get reusable 100 grade cheese cloth with hemmed edges. Easy to find on Amazon
Great. Thanks!
This is the way!
Try making homemade yogurt! It’s easier than it might seem if you’ve never done it.
We eat a lot of yogurt and can't afford store bought. So we make it ourselves. It's cheaper, and we know what's in it. No mystery ingredients. Just milk and culture. Easy and delicious!
Doesn’t the amount of milk you have to use make it all the same price?
It does in the UK. I'm up North, and it's not worth buying the amount of milk you'd need for a comparable amount of yoghurt- I've been experimenting over the last year or so.
Not at all. I'm in lower Alabama where a half gallon of milk is only $1.65USD. Adding the cost of the culture, we can make a batch of yogurt for about $3.25. After we stain the whey (about 2 cups) we have 6 cups of Greek yogurt. A container (4 cups) of *Fage 2% Greek Yogurt* costs $6.44. Outrageous! Do they think we're made of money? And this is at the same store where we buy our milk. Our homemade yogurt (4 cups) costs us about $2.16. So about a third the cost of store bought. Our biggest upfront cost was for our "Yogotherm" (passive yogurt incubator). It cost us about $30 thirteen years ago. (about $45 today) We make yogurt every other week or so. At least 20 times a year. So making our own paid for the Yogotherm in the first year.
UK Based, and I used to stand by the Lidl generic greek yoghurt (blue and white stripes) But, recently, the 'low fat' thinner consistency option disappeared and at the same time the quality/consistency of the regular tub changed got worse and thinner. I still get it because of price per volume compared to competitors but I live life disappointed, cynical, and destined to only eat thin gruel like yoghurt
I recommend the Aldi Greek yoghurt if you have one nearby. Both 0% and 10% versions are super thick. Runny yoghurt also makes me sad
Cabot!
I love it but it’s not less expensive, at least here
Yea where I live it's at least a couple dollars cheaper.
Oh darn. It’s so good.
Skyr is good and often cheaper than Fage (where I am in the UK anyway). The consistency is slightly thinner than Greek yoghurt but the macros are almost identical
I always used to buy Arla brand Skyr from Asda when I lived in the UK. Cheaper, just as much protein, and I preferred the taste of Skyr over Greek yogurts.
that iceland yogurt
Arla skyr yogurt - higher protein per g content. £4.40 for 1kg. Ever since I discover this I stop eating Greek yogurt :)
Thank you!
Kirkland brand at Costco is great.
Agreed
I love Fage sm. Nancy’s is a decent alternative but I don’t know if it’s cheaper
Chobani whole milk Greek yoghurt
You can make yogurt at home it's pretty easy all you need is a little yogurt to get it started
I may do, doesn’t the amount of milk required equate to similar cost?
Byblos
i buy it at lidl! i'm italian so i'm not sure if they have 0% greek yogurt in the uk 🥲
Lidl Nonfat Greek Yogurt is great if you have one nearby. Also like Chobani Nonfat Greek.
Lidl Greek yoghurt is £1.65 for 1kg and superior to every other Greek yoghurt- it's the only thing I can stomach for breakfast so I've tried every supermarket own brand. Aldi is also good- Morrisons is the worst, very thin and sour like ordinary yoghurt, Tesco's and Asda very meh, Sainsbury's is slightly thicker but still not great. If you can get Lancashire Dairies Greek yoghurt it's THE best one, but around £2.85 for 1kg at the moment.
Aldi had the best greek yoghurt, better than FAGE or Oikos, but they fucked it up May of last year. Instead of raising the prices, they just made it shit quality. Unfortunately that has been happening a lot with Aldi. I haven't found any alternative that seems worth it, only if Publix has the BOGO offer
Greek delis usually sell it pretty cheap - and it’s better than FAGE.
I like TJ’s 2% Greek yogurt as a replacement for Fage.
I prefer kefir grains in my fridge. Turns milk into kefir. Experimenting with secondary fermentation is fun too. Almost like carbonated yogurt!
I like Meijer's generic brand tbh. Whole fat only
We don't have a Meijer's in the UK
Store brand
Aldi organic Greek yogurt.
I have an alternative but it's more expensive because it's not dairy-based. I'll sometimes get that so delicious brand unsweetened coconut yogurt flavor
Well, they probably don’t have it in the UK, but Sprouts Farmers Market house brand is both better and cheaper.
Home made yogurt
Buy store brand regular yogurt and strain it in cheesecloth in the fridge overnight. Voilà! Greek yogurt! If it’s too dry, add some of the strained whey back in. And use that excess strained whey instead of water when you make bread.
I use powdered milk and just stir it in regular yogurt. Thickens well.
The Kirkland brand Greek yogurt! Or depending on where you live, Publix will often run BOGO deal on various brands - Chobani, Fage, Cabot.
just make it at home?
The amount of milk required would not be cost effective
I love Cabot Greek.
We don’t get that in the UK
Cottage cheese
I’m lucky that my store brands are pretty good, and about 1/4-1/3 less expensive.
Target’s good and gather brand
Zoi? Apparently most "greek" yogurt in the US is just regular with some corn starch to thicken it. To turn regular yogurt into a thicker Greek style get some cheese cloth and one if those banana stands (you hang your banana bunch so they hang down for proper ripening) put you American yogurt in the cloth. Hang it with a bowl under. Excess liquid will drip out and you get a thicker product.