Make your own yogurt and save a fortune

During my weight loss phase I ate a ton of yogurt. My family also substantially increased how much yogurt they ate, and I found I was dropping $20 a week or more on it and still constantly running out. I started making my own initially using one of those dedicated yogurt makers that used tiny jars. The yogurt was good, but damn it didn't come close to meeting the yogurt demand and was a pain dealing with the little jars. Enter the Instant Pot, and now I make it with minimal effort and a gallon at a time. You can also use a sous vide circulator or all kinds of other methods so if you don't have an IP then try googling how to use your oven or crock pot. The yogurt is better than the junk you buy in the store without all the added chemical storm. I know just the money I saved on yogurt more than paid for my IP really quickly. Here is a link that will explain how to make it in the Instant Pot, but there are all sorts of option online for other methods. Give it a try if you are a yogurt eater!

Just had my breakfast with homemade yogurt flavored with Torani SF Black Cherry and sprinkled with TVP (textured vegetable protein, eats like grape nuts woudl on yogurt). A protein power packed breakfast that is perfectly on the weight loss phase plan. Oh, and if you are using TVP for the first time be warned, it expands in your stomach so use just a little at first so you can see what you are comfortable with.

I've been making the IP yogurt for a while.  I try to follow the recipe to a "T" and it usually comes out great...nice and thick and creamy.  But every once in a while, it just doesn't thicken and I haven't been able to figure out why. Once I've strained the yogurt, I break it down into 2-3 flavors, and leave some plain for cooking with.  Flavors I've made:  Pumpkin (add canned pumpkin, some apple pie spice and sweetener); Pistachio (S/F pudding to taste); Raspberry (S/F Torani syrup); Caramel (S/F Torani syrup).   I've got some S/F cheesecake pudding I'm going to try.

Have to try the TVP.  Also want to try making the homemade S/F syrups.

The two most common reasons it will not thicken is either the starter doesn't have live cultures or the temp was hot enough to kill them off. I have had both of those occur occasionally, but normally it is a starter issue. I have found unreliable results with buying yogurt from the store for starter, so now I just go with dried starter unless I have some yogurt on hand that can be used. 

I NEVER buy the starter - way too expensive! When the milk doesn't thicken, cool it down to the right temp, through another dose of starter and re do. The one time I got the milk too hot I did this and got a great yogurt the second time around. 

I am still not sure if it is Ok to use starter from your current batch if it is say 2 weeks old. Not sure if it is Ok to put the older stuff in like that. So unless I remember to freeze some in the beginning, I use it that way. :)