Once upon a time, the only available option for yogurt was plain. But then, yogurt manufacturers started sweetening yogurt, and a new segment was born in the market. Fruit, raw honey, and all other sorts of sweeteners were added, and suddenly, people started eating their yogurt.
Let’s face facts, though…plain yogurt doesn’t exactly have the kind of taste you dream about at night, like ice cream. It is far better for you than the sweetened varieties, and if you’re trying to get healthy, you may be wondering how to make plain yogurt taste good so you don’t have to suffer through every spoonful. Keep reading to learn how to make plain yogurt taste good.
The Problem with Plain Yogurt
If you’re here because you want to know how to make plain yogurt taste good, then you already know this stuff isn’t exactly fun for the taste buds. All plain yogurt tastes tart and sour, which wouldn’t be so bad if you offset those flavors with something sweet.
After all, that’s how we got all those flavored yogurts on the supermarket shelves. They were enticing us to eat something healthy and enjoy it. Plain yogurt tastes the way it does because it is made by way of bacterial fermentation of either cow’s milk or plant-based milk. This process of fermentation leaves it tasting sour and certainly sours your mood when you have to eat it as-is.
But despite the fact that plain yogurt tastes meh, it’s far better for you than buying those sweetened yogurt flavors. When you buy flavored yogurt, you’re gobbling down roughly 27 grams of sugar in one of those little cups. That’s more sugar than you need in one day, all in that small serving of yogurt.
That’s why the best way to eat yogurt is to buy that plain stuff and learn how to make plain yogurt taste good!
How You Can Improve the Taste of Plain Yogurt
Once you learn how to make plain yogurt taste good, you’ll find you look forward to eating it. You can even use it in recipes without anyone being the wiser so that you can add more nutrition to the meals in your kitchen.
Dump it in your smoothie
First, let’s go with a nice disguise for how to make plain yogurt taste good. If you add plain yogurt to your smoothies, you’ll get a lusciously creamy texture. And you won’t notice that blah taste, either. All the frozen fruit and greens you put in your smoothie meld together with it, creating an indulgent-tasting yet completely healthy treat to start your day!
Dunk and dip
Bored with those healthy veggies? You can dip them into dressings, but those are often fattening options. By using your plain yogurt as a base, you can create something delicious that everyone will scrape up fast without realizing how good it is for them. You can add ranch dip seasoning, taco seasoning, cucumber dill, spicy chipotle, onion, and more. These can be used as a salad dressing, too, to really kick things up to a tasty level. You can also make a sweet dip using plain yogurt, serving it with fresh berries and other fruits to make the perfect party platter. There are so many ways to creatively fashion it into any kind of delicious dip!
Create a parfait
As Donkey proclaims in Shrek, parfaits are delicious. If you want to know how to make plain yogurt taste good, simply layer it up with fresh fruits and top it off with naturally-sweetened granola for a satisfying crunch. Parfaits make for a sinfully spectacular breakfast, snack, or dessert that everyone will want to eat!
Add fresh fruit
If you prefer those fruit-flavored yogurts, you’ll cut down on added sugar by making your own at home. All you need are fresh or frozen fruits and your plain yogurt. Try mixing in blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and more. Other fruits that go well with plain yogurt are peaches, mango, pineapple, and kiwi. You can also puree the fruits first, so they have a creamier texture when mixed into your plain yogurt.
Mash up a banana and stir it into your plain yogurt. Or you can use unsweetened (or naturally sweetened) applesauce too. Both of these are wonderful, with a little cinnamon for contrast.
Drop in some vanilla extract
Part of the problem with plain yogurt is its sour taste. It needs to contrast with sweetness which is why vanilla extract is a great idea for making plain yogurt taste good. It counters the sour and makes it much more enjoyable, even if you add nothing else. You can also try this trick, along with adding fruits to your plain yogurt for something that tastes extraordinary.
Sprinkle in cinnamon
Want to really make plain yogurt taste good? Sprinkle some cinnamon, and you’ll be loving that morning yogurt. Do this with the vanilla extract, and it will be perfectly sweet yet still good for you!
Sweeten it up naturally
Just because you buy plain yogurt doesn’t mean you have to suffer through the plain flavors. Adding natural sweeteners will give you that sweet taste without so much sugar. Maple syrup is a prime example that can serve as a natural source of unrefined sugar. You only need a little bit to give it that delicious maple-flavored sweetness.
Or go with raw organic honey. Not that fake honey you usually see in the supermarket! Choose the real stuff, and you’ll sweeten up that plain yogurt. Add some sliced peaches, and this will taste like peaches and cream!
If you’d rather use something more akin to sugar, choose coconut palm sugar instead of white sugar. Coconut palm sugar is granulated sugar that is created from the sap of coconut palms. It’s unrefined and all-natural, plus it’s low glycemic, so you won’t get any blood sugar spikes. This is the one to use with diced apples and a sprinkle of cinnamon if you want to have an apple pie-like taste in your yogurt cup.
Another way to make plain yogurt taste good through sweetening is by using stevia. This sugar-free option can be added either in liquid or granulated form. They even have vanilla-flavored stuff, so you can just add that for a sweet, vanilla version that tastes amazing!
Take it to the tropics
When you’re dreaming of a vacation but have to drag yourself to the office, start your day with plain yogurt that tastes like a pina colada treat. That should tide you over until you can get to the beach. By adding a little crushed pineapple – the kind packed in its own juices – and a little coconut extract, you’ll create a sensational taste for your plain yogurt.
Give it texture
Along with all the other great ways to make plain yogurt taste good, you can also top it off with something crunchy. Crushed nuts are an awesome addition that will add flavors and fun to every bite. Slices of almonds, pecans, walnuts, or even pistachios would be a dream come true. Whether they are plain, roasted, or toasted, they can really change plain yogurt into something you actually want to eat.
But don’t limit yourself to nuts! Try seeds too. Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and chia seeds are great examples of healthy and tasty toppings for your yogurt. If you have trail mix or granola, you can also use those for adding that satisfying crunch.
Dried fruits like raisins, craisins, coconut, or dried apricots give sweet flavors and texture too. They go great with nuts, seeds, or granola, giving you a full spectrum of crunchy, chewy, and smoothness in every bite.
Of course, if you want to be a bit naughty too, you can go for it. Adding sprinkles or just a drizzle of caramel will make your plain yogurt taste like it came straight from the heavens.
Try nut butter
If you want the lovely taste of nuts but don’t want so much crunch, stir in a tablespoon of your favorite nut butter. As long as they’re natural, they’ll be a healthy choice for your plain yogurt. A little peanut butter and dark chocolate nibs, and you’ll think you’re eating one of those naughty peanut butter cup candies!
Drop in the jam
For those of you that love fruit on the bottom yogurt to stir up for sweetness, make it yourself with plain yogurt and naturally-sweetened jams. The key here is to look for the stuff they sweeten using real fruit juice rather than refined sugar. Just a tablespoon is all you need; stirred right into your plain yogurt, and it will taste amazing. Imagine the possibilities with blueberry jam, seedless raspberry, and more!
Experiment with extracts
When you browse the yogurt case at the supermarket, you’re bound to see some flavors that pique your interest. Use those as inspiration for creating your own healthier versions of plain yogurt at home, and that’s how you’ll make plain yogurt taste good. Mint extract is a terrific example, though you can go one step further and add dark chocolate shavings or carob to give it that mint chocolate chip flavor.
Dreaming of lemon bars? Use some lemon extract and vanilla extract, then grate in some lemon zest for a healthy breakfast treat. Almond extract, along with dark chocolate, can help you create a deeply delicious flavor that pairs well with your coffee. You can even use unsweetened cocoa powder to give it a chocolate lift, though you should add a little vanilla extract and a natural sweetener like one of the ones mentioned above to keep it from tasting bitter.
Create fun combinations
To make plain yogurt taste good, you can take the tips from above and merge them to make your own epic creations. For example, if you love strawberry kiwi-flavored anything, make it with plain yogurt, maple syrup, kiwi, and strawberries. Blend it together, or keep it chunky.
Want something that tastes just like a peach cobbler? Add maple syrup, thawed-out frozen peaches, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Top it off with a little naturally-sweetened granola to trick you into thinking you are eating a real cobbler.
Other Ways to Make Plain Yogurt Taste Good
When learning how to make plain yogurt taste good, you can also turn it into other things in your kitchen besides a healthy breakfast.
Use it as a topping
Plain yogurt and fat-free sour cream are fairly similar as far as nutrition goes. You can use it instead of sour cream in a pinch or mix it with a little sour cream to lighten things up. It makes an ideal topping for chili, tacos, nachos, enchiladas, baked potatoes, sweet potatoes, and casseroles.
Let it step in for sour cream or mayo
When making dips, dressings, and sauces, plain yogurt is a healthier stand-in for sour cream or mayonnaise. Even if you cut the sour cream or mayo in half and replace the rest with plain yogurt, it will be healthier and uphold the flavors. Seasonings will ensure no one can tell the difference. Think fresh-squeezed lemon, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and smoked paprika and you’re on the way to a creamy, dreamy sauce that tastes indulgent yet is good for you!
While plain yogurt isn’t really a fan favorite, when you know how to make plain yogurt taste good, you’ll see it’s more like a blank canvas. This is one staple you should have in your fridge at all times so you can make your own creative breakfast flavors, create dreamy smoothies, make dips, sauces, and so much more with just a few simple additions!
FAQs
How long is greek yogurt good after expiration date?
Read and abide by the given storage instructions as well as confirm the expiration date printed on the container. Disposing of expired yogurt is recommended since ingesting outdated yogurt can result in foodborne illness.
Why is it called Greek yogurt?
Believed to emerge originally in Greece, where people valued fresh food and healthy eating, this tangy and nutritious delicacy has gained widespread acclaim across numerous cultures globally due to its many beneficial properties, such as high protein content and digestive benefits.
What is Bulgarian yogurt?
Bulgarian-style yogurt originated in Bulgaria and has a rich creamy texture with a tangy flavor. It derives its unique properties thanks to being fermented with two types of bacteria – Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus native specifically to that area. Besides being delicious, Bulgarian-style yogurt makes an exceptional base for preparing various dips or dressings.