My homemade "Fage" experiment

G

Gayle

Cathlete
Like so many others on this forum, I have developed a serious Fage/Greek yogurt addiction. Unfortunately the cost of the stuff ($2 for 7oz.) is cramping my quality snack time.

Soooo, I did a little searching and found some info on straining regular yogurt at home, and I gotta say I'm VERY happy with the results.

Basically, I just lined a colander in cheese cloth, placed it over a bowl, and dumped 1/2 a tub of yogurt into it (Stoneyfield Organic Plain Lowfat). I covered it and let it drain in the fridge over night.

The results were very thick and creamy. I won't say that it came out "exactly" like Fage, but it's close enough to become a regular sub for me...considering I can get a 2lb of Stoneyfield for about $3.

I'm going to try this with some different fat contents as well.
 
RE: My homemade

Gayle, I have been researching making my own too. I haven't tried it yet though. This is kind of dumb, but what is cheese cloth and where can I find it? I love Fage but it's so expensive!!
 
RE: My homemade

I don't use a cheese cloth. I use a paper towel in a strainer. Works just fine.

I've been interested in making my own yogurt, too, and I'll use Fage as a starter. It's one of the few yogurts that doesn't include pectin as a thickner. (I wish Stoneyfields would stop using it!)
 
RE: My homemade

Gayle, I'm with you on the Fage being so expensive. I like it because the sugars are so low.

How do the sugars compare between the Fage and the Stonyfield?

ETA; I answered my own question.

Fage has 9 grams sugar and 20 grams protein per 1 cup serving.

Stonyfield (fat-free) has 16 grams sugar and 11 grams protein per 1 cup serving.

I wonder what happens nutritionally when you strain out the regular plain yogurt - if it ends up nutritionally similar to the Fage.
 
RE: My homemade

<I wonder what happens nutritionally when you strain out the regular plain yogurt - if it ends up nutritionally similar to the Fage.>

Interesting thought...I wonder what gets tossed out with the whey(?) that drains off.
 
RE: My homemade

I've never tried Fage before. It sounds heavenly. I make my own yogurt without sugar and with nonfat milk. When it's done I like to put homegrown fruit (from the freezer this time of year) into it. There is live culture that is good for the flora and is sweetened by natural fruit. Would that be fage?

Janie

The idea is to die young as late as possible

http://www.picturetrail.com/janiejoey
 
RE: My homemade

Tosca Reno calls what you are making yogurt cheese. I had a receipe of hers that I had to do that with.
LD
 
RE: My homemade

Janie, I don't think you could do yourself any better than homemade. Fage is just a really thick, creamy, almost dense yogurt with a different kind of taste than the standard. You can buy it in several different fat percentages. It comes plain in larger containers but you can also purchase little individual containers that have a side-car of flavoring (kinda standard sugary stuff - but yummy!)

What I like about the Fage is that it's quite versatile. A little honey or fruit and you have breakfast (or dessert depending on how "good" you are). Left plain it's a sour cream substitute that won't disappoint.

It's worth a try if you're curious.
 
RE: My homemade

Trader Joe's has their own brand of the Fage and it's a little cheaper. Tasted just fine to me. Let us know what you think!
 
RE: My homemade

"Other than less sugar, are there any other advantages over regular yogurt?"

Do you mean Fage yogurt? Like anything, a lot of it has to do with personal taste. It has that tangy flavor that yogurt is supposed to have, and that most commercial brands don't. It is also naturally thick, without the additives that most commercial brands have. And, the O% fat version has the creamiest texture and fullest flavor of any non-fat food that I've ever come across. The lower fat plain commercial ones seem really thin and use gelatin or pectin to give them their texture.
 
RE: My homemade

Cathy, I'm with TeTe on this one. The Fage has it's own particular flavor and it doesn't have that odd, hmmmmmm, what did they do to this food to make it this slightly unnatural texture..... feeling to it.

Nutritionally, though, if that's what you're after, fat free cottage cheese might be a better bang for the buck. I'm not sure.

I've got some Cabot No Fat CC here - 1/2 cup serving gives 4.5 grams of sugar and 13 grams of protein.
 
RE: My homemade

Regarding cottage cheese: be sure to check the sodium. I was shocked when I found out how much is in most of them!
 
RE: My homemade

Whooee, you're not kidding about the sodium. That Cabot has 410mg per serving.

That's a lot if you're trying to cut back.
 
RE: My homemade

I bought a gadget yogurt maker from amazon...best 18 bucks I ever spent - and I prefer my yogurt now to fage!
 
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