In which trek goes Greek

One of the things that makes the school year different from summer vacation is the lunch menu. Okay, for some people this isn't the biggest deal in the world.

Those are the people whose child(ren) enjoy eating things that are just as good packed into an insulated lunch box as freshly made, like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, every day.

Neatnik is not a fan of the peanut butter and jelly sandwich. She likes the occasional peanut butter quesadilla or open-faced peanut butter on oatmeal bread, but don't ask her to slather on the crushed and sugared concord grapes. One should also avoid suggesting ham and cheese or any of the standard "sandwich salads".

Most days, Neatnik likes to have oatmeal or yogurt for lunch. In the past, I have experimented with a variety of yogurts: different brands, various flavors. Vanilla is almost always a winner. Another popular option is plain or vanilla yogurt with a small scoop of crushed Oreo crumbs or mini M&Ms stirred in right before eating.

Third grade, however, has brought some changes. It seems that several of the girls in class have been bringing Greek yogurt to the lunch table.

Well, of course, Neatnik asked me to buy her some.

Which is why I am spending my Wednesday afternoon popping up like a Jack-in-the-Box to check the crock pot every ten to fifteen minutes. Here's how it all played out...

There are only a few brands available at our local grocery store. I purchased one non-fat vanilla and one 2% plain and we gave them both a try. I say "we" because I also tried some. It was much better than my memories of regular old American yogurt and I found that plain yogurt with a teaspoon or so of honey is actually quite tasty; Greek yogurt has twice the protein content of "regular" yogurt and less sugar. This is the result of the long straining time to remove excess whey.

Problem is, each of those six to seven ounce cups runs about $1.69. That means you're paying between $3.86 and $4.51 per pound. Rather pricey, wouldn't you say? Enter the Internet where I found Dale Grote's Greek yogurt tutorial posted on YouTube.

I purchased milk and some yogurt to act as a starter...

Heat the milk to 180°F

Yogurt starter - needed only half

I experimented yesterday:
the "Keep Warm" setting seems to be just right

Thankfully, the freezer makes more ice on its own

Holding at 110°F, waiting for the curd to form

I still have a few hours to monitor the crock pot and then there is the issue of the overnight straining. I'll have to post on the results tomorrow, I suppose. In the meantime, let me leave you with some numbers.

Total investment: $3.12
One gallon of 1% milk, $2.43
One 7oz container of Fage 2% plain yogurt, 69¢ after doubled coupon
I chose to omit the addition of heavy cream.

Actual batch cost: $2.17
Three quarts of 1% milk, $1.82
3.5oz Greek yogurt, 35¢