Inside: This recipe for homemade yogurt drink is made with just a few simple ingredients. It’s a great way to save money and deliver calcium, protein, and other key nutrients to your kids.
Do your kids love those little drinkable yogurts from the grocery store?
They’re sweet, fun, and the bottles are just right for little hands.
They’re also very simple to duplicate at home, so you can save money–and make a bigger portion. Because now that my kids are teens, those mini 3-oz bottles would be slurped down in one gulp.
This delicious drink makes a great breakfast item or snack for your kids (or you!). Or pour it in a thermos and send it to school in lunch boxes.
Ingredients for Homemade Yogurt Drinks
- Plain Yogurt: I used plain, regular, low-fat yogurt. You can also use plain Greek yogurt if that’s what you have and prefer. Greek yogurt is a thick yogurt, so you may need to add more milk as you’re blending to get a pourable texture.
- Milk: I used 1 percent because that’s what we have. Feel free to use another kind, such as full fat or fat-free. You can also use non-dairy milk such as soy.
- Fruit: Many kinds of fresh fruit will work here, such as berries, peaches, or even ripe bananas.
- Honey: Feel free to swap this for maple syrup if you prefer that. You can easily adjust the amount of honey up and down depending on how sweet you want it.
- Vanilla Extract: I use pure vanilla extract, but feel free to use imitation if that’s what you have on hand.
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How to make your own yogurt drink
Combine yogurt, milk, fruit, honey, and vanilla in a blender and process until smooth.
Pour into glasses and serve. It makes two larger servings or four smaller servings.
Store leftovers in the fridge and either shake in a mason jar or stir with a spoon to mix before serving.
Questions about this Homemade Yogurt Drink
Can I use sweetened yogurt instead?
Yes, but skip the honey (or other sweetener) if you go that route.
What’s the nutritional information for this yogurt drink?
Each big-kid serving contains 289 calories, 9 grams of protein, 2 grams of fiber, and 12 grams of added sugar. Each little-kid serving contains half of those amounts.
Can I use frozen fruit?
Yes! Feel free to use your child’s favorite fruits, fresh or frozen. Keep in mind that because raspberries and blackberries contain a lot of seeds, the drink won’t be totally smooth. Also, it’s best if you defrost frozen fruit first so the final product is smooth instead of frosty.
How much sugar does this drink contain?
Each big-kid serving contains 12 grams of added sugar, and each little-kid serving has six grams of added sugar. To make a yogurt drink with less sugar, simply use less honey in this drink.
Remember that it’s added sugar (not natural) that we want to be mindful of. Plain yogurt and fruit both contain natural sugars. That’s sugar that occurs naturally in milk (lactose) and fruit (fructose).
How do I store leftovers?
Store leftovers in the fridge and either shake in a mason jar or stir with a spoon to mix before serving. If you want to freeze leftovers, pour into food-grade ice cube trays, pop the cubes out into a freezer bag, then put a few yogurt drink ice cubes in a glass to defrost overnight for the morning.
Is whole milk healthier than skim milk?
Both milks have very similar nutritional profiles. Some research has shown that whole milk might have some benefits. Research has found that among adult women, higher intake of high-fat dairy was actually linked to less weight gain than intake of low-fat dairy. A research review found that kids who drank whole milk had lower body fat as well. Weight and BMI differences may be because whole milk is more filling and satisfying, which could lower overall calorie intake. Since it’s a fat-soluble vitamin, Vitamin D may also be better absorbed when it’s paired with the fat in whole milk.
Is this yogurt drink good for kids?
Yes! The nutritional benefits of this drink include calcium and vitamin D to promote strong bones, plus nutrients like protein and potassium. Yogurt is also great for gut health because it contains active cultures that act as probiotics in the body. Probiotics encourage good bacteria to flourish, which crowds out bad bacteria that can make us sick.
More healthy drink recipes
Homemade Yogurt Drink
Yield:
2 big-kid servings (4 little-kid servings)
Prep Time:
5 minutes
Total Time:
5 minutes
It’s easy to make your own drinkable yogurt that’s a sweet, delicious, and healthy breakfast or snack.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups plain low-fat yogurt
- 1/2 cup 1% milk
- 1 cup fresh strawberries*
- 2 tablespoons honey*
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.
- Divide between two glasses (or four) and serve.
Notes
*Use any combination of fruit to equal one cup. Keep in mind that raspberries and blackberries will result in a “seedier” drink.
*Feel free to adjust honey up or down, depending how sweet you want it.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 289Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 119mgCarbohydrates: 59gFiber: 2gSugar: 57gProtein: 9g
Hi! I’m Sally, a registered dietitian and mom.
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