Portion Control

In a recent post, Floss mentioned her “wholesome thrifty” resolutions for the Rentrée [in France, it seems that you use the start of the new academic year for resolutions, rather than the calendar year] She intends to make ‘portion desserts’ at home, instead of buying yogurts and cakes. This set me thinking…

At the start of term, I bought a load of these Sainsbury’s 4-packs of yogurt. Basics, they cost 33p in total- which is 500g of yogurt. [You can also buy a 500g tub of plain natural yogurt for 50p]. It is easy to pop one of the little tubs in my lunchbox for school. But they contain

Sugar, Strawberry Purée (2%), Strawberry Juice from Concentrate (2%), Rice Starch, Natural Flavouring, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Natural Colour: Anthocyanins. 

I dug out my set of 8 Tala mini jelly moulds [mine cost me £4, on offer in Sainsbury’s a while back] and my yellow 1980’s Deva Bridge Yogurt maker [Which is basically a large insulated jar] and I made a batch of my own yogurt ‘from scratch’

1 litre UHT milk, heated to 43°C [use a cooking thermometer] stirred with 1 heaped tablespoon of natural yogurt as starter and 1 heaped tbsp of dried milk powder. Lid on. leave overnight to ‘yog’

Result – 1 litre of yogurt, containing just …yogurt. I spooned this into my 8 jelly pots till they were half full. One chopped banana was divided between 4 pots, and a teaspoonful of jam from the bottom of the jar went into 2 more.

The last 2 had a sprinkling of sultanas and three chopped almonds, from my store cupboard Then I topped up the pots, stirred everything, and snapped on the lids. Into the fridge, all ready for our lunches. The yogurt is beautifully thick and creamy – but not overly sweet. It tastes fresher than the ‘basics’ pots. And I can use it flavoured for desserts or plain for cooking with.

Milk 53p, dried milk 1p, banana 9p, nuts and sultanas 2p= 65p. I haven’t added the cost of the gas [but it didn’t take long to get to 43°] That gave me a litre of fruit yogurt in 8 pots – two Sainsbury's basic 4-pots would have cost 66p. However I had enough 3tbsp left in the big tub – one tbsp. for the next starter and two to swirl into some soup or sauce. 

I realise there isn’t really a saving, financially- but I think the ingredients are better, and I plan to use the pots for other lunch treats [crème caramel, fruit in jelly, home made mousse, or just chopped fresh fruit] And the pots can come home and be washed and re-used, which is better for the planet. Thanks. Floss, for the inspiration!