How I Save Hundreds Making My Own Natural Probiotics. You can too!

Fermented and Natural Probiotic foods can be made at home.  If you are looking to save money in probiotics such as Kefir, Kombucha, and plain yogurt this is the way to do it.

This time I made homemade yogurt in a crock pot which serves as the incubator if you don’t own a yogurt maker .   Again, a crock pot will do the job just as you’ll soon learn.

Making your own natural probiotics at home is easy, fast and best of all– you’ll save hundreds if not thousands of dollars every year!

See, busy people like you and I hear Kefir grains (to make milk kefir) or the word SCOBY –to make kombucha and the process that comes with it, and we automatically think:

• Oh no, another chore on my long list of things to do…
• It is too difficult, I don’t know where to start, what if I mess up? That is what I used to think but believe me, fermented foods literally make themselves.
• You feel intimidated and think, forget it too much work. Off to the store you go.

I know exactly how you feel and that is why I’m going to show you, the quickest and easiest way to make your own probiotics at home– specifically Yogurt and Kefir.

The time that is spent in preparation, is about 15 minutes while I gathered my ingredients and tools.

Homemade Yogurt in a Crockpot

What You’ll Need

• 1/2 gallon of organic milk (unpasteurized or raw works best)  2 hours and 45 minutes.
• Small crock pot closer to the 2-quart size
• Plain organic yogurt
• mixing bowls
• plastic spatulas
• glass jars (for storage)

Instructions

The instructions below are from Thankfully Thrifty, they are easy to follow and will yield amazing creamy yogurt.  Check out her website which has amazing recipes as well.

• Pour 1/2 gallon of whole milk into your crock pot and turn it on low. Let it sit for 2 hours and 45 minutes. (If you have a small crock pot, closer to the 2-quart size, you should do 2-1/2 hours from what I have read. Mine is the normal large size.)
• Then turn the crock pot off, and unplug it. Let it sit for 3 hours.
• Then spoon 1-2 cups into a small mixing bowl, and add your starter. Whisk them together well.
• Add this mixture back into the crockpot. And just to be safe, whisk it all together. — This is not a big to-do. You just want to make sure the yogurt is mixed with the milk. The idea is just to make sure that the live cultures are mixed into the milk, allowing them to grow and form yogurt.
• Put the lid back on the crockpot. And wrap the crock pot in a towel. I kid you not. If you have guests come over, they’ll think you’re nuts until you make them a homemade parfait. Go with it.
• Allow the crock pot to sit 8-12 hours while the yogurt cultures.
• Then let it cool off and put in the fridge.   You’ve made organic homemade yogurt… Woo hoo!!!
• Spoon it into jars or storage containers and refrigerate it before serving.

Here is the end result.

Kefir

Kefir is essentially fermented liquid yogurt which you can flavor or enjoy plain.  Learn about Kefir here.

What You’ll Need

Organic Kefir Grains
Organic Milk (raw even better)
Plastic strainer
breathable cloth, or  coffee filters (unbleached)
1 Quart glass jar

Instructions:

• Pour 1 quart of whole milk into your glass jar.
• Then add 1 spoon of kefir grains.
• Cover with a coffee filter, or any thin cloth where the culture will be able to breathe but will be protected from fruit flies and other intruders.
• Allow the culture to ferment for 8-12 hours while the kefir grains culture the milk.
• When the consistency of kefir is thick like custard your Kefir is ready.
• Get a glass bowl, put your strainer over it and drain your kefir carefully saving your grains for the next batch.
• Store your kefir in any glass jar with the lid in the fridge else it’ll continue to ferment.
• Either start a new batch following the same procedure or store your kefir grains covered in the fridge.

That is pretty much it.  You now know how to make your own yogurt or kefir at home.

Question: Have you ever made yogurt or Kefir at home? Have you tried store bought and if so which one do you prefer? Leave a comment below.