What happens if you eat expired Greek Yogurt?

Life happens and sometimes we forget to eat all of the groceries we buy. Sometimes they get hidden in the back of the fridge or we just get busy and buy more when we already have some. This happens with Greek yogurt at our house all the time.

In general, Greek yogurt is perfectly fine past the expiration date. To understand exactly how long Greek yogurt is good past the expiration date, we need to know how the expiration date is calculated, how to tell if it has spoiled, how to use up almost expired Greek yogurt, and if cooking yogurt will kill any bacteria. Keep reading and we will cover all these important areas to find out if you can eat expired yogurt safely!

How is the expiration date calculated for yogurt?

Most of us want to believe that expiration dates are scientifically calculated to the exact date that the food will go bad. Now most manufacturers do use labs to test their food, but that’s not really how they calculate expiration dates.

Expiration dates on Greek yogurt has more to do with the packaging, added flavorings, and how food will be stored. Expiration dates are more closely calculated like an actuary calculates insurance risk.

They take all the possible factors of what could happen when the yogurt leaves the factory, how it is stocked in the store, and how the average person buys and uses the product.

Then they take into account the taste and quality of the yogurt and how often the stores should stock their inventory. This is also referred to as the shelf life of Greek Yogurt.

Greek yogurt does not go bad the instant that it hits the “Use By” date. In most cases, Greek yogurt can be used for days and even weeks later.

The biggest factor to look at is when the package of yogurt was opened. If the yogurt is stored correctly in the fridge, an opened container of Greek yogurt can last anywhere from 5 days to 2 weeks after it is opened.

Food safety experts recommend that never leave yogurt out on the counter. If yogurt is left out for longer than 2 hours, it needs to be tossed. It is also recommended that you do not eat yogurt straight out of the packaging unless it is a single serving.

We like to buy the large 16oz tubs of Greek yogurt when they are on sale, and we use a spoon to portion out servings into either a cup or bowl.

By eating directly out of the container, your spoon is taking bacteria from your mouth and putting it on the rest of the yogurt. This can cause the yogurt to spoil quicker.

How can I tell if my Greek yogurt is bad?

There are two main ways to tell if your Greek yogurt has gone bad and should be tossed. The only things you need to do is take a sniff and a taste!

Greek yogurt already has a slightly sour smell, but if the smell is extremely strong, this could be an indicator that the yogurt has gone bad.

Personally, I am not a huge fan of Greek yogurt, but both my kids love it! I tease my husband all the time that Greek yogurt always tastes like it has gone bad because of the sour tangy taste. I love regular yogurt and my taste buds just really don’t care for Greek Yogurt.

If you love the taste of Greek yogurt, it should be very easy to taste the difference between yogurt that is fine and when it has truly soured.

If you’re not one of those people that can stomach taking a sniff or a taste to test out the quality of your Greek yogurt, there is another test that can be done. It is not entirely accurate, but it can be a good indicator.

Most Greek yogurt has a little bit of liquid known as whey that sits on top of the yogurt. If you notice that there is a lot more liquid than normal, this can be a sign that the yogurt is at the end of its freshness.

Other outward signs that yogurt has gone bad and should not be eaten will include any signs of mold or if the texture has changed from creamy to chunky or curdled.

What can I do with yogurt that is about to expire or already expired?

If you have an overabundance of Greek yogurt and you are not sure you will be able to use it before it spoils, there is so many options that you can do!

Of course, the obvious would be to eat the Greek yogurt, but did you know that you can freeze and or cook with Greek yogurt?

4 Easy Ways to use Frozen Greek Yogurt

Freezing Greek yogurt before it has spoiled can easily extend the life of the yogurt by 1-2 months. Here are my favorite easy ways to use up Greek yogurt by freezing it.

1. Yogurt Bites – if you have toddlers or small kids, you are probably already familiar yogurt bites that are like a freeze-dried little disc. I love to freeze Greek yogurt into a similar shape and they work great for a kid snack. My 2 year old loves to feed herself and this is a way less messy way for her to eat yogurt.
2. Cube it for Smoothies – have you ever tried Greek Yogurt in smoothies? Oh my goodness, they can really add the smooth and creamy to any smoothie. Just freeze the yogurt in a clean ice tray and once it is fully frozen, remove the yogurt cubes and store in a ziploc style bag in the freezer. The next time you want a smoothie, instead of adding ice cubes, pop in some frozen Greek yogurt cubes!
3. Frozen Yogurt Dessert– This has got to be the easiest one yet, you simply freeze the yogurt in its original packaging or a clean tupperware container. Once fully frozen scoop it out with a ice cream scoop just like any other frozen yogurt. We love to top with fresh or frozen fruit, or even chocolate sauce for a super decadent treat!
4. Popsicles – Summer time is coming up soon, and we go through an insane amount of popsciles. You can buy super cheap popsicle forms at any dollar store and make your own. Not only is this a great way to use up Greek yogurt, but this is also such a fun treat for the kids. We let each kid pick their added fruit or even mini chocolate chips, then they help mix it together in a large measuring cup. There are literally thousands of options when it comes to adding different flavors to unflavored or plain Greek yogurt. We tend to go with whatever is already in the pantry or fridge, but you can go wild. We then use the measuring cup to fill the popsicle mold and then you just wait till it is frozen in the freezer.

There are also tons of other ways to use frozen Greek yogurt, but these are the easiest ones that don’t even need a recipe. We utilize these options regularly whenever the yogurt is past the expiration date but still smelling and tasting good!

Does cooking yogurt kill bacteria?

Yes! Cooking with any yogurt whether it be Greek or regular will kill any bacteria in it. Most people eat yogurt regularly for the good bacteria called probiotics. Not all Greek yogurt has probiotics, so if the one you cook with does have them, they will be killed when you cook with yogurt.

Now you may be wondering why in the world would you cook with Greek yogurt? Most of us think of Greek yogurt as a breakfast food that is served cold or a chilly treat in the afternoon.

Almost any recipe that you use milk, sour cream, cream cheese or heavy cream in you can make with Greek yogurt. You will see tons of healthy versions of popular sweets and treats that are made with Greek yogurt too.

Greek yogurt is also a great way to add protein to any dish and you can even use it to marinate meat with.

Is expired Greek yogurt safe to eat?

The next time you find Greek yogurt in the back of your fridge and the expiration date has passed, don’t throw it out. Check for signs of spoiling, and if it still looks good then you can definitely still use it safely. If you can’t use it right away, make sure to freeze it or cook something with it!

Americans throw out an estimated 30-40% of their food because it is passed the expiration date. When you toss this food, it is the exact same as throwing money in the trash can.

If you want to save money on your grocery budget, the first step is to start reducing your food waste. For more information about expired food products, check out “Expired Food at the Grocery Store“.