Four jars of yogurt with fruit on the bottom lay on their sides, surrounded by fresh fruit and a tea towel.

Iโ€™m constantly looking for ways to streamline healthy eating in our house. One thing Iโ€™ve learned about myself is if it ainโ€™t easy, Iโ€™m probably not going to follow through. Thatโ€™s why Iโ€™m such a big fan of single-serving yogurts. They are super easy to meal prep and are a great grab-and-go breakfast or snack. Plus, they’re tasty and full of healthy fats, protein, and probiotics.

Four 4-ounce mason jars are stacked on top of each other, each holding a different flavor of fruit on the bottom yogurt. Fresh fruit lies around the jars.

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Why should I make my own yogurt with fruit on the bottom?

Unfortunately, there are also quite a few things that I donโ€™t love about single serving yogurts. I really hate all the waste they create. We try to reuse our leftover yogurt containers wherever possible (and recycle if we canโ€™t reuse), but thatโ€™s still generating way more waste than I feel comfortable with. I also donโ€™t love the price. If you hit a good sale, you can maybe get organic yogurt for $1 per single-serving container (which averages around 6 ounces). By making my own yogurt from organic milk, I can get a full gallon of yogurt for about $5. A gallon at single serving prices=$21. Thatโ€™s a hefty savings when you eat as much yogurt as we do.

What kind of container works best for this yogurt with fruit?

We use four-ounce and eight-ounce jelly jars, depending on how big we want the servings to be. They are glass, reusable, and hold the perfect portion size. You can usually find a set of 12 jars with lids at your local hardware store, supermarket, or grocery store for a reasonable price.

Ingredients in individual white bowls: four different fruit compotes and a bowl of plain yogurt. Spoons and raw fruit are nearby. Four quilted jars sit in two columns of two, each filled with a different yogurt flavor

What fruit should I use?

For the fruit-on-the-bottom part, you’ll make a lightly-sweet fruit-chia syrup concoction (kind of like a fruit compote) that not only looks great in the jars, but adds tons of flavor, antioxidants, and omega-3s. We’ve made it with:

  • Blueberries
  • Strawberries
  • Raspberries
  • Cherries
  • Peaches
  • Apples and cinnamon

Youโ€™ll find a recipe below that will work for most fruits, and feel free to adjust it and tweak it to make it your own. I like mine on the less sweet end of things to let the taste of fruit really shine, so if youโ€™re into sweeter yogurts, Iโ€™d up the sugar content.

What kind of yogurt do I need?

On top, I just put my plain regular yogurt, but this also works well with homemade coconut yogurt. Making your own yogurt is so easy and cheap!

But if you aren’t into making your own yogurt, you can just as easily buy the large tubs of whatever yogurt you prefer and follow the same process. Youโ€™ll still be saving money over buying the single-serving versions.

Happy food prepping!

 
Four jars of yogurt with fruit on the bottom lay on their sides, surrounded by fresh fruit and a tea towel.

Homemade Fruit on the Bottom Yogurts - Syrup

Yield: 12 4-ounce jars, or 6 8-ounce jars
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Homemade yogurt with fruit on the bottom is an easy, inexpensive way to get a nutritious snack or breakfast. Learn how to make this perfect meal prep breakfast!

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups fresh fruit or frozen fruit
  • 3 tablespoons chia seeds
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2-4 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
  • 48 ounces plain yogurt (regular or Greek yogurt)

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients except yogurt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until sauce is thickened, stirring occasionally.
  2. Spoon the fruit syrup into the bottom of each jar—use 2 tablespoons for four-ounce jars, or a quarter cup for eight-ounce jars.
  3. Top off the container with a layer of yogurt and seal. Store in the fridge until use.

Notes

  • This syrup is also delicious over pancakes or ice cream!
  • Nutrition Information:
    Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1 4-ounce jar
    Amount Per Serving: Calories: 131Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 81mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 2gSugar: 18gProtein: 7g

    At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you.

    Want more meal prep breakfast ideas?

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    32 Comments

      1. Hi Daena! These will keep about a week in the fridge. Since the jam isnโ€™t preserved at all, we wouldnโ€™t make up more than you can eat in a week!

    1. I don’t eat enough yogurt to make my own, but I do buy Plain (milk and culture only, no sweetener or thickener) in a tub. Instead of having to cut up fruit every time, I searched for a fruit on the bottom recipe and found this one. *WITH CHIA SEED!* I tried the strawberry with 300g of fruit, and followed the remainder of the recipe using honey as the sweetener. I think I will play around with the type and amount of honey to find what is right for me. This was the perfect amount of fruit blend for eight glass oui yogurt containers with silicone re-useable lids. I did let the jars with fruit blend chill for 30-45 minutes in the refrigerator before I added the yogurt on top. 100% will try again with other fruits.