Blueberry Yogurt Parfait Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Can I use frozen berries in parfait? ›

Frozen fruit works great in these parfaits because they melt in the fridge and create a yummy berry sauce that gets mixed in throughout the entire parfait. Super good and luxurious feeling with zero effort required! I use a few Tablespoons each frozen pineapple and frozen blueberries. Plus frozen raspberries.

This yogurt parfait is delicious as is. Blueberries and mango always complement each other well and provide a healthy dose of fiber, vitamin C, vitamin A, and nutrients. fa*gE Plain Greek Yogurt is one of my favorites to use in a parfait like this.

If the granola is placed onto the parfait any time other than right before you are about to eat, it will get soggy. My boys actually prefer it this way. If you want to avoid soggy granola, place a small piece of plastic wrap on top of the assembled parfait and then add the granola.

Generally, speaking, you can use fresh and frozen berries interchangeably in your baking recipes, but you may need to make a few tweaks to ensure it comes out perfectly.

Yogurt and Fruit

1 cup yogurt (I prefer plan Greek yogurt, but pick what you like best.) *I like using both fresh and frozen blueberries, but you may use one or the other.

Scientists from Lund University in Sweden found that the fiber in blueberries, especially when combined with a dose of good bacteria (think yogurt) reduced levels of inflammation-inducing bacteria and increased levels disease- protective bacteria in the large intestines.

Boost of Vitamins and Antioxidants

The fruit layer in a yogurt parfait isn’t just for decoration. It provides a significant amount of vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber. Antioxidants are important for combatting harmful free radicals in the body, potentially warding off chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease.

Still, it's important to avoid parfaits that are high in added sugar, such as some store-bought varieties, those made with sweetened yogurt, and those made with granola that has added sugar. Thus, it's best to make your own parfait rather than buy it in a store.

Menu items like salads, grilled chicken and fruit-and-yogurt parfaits were removed from McDonald's offerings. Like the nixing of its all-day breakfast in 2020, these healthy options were removed to make service more efficient for the more popular menu items.

Chick-fil-A's yogurt parfait features organic vanilla bean Greek yogurt with 270 calories and 13 grams of protein in each serving and is served with fresh strawberries, blueberries, and Harvest Nut Granola.

What yogurt does McDonald's use for parfaits? ›

Tidbits: I recently discovered that Dannon is the brand of yogurt used at McDonald's for this product. But, hey, Yoplait works fine too.

If too much starter culture is used, the bacteria will be crowded and run out of food (lactose) before the yogurt is set. Too much starter can produce a sour taste, rather than the desired tart taste.

The temperature is too low. If the temp is below 68 degrees Fahrenheit, the cultures will not ferment properly and the milk will stay runny. The temperature is too high. If the temperature is above 80 degrees Fahrenheit, the yogurt will ferment too fast and will also render the yogurt runny.

STRAIN THE YOGURT

Straining the yogurt removes some of the water content (whey), leaving the fats and proteins behind. The longer you drain away whey, the thicker your yogurt will become. Removing all the whey will result in a thick probiotic yogurt cream cheese.

Frozen fruits are going to add some moisture to your parfait as they melt. Generally, this liquid becomes like a sweet fruit sauce that you can mix into your yogurt, but it doesn't necessarily look pretty. If you want your parfaits to be Instagram-perfect, and ready for their close-up, you want to use fresh fruit.

Frozen fruits and berries are safe to consume raw, cooked or even frozen out of the bag. However, frozen vegetables should always be cooked before consumption to minimize any foodborne illness risk. Luckily for us, there are several ways to make frozen vegetables just as delicious as fresh.

If time allows you can defrost the berries in the fridge. Slow defrosting does maintain a better flavour and texture. Place the berries in a bowl and wrap with plastic or put them in an airtight container. Thaw them for 4-6 hours if you are using them as a garnish, otherwise you can let them thaw overnight.