Yogurt: More than just breakfast

Yogurt is a fermented food that is made by adding the bacteria cultures lactobacillus bulgaricus and streptococcus thermophilus to milk. The nutrition facts of yogurt will vary depending on if you eat regular yogurt, greek yogurt, yogurt made with low fat milk or whole milk, or if you choose plain or flavored yogurt. However, milk based yogurts are a good source of protein, calcium, vitamin B12 , riboflavin, phosphorus, potassium and probiotics.

When you think of yogurt, you probably think of breakfast. With all of the vitamins, minerals and probiotics packed into a container of yogurt, why not choose yogurt all day? While it tastes great on its own, or made into a parfait with fruit and granola, there are many delicious ways to enjoy it!

Ways to enjoy plain yogurt:

Yogurt topped sweet potato: Bake a sweet potato and top it with plain greek yogurt and sauteed spinach for a light lunch.

A nutritious diip:  Experiment with different flavors and try adding herbs and spices into yogurt for a nutritious dip.

Yogurt chicken salad:  Use yogurt instead of mayonnaise in your favorite chicken salad recipes to add all of the great nutrition of yogurt while saving on calories.

A chocolate mousse alternative: Add cocoa powder to 2% Greek yogurt for a sweet snack or dessert. Try adding a sliced apple or strawberries on top.

A Pancake topping: Add protein to your pancakes, and decrease the calories and sugar by topping pancakes with yogurt instead of syrup.

Topping for chilli:  Instead of sour cream, top chili with greek yogurt. This will decrease the amount of calories and fat, while adding protein.

Smoothies:  Combine yogurt with frozen fruit for a refreshing smoothie. Including yogurt in smoothies is great way to get calcium and protein.

As you can see, yogurt is so versatile! Enjoy exploring different ways to enjoy it!

Linzy Ziegelbaum, MS, RD, CDN is a registered dietitian and owner of the private practice LNZnutrition LLC. She provides nutrition counseling and education to clients of all ages with many nutrition needs. Linzy enjoys sharing her love and nutrition expertise with others through counseling, her LNZnutrition blog and social media pages, including Facebook and Instagram.

Main Photo Credit: Gulsina/shutterstock.com; Second Photo Credit: baibaz/shutterstock.com