Yogurt bowls are the perfect healthy breakfast, or snack, that the entire family will love. It’s easy to prepare using simple ingredients and is packed with protein, calcium, healthy fats, and good carbs.
I’ve been serving up yogurt bowls for close to a decade. To be honest, I never thought to share a recipe because I don’t really use a recipe. Plus, this is more of an idea than a recipe.
Anyway, a few weeks ago, on Instagram, I shared a picture of the greek yogurt bowls I made for my daughter to eat for lunch.
I couldn’t believe the number of questions I received about these simple bowls of yogurt topped with fruit and granola.
Many people wanted to know…
How do I make our yogurt bowls? How much yogurt do I use? What kind of yogurt do I use? What are our favorite toppings? Do I make them ahead of time?
So, I’m going to answer those questions and more. Basically, everything you’ll ever need to know about yogurt bowls is right here.
5 Reasons You’ll Love Yogurt Bowls
- The entire family loves them – If you need a healthy recipe that your kids will eat without bribing, negotiating, or threatening then yogurt bowls are it.
- Will fill you up – When you use the right ingredients, yogurt bowls are filled with protein, fiber, and other healthy ingredients to keep you full all morning or afternoon.
- Inexpensive – Yogurt bowls use simple ingredients that are easily accessible and relatively inexpensive. Even if you use all organic ingredients (which is recommended) a delicious yogurt bowl will still cost under $2 a bowl, maybe even less.
- Pretty – I had to add this one because we all eat with our eyes first and yogurt bowls are beautiful and look very appetizing. Another reason kids love these!
- Can be made ahead of time – Yogurt bowls are super easy to make when you need a quick breakfast, lunch, or snack. But you can also make them 2-3 days in advance to have ready ahead of time. I’ll give more meal prep tips below.
Are yogurt bowls healthy?
Yogurt bowls are as healthy as you make them. Meaning, if a bowl of high-sugar yogurt is topped with chocolate chips and drizzled with a double serving of high-sugar peanut butter then unfortunately it won’t be healthy.
On the other hand, if a low-sugar high protein greek yogurt is topped with portioned out berries, unsweetened coconut, and raw nuts then yes, it’s healthy.
Yogurt bowls are naturally higher in carbs. So, if you’re following a keto or lower-carb diet then eating yogurt bowls won’t work.
However, if you’re eating a well-balanced diet of carbs, protein, and fat then a portioned-out yogurt bowl can be included in your weekly meal plan.
In general, I recommend keeping calories under 250 if eating yogurt bowls for a snack and between 300 – 350 if having them for breakfast.
If you need helping figuring out the nutritional information then My Fitness Pal is a great free resource
In the ingredient and FAQs section, I’ll cover tips and options for choosing the healthiest ingredients.
Ingredients for Berry, Nut, and Granola Yogurt Bowls
Yogurt – the best yogurt to use for a healthy yogurt bowl recipe is a low-sugar Greek yogurt. My favorite is Sigi’s. I like to use vanilla, coconut, mixed berry, or strawberry yogurt but if the goal is to keep sugar at a minimum then consider using plain greek yogurt. This only has 5 grams of sugar.
In general, I use ½ cup – ¾ cups of yogurt per yogurt bowl. Or I’ll use 1 (5.3 -ounce) container. The amount of yogurt I use depends on whether I’m eating it for breakfast or a snack, along with the toppings I want to add.
Raw sliced almonds – Any raw nuts will work but I prefer sliced almonds to help get a little in every bite. I use 1 tablespoon of nuts per bowl.
Granola – Whether you use store-bought or homemade granola the important thing is to measure it out. This is where a lot of extra calories and fat can sneak into your yogurt bowl. There are many healthy granola brands available so just make sure to read the label before purchasing.
1 tablespoon of granola is plenty for a yogurt bowl.
Berries – Raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries are my favorite fruit to use in yogurt bowls. Berries are a great way to add bulk without a lot of extra calories or fat so I’ll top my yogurt bowl with ½ cup or so.
Other yogurt bowl ideas
Nut butters – 1-2 teaspoons a drizzle of peanut or almond butter is delicious on top of a yogurt bowl.
Raw nuts – almonds, cashews, peanuts, or any raw nut add protein and crunch to a yogurt bowl.
Toasted coconut – Keep the sugars under control by grabbing unsweetened coconut and toast it by cooking it on the stovetop for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until brown and toasty.
Frozen or fresh fruit – Both taste delicious with yogurt bowls. If using frozen fruit then soften it up by heating the fruit up in the microwave for 30 seconds or so.
Dried fruit – Stick with unsweetened to keep extra added sugars to a minimum.
Cocao powder or nibs – For a decadent dessert-like yogurt bowl sprinkle some cocoa nibs on top or stir in a tablespoon of cocoa powder.
Natural sweeteners – Between the yogurt and other ingredients, it shouldn’t be necessary to add in extra sweeteners. However, if you’re using plain yogurt and want to control the sugar then stirring in 1-2 teaspoons of natural sweetener like pure maple syrup or honey will work.
FAQS
Purchase 32-ounce containers of greek yogurt. This helps to measure out the yogurt used while also saving money. I’ve seen plain and vanilla yogurt sold in the larger containers.
Be aware of high sugar yogurts. Some yogurts have more sugar than ice cream or candy bars. Even if it’s designed to look healthy read the label to be sure.
Be aware of added sugars with toppings. Can you see a pattern here? Catching hidden sugars is important to keep yogurt bowls healthy. Many toppings like sweetened coconut, sweetened dried fruit, or candied nuts can add tons of extra sugar to yogurt bowls. Choose raw and unsweetened when purchasing these ingredients.
Make homemade granola. Store-bought granola has come a long way. But, it still can include a lot of hidden sugars. Homemade granola is so easy to make and sugar can be significantly reduced. This coconut almond granola recipe is low in sugar and delicious.
Measure everything – I know I might sound like a broken record, but if the goal is to create a healthy nutrient-dense yogurt bowl then measuring out all of the ingredients is a must. Don’t try to eyeball everything or you’ll end up with a 500+ calorie sugar bomb bowl of yogurt and toppings.
Stir in superfoods – flaxseeds, hemp hearts, and/or chia seeds are all superfoods that I love using in healthy yogurt bowls.
Thrive Market is an online natural and organic grocery store where I purchase many of the non-perishable ingredients and superfoods I use in yogurt bowls. They offer many of the same products found at Whole Foods but at lower prices. If you want to learn more then read my Thrive Market Review.
Supplies needed to make yogurt bowls
Glass jars with lids – 16- ounce mason jars, or 2 cup Pyrex containers work great for storing yogurt bowls.
Measuring cups and spoons – Again, the key to a healthy yogurt bowl is to measure everything.
How to Make Yogurt Bowls
Preparing yogurt bowls is so easy to do.
Start with your favorite low-sugar Greek yogurt. Either use a 5.3-ounce container or measure out 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of yogurt.
Place the yogurt into a bowl and then place the measured out toppings on top.
Enjoy!
Meal Prep Tips
Yogurt bowls can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Either cover the bowl with plastic wrap or use glass containers with tight-fitting lids. These are great to put into lunches or grab on the way to work
Bananas and apples will brown if put on too early so I recommend adding these fruits right before you eat the yogurt bowls.
Berry, Granola, and Nut Yogurt Bowls
Yogurt bowls are the perfect healthy breakfast, or snack, that the entire family will love. It’s easy to prepare using simple ingredients and is packed with protein, calcium, healthy fats, and good carbs.
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Servings: 1
Calories: 235kcal
Ingredients
- 1 5.3 ounce vanilla greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon sliced almonds
- 1 tablespoon low sugar granola
- 1/2 cup berries
Instructions
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Add the greek yogurt into a bowl.
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Top with sliced almonds, granola, and berries.
Notes
Can be made ahead and store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Either cover the bowl with plastic wrap or use glass containers with tight-fitting lids. These are great to put into lunches or grab on the way to work.
Other yogurt bowl ideas
Nut butters – 1-2 teaspoons a drizzle of peanut or almond butter is delicious on top of a yogurt bowl.
Raw nuts – almonds, cashews, peanuts, or any raw nut add protein and crunch to a yogurt bowl.
Toasted coconut – Keep the sugars under control by grabbing unsweetened coconut and toast it by cooking it on the stovetop for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until brown and toasty.
Frozen or fresh fruit – Both taste delicious with yogurt bowls. If using frozen fruit then soften it up by heating the fruit up in the microwave for 30 seconds or so.
Dried fruit – Stick with unsweetened to keep extra added sugars to a minimum.
Cocao powder or nibs – For a decadent dessert-like yogurt bowl sprinkle some cocoa nibs on top or stir in a tablespoon of cocoa powder.
Natural sweeteners – Between the yogurt and other ingredients it really shouldn’t be necessary to add in extra sweeteners. However, if you’re using plain yogurt and want to control the sugar then stirring in 1-2 teaspoons of natural sweetener like pure maple syrup or honey will work.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 235kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 15g
