Frozen Strawberry Yogurt Bar

Recipe shared by  Meghan Martin, Essex Westford School District (EWSD) Farm to School Coordinator, Vermont  

Essex Westford School District adapted this frozen yogurt bar recipe with a granola crust from a shared post on the Tips for School Meals that Rock Facebook page. This tasty side was originally created to complement their end-of-year BBQ lunch menu highlighting all local foods. Through taste tests, this recipe became a hit with students. It’s the perfect addition to the warm weather menu and is served best when frozen.  

Standardized Recipe Card with Picture Guide

Instructions

1. Generously spray an 18″ X 26″ cake pan or two 2” hotel pans with non-stick spray. This recipe will fill a cake pan or two 2” pans. 
2. In a large container or mixer, stir 3 pounds of granola and 6 pounds of  vanilla yogurt. Mix well. 
3. In another large container or mixing bowl, combine the remaining 6 lbs of vanilla yogurt and 5 lbs of strawberries and 1 1/2 cups of maple syrup. Blend with immersion blender until smooth. 
4. Add the granola mixture onto a greased 2” pan and then smooth into an even layer. 
5. Roughly chop 2 lbs of frozen strawberries and sprinkle the chopped berries on top of the granola layer. Drizzle with maple syrup. 
6. Add the yogurt and strawberry mixture on top of the chopped berries and smooth into an even layer. 
7. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze overnight. 
8. Remove from the freezer and let thaw for 15-20 minutes or until soft enough to cut. A 2” pan should be cut 8 X 5 to get 40 servings per pan. If using a cake pan, this can be cut 8 X 10 to get 80 servings. 

How this Yogurt Bar Credits

Each serving is credited as 1 oz Meat/Meat alternate equivalent, 1 oz grain equivalent, and ½ cup of fruit equivalent. 

Helpful Hints

• You can use parchment paper in your 2” pan to prevent sticking but the paper does tend to get stuck in the corners of the yogurt bar. It might be best to avoid parchment paper. 
• The yogurt bar is easiest to cut when it’s partially thawed, but it should be held in the refrigerator or freezer after cutting. 
• For cutting, sharp knives work well but if you have a bench scraper on hand, those work the best. 
• The granola on the bottom softens up quickly, so it should be served frozen and pulled from the freezer right before service. 
• If serving on a hot day, be sure to hold the bar in the freezer between serving lines.