Homemade Fruit on the Bottom Yogurt

By: Meg Roberts, P.H.Ec.
A single serving of store bought fruit on the bottom yogurt contains over 20 grams of added sugar. ‘Added sugar’ is any source of sugar that isn’t naturally present in a food (e.g. table sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, agave, honey). For reference, here is how much added sugar you should be aiming for each day*:

Children - no more than 4 teaspoons of added sugar a day (16 grams/day; 64 calories/day)
Women - no more than 6 teaspoons of added sugar a day ( 25 grams/day; 100 calories/day)
Men - no more than 9 teaspoons of added sugar a day (37.5 grams/day; 150 calories/day)
*The National Academy of Medicine does not recognize sources of added sugar as having any nutritional benefit and therefore there is no dietary reference intake value set for sugar.

Photo by Jason Blackeye on Unsplash

Many brand name varieties of fruit on the bottom yogurt are primarily made of modified milk ingredients, followed by sugar and water, then lastly fruit puree.
​
Homemade fruit on the bottom yogurt is a much more wholesome snack. Plain dairy based yogurts contain no added sugar and are a good source of protein and calcium. Most plant based unsweetened yogurts are fortified with vitamin D, calcium and vitamin B12.

As far as store bought jam goes, I prefer the brand Bonne Maman because one tablespoon of their jam has 13 g of sugar per 1 tablespoon and the ingredient list is very simple: fruit first, then sugar, cane sugar, concentrated lemon juice and fruit pectin. Plus the empty jars can be used as water glasses for everyday use.

Do you love the taste of homemade jam, but can’t find the time to make your own? One solution is to visit your local farmer's market (in Toronto, many operate until the first week of October) and stock up on different varieties to last you until next Spring.
​
There are endless combinations of homemade fruit on the bottom yogurt that you can prepare at home. Just make sure the container you select has an air tight seal. My preferred containers are the 4 oz (quarter pint) mason jars that you can buy in store or online. If you are packing for a child consider using a 4 oz plastic container with an airtight screw lid.

Regular version:
Bottom layer: 1.5 tsp. (7.5 mL) of homemade or store bought strawberry jam
Top layer: ¾ cup (180 mL) plain yogurt (dairy or plant based)
Top with: 1 tbsp. (15 mL) plain hemp hearts


Plant based version:
Bottom layer: 1.5 tsp. (7.5 mL)  of homemade or store bought peach jam
Top layer: ¾ cup (180 mL)  dairy free unsweetened coconut yogurt
Top with: 1 tbsp. (15 mL) shredded unsweetened coconut

Low Glycemic version:
Bottom layer: ½ cup (125 mL) chopped fresh seasonal fruit
Top layer: ¾ cup (180 mL)  plain yogurt (dairy or plant based)
Top with: ¼ cup (60 mL) chopped walnuts or ¼ cup (60 mL) pumpkin seeds if you are packing a nut-free lunch.