Yogurt Parfait Bar Ideas
A build-your-own yogurt bar is a fun and addition to a brunch gathering. Customize yogurt toppings to suit different tastes, preferences and dietary restrictions.
Please The Crowd With a Build-Your-Own Yogurt Bar
Few things make me happier than a build-your-own yogurt parfait bar at a hotel breakfast buffet. It’s like a “Choose Your Own Adventure” book in the form of breakfast.
And I’ve discovered that this is also one of my favorite ways to host brunch at home. It works so well because each guest can customize their meal to be exactly what THEY want it to be.
If somebody wants all lighter yogurt toppings, they can load up on fruit and granola. But there’s also chocolate chunks, waffle cone bits, and everything else in between waiting for people who like a little decadence in the morning.
The recipe card below includes approximate amounts for a yogurt parfait bar for 8 people, but you can set up all of these ingredients in any quantity for any number of people. Happy Brunching!
Start Off Your Yogurt Bowl With the Right Type of Yogurt
Depending on how many people will be partaking in the yogurt bar, and their dietary preferences, you could offer just one classic yogurt, like plain Greek yogurt (also great for Greek yogurt pasta sauce), or a variety options.
You could offer plain Greek AND vanilla-flavored traditional yogurt, perhaps. You could also include a low-fat or dairy-free yogurt alternative if your guests need it.
How Much Yogurt Per Person for a Yogurt Bar?
A good rule of thumb is to plan for about 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of yogurt per person. You can go on the lighter side if you have lots of other items available with your brunch, or increase the amount a bit if the yogurt bar is the main feature.
How to Make a Yogurt Bowl
This parfait bar will offer endless customization for guests to create their own masterpiece. But here’s a basic guide to getting everybody started:
- YOGURT. Start with a generous scoop of yogurt, either Greek or traditional.
- FRUIT. Top the yogurt with fresh fruits like berries, sliced bananas or segmented citrus fruits.
- CRUNCH. Sprinkle on something that will offer a satisfying crunch, like granola, nuts or seeds.
- SWEETEN IT UP. Offer honey, agave nectar or maple syrup for people who prefer a sweeter breakfast.
- FINISH WITH A FLOURISH. The finishing touch might be something like shredded coconut, pomegranate seeds, chocolate chunks or a sprinkle of waffle cone pieces.
Yogurt Bar Toppings
- granola – make it yourself or buy a high-quality bag of store-bought granola for your yogurt bar.
- fresh fruit – such as berries, cubed mango, pomegranate seeds, sliced bananas and segmented oranges. You can use classic navel oranges like you’d use for orange chicken thighs, or you even use blood oranges or Cara Cara oranges for a gourmet touch.
- dried fruit – dried cherries, cranberries and golden raisins are some of my favorites. Dried citrus slices are also pretty toppings for yogurt.
- seeds – chia, pumpkin and flax seeds are all great yogurt parfait bar ideas.
- toasted coconut flakes – start with unsweetened coconut flakes and choose one of these 3 methods for how to toast coconut.
- natural sweeteners – honey, maple syrup and agave nectar are all great options to add a touch of sweetness. Don’t miss my honey lemonade and agave lemonade, too.
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Indulgent Yogurt Toppings
- chocolate – chocolate chips, chunks you have left over from making chocolate brulee or chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting recipe, or a finely chopped chocolate bar all work here!
- nut butter – peanut butter, almond butter and Nutella are all luxurious additions to a yogurt parfait.
- waffle cone pieces – I included these only because I had a box of waffle cones randomly in my pantry, but they were a hit as a yogurt parfait bar idea!
- lemon curd – make a double batch of the curd from my lemon curd cake and use one batch in the cake and one batch for a yogurt bar.
Savory Yogurt Toppings
That’s right, savory yogurt is a thing, and I’m here for it. Click over to my post about savory yogurt for ideas for savory yogurt toppings, including everything but the bagel seasoning recipe, olives, tomatoes, pesto, and all kinds of things.
One of my Favorite Yogurt Toppings Ideas: Bruleed Grapefruit
Bruleed grapefruit takes just a few minutes to prepare, but it’s such a special touch for a parfait bar.
Grab as many grapefruits as you think you might need (save a few for a vodka grapefruit cocktail), and peel and segment them. While you’re working on this, have your broiler preheating on high.
Lightly spray a rimmed baking pan with cooking spray. Place the grapefruit on the prepared pan and sprinkle with a bit of granulated sugar (about 2 teaspoons of sugar for each large grapefruit that you use).
Place the sugared grapefruit under the broiler and cook for 4 to 6 minutes or until the grapefruit is caramelized. WATCH IT CAREFULLY! The grapefruit will fall apart and form a compote-like mixture. So yummy!
Keep Your Yogurt Parfait Bar Toppings Simple
While it’s tempting to offer ALL OF THE OPTIONS on your yogurt bar, this isn’t really necessary. In fact, too many options can turn out to be quite overwhelming for your guests.
I would probably choose either sweet OR savory, and stick to around 6 to 8 yogurt parfait bar toppings. Be sure to label them clearly, and offer plenty of spoons, tongs and ladles!
Consider dietary restrictions when choosing yogurt parfait bar ideas.
If you’re hosting guests with any dietary restrictions, be sure to make them feel welcome with plenty of yogurt toppings to suit their needs.
Most large grocery stores have a variety of vegan yogurt alternatives (also great for a carrot cake smoothie), gluten-free granolas, and the like, so finding toppings for yogurt suitable for everybody shouldn’t be too much of a challenge.
More Foxes Love Lemons Favorites
Yogurt Bowl Buffet
Ingredients
- 4 cups Greek or traditional yogurt plain or flavored
- 2 oranges peeled and segmented
- 1 cup homemade granola or store-bought
- ⅓ cup agave nectar honey or maple syrup
- ⅓ cup chocolate chips or chunks
- ⅓ cup dried fruit such as cranberries, raisins or dried citrus
- ⅓ cup lemon curd or jam
- ¼ cup pomegranate seeds
- ¼ cup waffle cone pieces
- 3 tablespoons chia seeds
- 3 tablespoons toasted coconut flakes
- Fresh mint leaves for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Arrange yogurt and toppings in bowls on large board or platter with plenty of serving utentils, and let guests assemble their own parfaits.
- Remember to keep track of time so yogurt isn't out the fridge too long.
Thanks for using my recipe title in the text of the post. I used to love those books … They’d be like:
– Run away from dinosaur. Turn to Page 82.
– Decide to fire sling shot at dinosaur. Page 93.
I like this recipe, even if it took me almost 3 days to understand what you meant by “bar”. I kept thinking it was a dessert bar item. But I loved making my own yogurt dreams come true once I understood.
Haha, I’m glad you finally figured out that these were not, in fact, yogurt in bar form. Well, cut-able bar form. OK, it’s still kind of confusing.
This is a most interesting concept. What I would most likely end up doing with it is making choices from the kinds of items you list, to construct breakfast for the two of us (I might be able to use this concept when my sister visits later this year – after citrus season, of course – the principles should work with other seasons). Great idea!
Hi Susan! Yes, that’s exactly what I was hoping people would do (if not serving this for a get-together, of course). Jeff and I chose about 4-5 of the toppings and kept them handy in the fridge this week, so we could just assemble our own breakfast each day. And maybe next week, we’ll choose a different set of toppings. Keeps breakfast from getting boring, without a ton of work 🙂 Have a great weekend, Susan!