Yogurt and Berry Parfaits with Grain-Free Granola
Creamy, tangy yogurt layered with crunchy homemade grain-free granola and juicy fresh berries, all packed into jars for an easy, nourishing breakfast you can grab and go. Simple, beautiful, and ready in 10 minutes.
Yield: 4 parfaits (12–16 oz jars) · Active: 10 min · Total: 10 min · Best in summer, when berries are at their peak (frozen berries work year-round) · Best eaten: morning
Ingredients
3 cups plain, full-fat yogurt (cow's, sheep's, or goat's milk, or coconut yogurt for dairy-free)
2 cups grain-free granola (see my Food Marshall Granola)
2 cups fresh berries: blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries, or sliced strawberries
Optional: a drizzle of raw honey or maple syrup, a sprinkle of bee pollen, fresh mint leaves, or lemon zest
Which granola? Any flavor from my granola post works beautifully here. Sunshine Granola (cashew-coconut with citrus zest and mulberries) and Big Cluster Vanilla Maple are especially lovely with berries.
Method
Layer the yogurt. Spoon about ¾ cup yogurt into the bottom of each jar.
Add the granola. Top each with about ½ cup granola.
Finish with berries. Pile on the berries, and add a drizzle of honey and any other toppings.
Serve right away, or see the make-ahead tip below.
For extra layers: Split each ingredient in half and repeat the layers: yogurt, granola, berries, then yogurt, granola, berries.
Make ahead: Layer the yogurt and berries in jars up to 3 days ahead, and pack the granola separately (a small jar or a lid-top container works well). Add it just before eating, so it stays crunchy.
Swap the fruit with the seasons:
Spring: sliced strawberries and apricots
Summer: mixed berries, peaches, or donut peaches
Fall: stewed cinnamon apples or pears, figs, or pomegranate
Winter: blood orange segments, persimmon, or kiwi
For chia pudding versions and more flavor pairings, see my Chia Parfaits guide.
A note on honey: Raw honey shouldn't be given to babies under 12 months; use maple syrup if little ones will be eating these. Bee pollen can cause allergic reactions in people sensitive to pollen or bee stings, so start with a few granules.
Nourishment Notes
Yogurt — protein, calcium, and live cultures that support a healthy gut, plus vitamins A and K2 when it's made from grass-fed milk.
Berries — vitamin C, fiber, and anthocyanins, with blueberries and raspberries among the most antioxidant-rich fruits.
Grain-free granola — vitamin E, magnesium, zinc, and healthy fats from the nuts and seeds.
Raw honey (if using) — enzymes and trace minerals.
As a circadian food, parfaits belong to the morning, ideally eaten in natural daylight. The yogurt's protein balances the fruit's natural sugars, helping keep your energy steady through the morning.
Sourcing
Choosing Your Yogurt
Goat's and sheep's milk yogurt: Goat's and sheep's milk naturally contain mostly A2-type casein, and many people find them easier to digest than conventional cow's milk. Sheep's milk yogurt is especially rich and creamy. Look for Sierra Nevada goat's milk yogurt and Bellwether Farms sheep's milk yogurt.
A2/A2 cow's milk yogurt: Comes from cows that carry only the A2 form of beta-casein, the protein found in the milk of older breeds. Some people who feel uncomfortable after conventional dairy find A2 milk easier to digest. Look for A2/A2 yogurt from Bellwether Farms and Straus.
Raw yogurt from the farm: Amish and small family farms are some of the best sources of raw, grass-fed dairy, often available directly from the farm, through herdshares, or through local buying clubs. Visit if you can, and ask how the cows are raised and how the milk is handled and tested. Find farms near you at realmilk.com.
Dairy-free: Choose coconut yogurt with live cultures and no added sugar or gums.
Everything Else
Yogurt — organic, plain, and full-fat, with live cultures and no added sugar or gums (see "Choosing Your Yogurt" above)
Berries — organic, from a farmers' market in season, or organic frozen berries (conventional strawberries and blueberries can carry high pesticide residues)
Granola — homemade Food Marshall Granola
Raw honey and maple syrup — organic, local, and unfiltered raw honey; organic Grade A dark maple syrup
Bee pollen (optional) — raw and local, from a beekeeper you trust
Mint and lemons — organic
— Anna aka Food Marshall