Taking a Vacation From Making Kefir

Kefir is a wonderful probiotic product, whether it's milk or sugar water kefir. Kefir is easy and cost effective to make at home, not to mention much more healthful than kefir available in the grocery store. Like yogurt, the probiotics start to die off as soon as the kefir grains have finished culturing the milk or sugar water. The sooner you drink the beverage after it's cultured, the more probiotic benefits you get. That said, having kefir grains is sort of like getting a new pet. They need to be fed and cared for every day to stay healthy. In our video Tricia shows you how to rehydrate grains and start making kefir. So your kefir grains are culturing beautifully, you're in the swing of daily feeding, what if you want to go on a vacation? For a short vacation put your kefir grains with fresh milk or fresh sugar water in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Store the jar in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks. The cold of the refrigerator slows down the kefir grains; they don't eat as much when they're chilled. If, at the end of a couple of weeks, you're not ready to start back with kefir production you can repeat the process. A break for a few weeks is nice, what about an even longer break? You can actually dehydrate your kefir grains at home to store them for up to six months. Strain out your grains and spread them out on a piece of unbleached parchment paper. Put the paper in a safe place at room temperature to let the kefir grains dry out. They should be dry in a few days, it will take longer in areas with higher humidity. Store your dry grains in a jar or bag with a tight seal, such as these Le Parfait storage jars. Keep your dehydrated grains in a cool place for up to six months. Follow the instructions you received with the kefir grains for re-hydrating them to get going again.