Friends! After a month-long break, the giveaway is back! This week, I’m featuring the Milk Kefir Grains Starter Kit from the nice folks at Hobby Hill Farm Fresh. The kit contains a small packet of milk kefir grains, a small plastic strainer (kefir grains don’t like metal), and an instruction booklet. Once you activate the grains, they can be recultured repeatedly and can produce up to 1 quart of kefir per day.
When you open up a packet of kefir grains, you’ll find a small number of dried yellow nubbins, packaged in dried milk. To wake them up, you combine them with 1 cup of pasteurized (but not ultra-pasteurized) milk, cover the jar with something breathable, and let them sit for 24 hours.
Give the grains fresh milk every day, until the milk begins to separate into curds and whey. Once that happens, you can start to increase the amount of milk you’re culturing and the kefir is ready for drinking, baking, and flavoring. The best way to keep kefir grains happy is to regularly give them fresh milk for culturing!
For more information on making milk kefir and what to do with it, I recommend checking out this post on Phickle.
I have one of these Milk Kefir Grains Starter Kits to giveaway! Here’s how to enter.
- Leave a comment on this post and tell me about your favorite way to use kefir. When I was a kid, we always had a quart in the fridge for smoothies and quick breakfasts!
- Comments will close at 11:59 pm eastern time on Saturday, February 13, 2016. A winner will be chosen at random and will be posted to the blog on Sunday, February 14, 2016.
- Giveaway open to United States residents only. Void where prohibited.
- One comment per person, please. Entries must be left via the comment form on the blog at the bottom of this post.
Disclosure: Hobby Hill Farm Fresh is providing the starter kit for this giveaway at no cost to me. They are a site sponsor and a valued Food in Jars partner. However, all opinions expressed in this post are mine.
I’ve never made kefir, but I do like cultured foods! I would use it in smoothies for my daughter!
My current favorite is kefir on oatmeal with maple syrup and hemp seeds. Yum!!
I’m intrigued. Never had kefir and think it would be interesting to try it, especially homemade.
I like to use it in baking, in place of commercial buttermilk.
I love to just drink it.
I’ve only tried store-bought versions and based on that packaging always assumed kefir was just a beverage. I had no idea it had so many other uses!
Husband and I have only had water kefir…this summer we were making so much and just drinking it. It replaced our sodas! We’ve never tried milk kefir but we both want to!
We absolutely love kefir but organic kefir is so expensive that it’s outside my reach for a regular part of our diet. What a great giveaway.
I drink it alone for breakfast or mix it into my breakfast smoothies! Thanks for the giveaway!
I love it on my granola or by the glass!
I rarely use kefir because the stuff sold locally is full of sugar. But yum in smoothies!
Smoothies and baking are what I’ve primarily used it for….I’m always open to other suggestions!
I never made it or even tried it, but would be excited to!
I think I would make mango lassis with it!
I like to use it in place of yogurt or buttermilk when baking.
I use commercial kefir in my breakfast smoothie every day. I would love to try making it myself, reducing my dependence on the commercial product.
Kefir with fresh fruit, honey and granola. A perfect breakfast!
Without a doubt, hands down- Kefir is the best with raspberries, no sugar. It basically tastes like raspberry cheesecake, the Kefir adds a sour’ish dairy flavor similar to cream cheese, and the raspberries add a lovely floral/fruity flavor.
-Another great fruit is Mango, which is similar to Mango Lassi.
-Cinnamon, sugar, and vanilla makes a nice horchata flavor.
But generally I consume it plain… mostly because the turnover rate is so quick with Kefir it’s hard to keep up with blending fruits/flavors.
I love cultured and probiotic products. Would love to try
I’ve never had kefir before. Definitely interested in trying it, and what better way than DIY!
I like to drink it plain!
I would love to try making kefir for smoothies. I currently make kombucha every week and love trying new cultured foods!
I use kefir when making chia puddings. They come out great!
I like it in salad dressings and, of course, smoothies. My chickens like it, too!
I’ve never used Kefir before, but I’ve heard great things about it.
I’ve always just purchased it and drank it straight, I love it that way. But it does get expensive, so doing it myself would be something I’d love to have a go at.
We just drink it from the carton, but I would love to add making kefir to my DIY list.
I use it to make deserts!
I’ve never had it before, but I’ve read about it and would love to try!
I love kefir, especially to put on my oatmeal or to use in smoothies. I love that it’s almost naturally lactose free!
I’ve actually never tried Kefir for anything but drinking, but I love the idea some have commented about putting it in my oatmeal!
Hi, I have no idea what kefir is. Till today. Where has this been all my life?! Anyway, the best way to do something new, is both feet in! Would love to win, but won’t be hurt if someone else who already has a slight kefir addiction gets in on the gravy train. Thanks for the chance.
I didn’t even know you could use Kefir for other things besides drinking in yogurt! I would definitely try it in oatmeal.
Biscuits & oatmeal for me! Would love ideas on how to convince younger grandchildren to consume kefir.
We use it in smoothies and I use it in baking quite often too. We have a simple kefir pancake recipe that is great for when I have an excess built up. I like having it on hand!
I only recently started drinking store-bought kefir, and I love it! Making my own seems like a great next step. I also started using kefir in my overnight oats, which is delicious.
Use it in smoothies, and on morning hot cereal. Does heating it remove the healthy benefits of the bacteria?
I just drink it!
I’ve actually never had it, but I’ve made my own yogurt and it seems like it could be used like a very loose yogurt. I’d probably mix it with granola or just dunk graham crackers in it for breakfast or a snack. Or make post-workout smoothies.
I love to use it as the base for my smoothies. I buy a lot of commercially prepared kefir, but never considered making my own!
Love it as a drink!
Just drinking it! Sometimes with fruit blended in.
I love to just drink it straight!
I’ve never had it, but have heard wonderful things about it for years. Not sure what I would do with it, but you can be sure I’d try everything at least once.
I have actually never used kefir, but am eager to try it!
I love making flaky, kefir biscuits as well as mile high pancakes! (Use kefir just like you would buttermilk – it makes an excellent substitution!)
I never had kefir until just a few years ago, now I love it, and so does my son!
I love drinking it as part of my breakfast.
I have only had kefir when I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Afghanistan. It was a new experience.
I find it interesting that it is now so popular here. I would like to try making it.
Exciting! I like to drink kefir
I would add flavors and give it to my kids. They can drink a ton of the stuff and it gets pricy.
I love to drink it plain, or in smoothies. For some reason my body rested very badly to water kefir, but I love milk kefir.
I like to drink it plain, and I sometimes add a little sugar and rosewater for an eastern flavor swing. I’ve also considered trying it out as a buttermilk or yogurt substitute in baked goods, marinades, and dressings.
I don’t have any kefir grains currently, but have been wanting to get some again. We mostly used kefir in smoothies.
Definitely smoothies!
Its a bit out of our normal budget, so we tend to drink it as a special treat.
I, um, never have used it. But I am interested in trying to….
I haven’t made Kefir yet. I know I like to drink whey (in my cocktails), so I think I’d like kefir too. I would also like to make it so I would have a starter for other fermented goodies. My latest thing I’d like to try making with kefir as a starter is fruit sauce and soda( thanks for suggesting phickle ).
Smoothies for sure! What a great giveaway!!!
Recently, I’ve been thinking about making kefir so this would be a great way to start! I’d like to use it smoothies
I am new to the wonders of kefir and am buying it at the health food store. I would love to make my own and this fantastic! I usually some every day for my stomach problems, which are being helped by it, and use it in my overnight oats. Plan on doing a lot more with it, if I can make my own. Gets a little pricey to keep buying these bottles! Thank you for this opportunity.
I love it in smoothies.
We love smoothies and would love to try culturing our own kefir! Thanks for the opportunity!
Can’t say that I have ever tried Kefir. I am definitely going to try this. I love milk., What’s there to lose. As the express goes, “It’s a win, win.”
A couple of years ago, I was having horrible digestive issues after a result of rounds of antibiotics to help with an infection as a result of spider bites. (Oh, but spiders don’t bite, my doctor told me–I disagree!) Anyway, my diet was severely limited as to what I could eat until I started a regime to get my gut into better health. Kefir–drank cold and straight from the glass–was one of those things that got my digestive issues a thing of the past. I still drink it today and I’m happy to say that I’m much better!
Hi, I like to drink it plain, or mix it with flaxeed. Thanks for the opportunity to win.
Have a great day, Lynn
My mom started me drinking kefir when she was diagnosed with cancer last fall and wanted to make some changes in her diet pre-chemo. I was skeptical but I’m really loving it. I like it on crunchy cereal with frozen fruit. Or granola and fruit. A bit like a crunchy smoothie? I would love a starter kit to make my own. 🙂
I’ve never tried kefir but it sounds like something I’d like!
Love it plain!
Love kefir with fresh blueberries or strawberries … favorite as a smoothie!
I like to drink kefir from a glass.
Like most I make it into smoothies, primarily blueberry. I love the yogurt I’m now making, so kefir seems like a natural next step. Fingers crossed…
I am new to kefir but wanted to try it. This looks like a good time!
I just use it as breakfast! Kind of yogurt-y, kind of milk-y. Goes well with granola! – xo
Fresh from the mason jar!!
I am a big fan of Kefir…..my German “Oma” started me on it as a young child. I love it w/granola, as is, as a marinade, in fruit salads and many more?
Smoothies and as a buttermilk substitute!
Kefir is usually breakfast for me, with fruit. But I am interested in trying it for cooking, and baking.
Never used it, would to try it!
I like to put it in smoothies.
I’ve been wanting to try this mysterious food item.
My daughters love to drink kefir straight, I also put it into their smoothies.
For strawberry smoothies.
I don’t favorite way yet because I’ve never used it! But it sounds great, and the link has several good ideas in addition to just drinking it.
Smoothies for the win! I should find other ways as well because we don’t tolerate milk well unless it’s kefir or yogurt.
I haven’t made kefir in so long and would love to get some grains going again! Back when I was making it regularly, I didn’t know much about what to do with it other than drinking it straight. These are such great ideas, I want to try it again!
When my grains would reproduce where I couldn’t keep up with all of them, I’d feed them to my dog. She loved them, but, alas, is no longer with us.
I’ve never had kefir. I would want to try to make it out of goat’s milk. But my kids would probably use it for smoothies or instead of regular milk for cereal.
I would love to begin making my own Kefir every day! I am currently interested in adding more fermented foods to my daily diet, and this is certainly one of my favorite products! I would feel so good knowing that the cultures are real and active, unlike those is the store bought variety.Also, I would feel so great about saving money and time by making my own!
I always buy it for smoothies…….would love to make it.
My favorite way to use Kefir (if I must pick one way) is to add it to my homemade mayonnaise and other sauces to culture them.
I have not tried kefir, but love to try new healthy alternatives
Mostly in smoothies so far, but I’ve been inspired by someone who made a form of ice cream from them that was delicious.
Mainly I just drink kefir. I have been wishing for kefir grains!
Love kefir just to drink, but mix it with fruit, oatmeal, etc. So good.
I am not a fan of kefir myself (although the kefir sour cream sounds interesting) but my son LOVES it. would love to try making it myself rather than pay supermarket rates for it.
I love blueberry kefir to drink
I pour kefir on my cereal or oatmeal every morning with some added fruit and nuts.
I have never tried to make it before, but have been looking into making it.
I love it in smoothies or as a replacement for milk over cereal!
I’ve never tried it, but I’m always willing to try something new. And I feel like it could be a good alternative to plain milk on cereal, since I’m already a fan of yogurt on cereal/granola for breakfast or a snack.
I drink kefir when I feel a sore throat coming on.