I’ve always been a big fan of yoghurt (or yogurt, if you prefer), but wasn’t ever really fond of the Greek yoghurt. I think that the primary reason that I don’t find like the majority of Greek yoghurt is due to its extremely thick, and sometimes dense texture. That being said, Greek yoghurt has some outstanding nutritional value (such as having double [or more] the protein of “regular” yoghurt, and also being fat-free [some of it, anyway]). It also serves as a decent source of calcium and potassium (although you will certainly need more of each in your daily regime).
Anyway, I’ve tried many different brands of Greek yoghurt, and though I was able to get through a container, it wasn’t enjoyable in the least. A couple weeks ago at the local grocer, they had a special on all varieties of Voskos Greek Yogurt. Seeing as I can’t really pass on a good deal, I grabbed a few different types (some with fruit, some with honey, some with granola mix-ins), and took them with me as a snack.
As I had guessed, though, the yoghurt was incredibly thick and almost had a grittiness to it. It didn’t have a mouth feel that I liked, and the flavours were quite tart, even though a few of them had sweet fruit bits mixed in. Now, just because I didn’t care for it doesn’t mean it wasn’t well made. I believe that Voskos produces a high-quality product, but that it is just one that is unappealing to me.
The next week, interestingly, the same grocer was featuring Dannon Oikos Greek Yogurt in their sale. Being determined to find a Greek yoghurt that I enjoyed (or just incredibly stubborn; however you want to look at it), I picked up a few of them as well. I thought that these cups might be different than most of the others that I had tried, because they had the fruit on the bottom of the cup, instead of blended into the yoghurt itself.
I picked up a couple different flavours, including black cherry, blueberry, vanilla, and strawberry. I’ve had the black cherry and blueberry thus far, and they are great! Surprisingly, they don’t have nearly the viscosity as the other Greek yoghurt that I’ve had in the past. Instead, the yoghurt is incredibly smooth and creamy. It is certainly still thicker than a “traditional” yoghurt, but I would say that the difference is slight. The fruit on the bottom is more of a compote, with a nice light syrup mixed with the fruit. When that fruit compote is mixed together with the yoghurt, it further lessens the viscosity, and adds a sweetness that just isn’t present in the varieties that mix the fruit before packaging.
After trying several different types and brands of Greek yoghurt, I have finally found one that I like as much (if not more so) than the standard yoghurt brands that I’ve enjoyed for years. Try it for yourself, and see what you think. If you’re like me, and have previously stayed away based on texture, the Dannon Oikos with the fruit on the bottom might be a winner for you too. 🙂
Cheers,
Zach
