Frozen, fruity or fat-free, yogurt is a tasty and popular snack. Full of calcium and often low in calories and fat, it's no wonder yogurt comes in almost every flavor imaginable. It's good stuff!

A stroll down the yogurt aisle in any grocery store yields a multitude of choices. There's fruit on the bottom, custard style, Swiss style, European style and Greek style, among other types of yogurt. (For more info on what to look for in a yogurt, read this story by Dietitian Becky.)

Recently, we decided to sample a Greek style yogurt that we've read about on other food blogs: Chobani Greek yogurt.

Greek yogurt is typically thicker and creamier than other yogurts. Our friend Shauna Reid, aka Dietgirl, is a huge fan of the stuff. "Go Greek," she told us. "If you’re a cream or sour cream fiend, 0% or 2% Greek yogurt is an excellent substitute. It's low in fat, protein-rich and incredibly creamy. Dollop into meringue nests and top with fresh fruit. Splodge onto a bowl of chilli. Swirl into butternut squash soup.”

In addition to being tasty and creamy--even when fat-free--Greek yogurt is higher in protein than regular yogurt. Here's why:

According to the folks at Chobani Greek yogurt, it's because of the straining process.

"We are taking the water and the whey out of the milk when we process it, making Chobani more concentrated than a traditional yogurt. If you think about our product compared to any other brand, we are using about three times more milk to get the same 6oz container that (other) yogurt would use (a ratio of about 3lbs of milk gets turned into 1lb of yogurt). Since we use more milk, we are now getting more protein."

However, because the whey is drained off, there is slightly less calcium in Greek yogurt.
Comparison of standard 6-ounce servings:
Standard yogurt (plain, fat-free)
80 calories
0 g fat
9 g protein
30% Daily Value calcium

Chobani Greek yogurt (plain, fat-free)
100 calories
0 g fat
18 g protein
20% Daily Value calcium


OK, enough talk. Let's eat some yogurt!





What they say:

All Natural

Live & Active Cultures

Great source of protein

Perfect way to increase energy

Rich smooth creamy texture

A great mid day snack

Helps prevent the risk of Osteoporosis

Includes 3 active probiotics

Gluten free


What we say:

I liked Chobani yogurt. I tried the plain and the peach varieties. I usually eat plain yogurt and add my own fruit, so the peach seemed really sweet to me. It seemed more like dessert to me, but people who like sweet yogurt will like this.

There were real pieces of fruit in the yogurt and no artificial sweeteners or corn syrup, unlike most supermarket yogurts. I don't like corn syrup or artificial sweeteners, so I am happy to find products that are sweetened with sugar. The fruit tasted fresh and delicious!

The plain yogurt was everything I want in a yogurt: tangy, creamy and rich. The nonfat variety didn't have that weird chalky taste that many nonfat yogurts have. In fact, I couldn't tell it was nonfat!

This was my first time every trying Greek yogurt (I had the nonfat strawberry), so I wasn't sure what to expect or how it'd be different. I did not like this yogurt. While I appreciate that it has 14 grams of protein and it has a surprisingly thick texture for something that's fat-free, I did not enjoy the taste or the strange aftertaste I experienced after each bite. If you like Greek yogurt, maybe you'll like this, but if you're used to regular yogurt, it might take some getting used to. I think I'd like it better with added dried or fresh fruit and/or granola.

I tried the blueberry nonfat yogurt. Creamy and rich, I didn't even know it was nonfat. It was thick, and the blueberries tasted like real blueberries! (And for good reason--the yogurt contains real fruit and real sugar.)



Chobani is available in three sizes; 6 oz., 16 oz., and 32 oz., with suggested retail prices of $1.59, $3.99, and $6.59.
Find out where to buy Chobani, and get coupons for your next purchase.

What kind of yogurt do you typically buy? Do you like Greek yogurt? Have you tried Chobani?