Whether you’re lactose intolerant, an almond milk lover, or just curious, here are my reviews of 5 dairy-free yogurt products that you can find at your typical grocery store to see how they compare to yogurt made with regular milk. I compared the taste, texture, nutrition, and cost to see which yogurt really is the best.
In the past few years, you have most likely seen an emergence of dairy-free substitutes for some of your favorite dairy products like milk, ice cream, coffee creamer, yogurt, etc. Plant-based yogurt in particular has become increasingly popular, not just among vegans or people with lactose intolerance, but anyone with a curiosity for unique food. These yogurts are made with a variety of milks––such as oat milk, almond milk, cashew milk, etc.––which taste great and are completely dairy-free. Even more, studies show that reducing one’s consumption of animal and dairy products might be the “‘single best way’ to reduce your impact on Earth.” So…the question is… Are these “yogurts” too good to be true? Do their health benefits make them worth the cost? Do they even taste good? For the skeptics out there wondering whether these dairy-free yogurts are just as good as the “real deal,” I am here to answer some of your questions.
Let’s start with your basic greek yogurt:
Greek Yogurt (Vanilla Nonfat Greek Yogurt – $0.99 at Trader Joe’s)
There are numerous health benefits of greek yogurt: it’s a great, healthy source of protein, calcium, and probiotics––which are good for gut health. This vanilla greek yogurt has a total of 190 calories, 0 g fat, 15 g protein, and 15% of the daily value (DV) of calcium per serving (5.3 oz). For those of you who enjoy dairy, this yogurt is thick, creamy, and has a sweet vanilla flavor. Not to mention that it only costs $0.99 per cup!
Now let’s take a look at the dairy-free yogurt…
Coconut Milk Yogurt (SO Delicious Chocolate Coconutmilk Yogurt – $1.99 at Whole Foods)
Regarding the nutritional information of the following products, I focus on the calories, protein, calcium, and probiotics of each dairy-free yogurt. This yogurt made with coconut milk has only 140 calories and 15% DV calcium. However, it only has 1 g protein per 5.3 oz serving, making you wonder whether it’s worth spending an extra $1.00. Even so, the consistency is very smooth and isn’t as thick as regular yogurt. The subtle coconut flavor paired with the chocolate is not too sweet and it is slightly tart, reminding me of a tropical frozen yogurt. Overall, the taste is great and it would be perfect as an after-dinner treat, but I wouldn’t depend on it as a good protein source.
Soy Milk Yogurt (Silk Soy Vanilla Dairy-Free Yogurt – $1.69 at Whole Foods)
Nutritionally speaking, this soy yogurt might be the best for you in terms of health benefits. With a total of 140 calories, 6 g protein, and 15% DV calcium per 5.3 oz serving, it’s a good source of protein, not to mention it has the same amount of calcium as regular Greek yogurt. In terms of consistency and taste, it is thicker than the coconut yogurt and very creamy. It’s rich, sweet, and could honestly pass as regular yogurt (of all the yogurts I tried, this one was my favorite). This soy yogurt is perfect for anyone who wants the experience of eating real yogurt, without having to deal with the dairy.
Almond Milk Yogurt (Whole Foods Market Vanilla Almondmilk Yogurt – $1.49 at Whole Foods)
Almond milk has become a dairy-free favorite in the past few years, and it does not disappoint when it comes to yogurt. From the first bite, the pleasant nutty and earthy almond flavor really comes through, but not overpoweringly so. It’s incredibly creamy, smooth, and has a natural sweetness from the almonds and vanilla bean flavor. It has 180 calories, 5 g protein, 14% DV calcium, and 5 live and active cultures, making it a great non-dairy source of protein, calcium, and probiotics. Overall, I don’t think it could pass as “dairy,” but then again I don’t think it’s trying to. Highly recommend to anyone trying to change up their average yogurt game.
Oat Milk Yogurt (Nancy’s Apple Cinnamon Probiotic Oatmilk Yogurt – $1.99 at Whole Foods)
After having very high expectations, I have to admit that I was not a fan of this one. Despite oat milk’s popularity and reputation of being creamy and mild in flavor, this yogurt was not sweet, it was very tangy and sour with an almost gelatinous texture, making it somewhat unpleasant to eat on its own. Per 6 oz serving, it has 110 calories, 6 g protein, but only 2% DV calcium. It does include probiotics, but given the higher price and lack of calcium, I would maybe just stick to eating regular yogurt.
Cashew Milk Yogurt (Forager Project Organic Vanilla Bean Cashewmilk Yogurt – $1.99 at Whole Foods)
Finally, we have the vanilla cashew milk yogurt. There are a total of 140 calories per 5.3 oz serving. Just like the almond milk yogurt, it has added probiotics, which hopefully might make up for the fact that it only has 3 g protein and a mere 2% DV calcium. Nevertheless, it’s very creamy, mildly sweet, slightly tangy, and tastes almost like regular yogurt, but with a slightly thinner consistency. Overall, this dairy-free yogurt is delicious, fulfilling, and would taste great in a smoothie or just by itself.