Wednesday, November 26, 2008

It's All Greek (Yogurt) To Me

On any given day at my supermarket there just might be some kind of sale on Greek yogurt. And on any given day, you will find people going crazy over that sale - stocking up on Greek yogurt like they plan on being stuck in a bunker underground for who knows how long because the end is near, the end is near.

So, I had to see what all the fuss was about.

Until recently, I had never had Greek yogurt. Oh sure, I had heard about how good it was for you, and saw it in the supermarket and in the little convenience store in the building where I work, but I never purchased it because, well, I didn't think any kind of yogurt was worth that much.

But lo and behold. It was any given day and I was in luck - Fage brand Greek yogurt was on sale at my local supermarket. Fage (pronounced "fa-yeh") is Greece's largest dairy company. Their yogurt comes in different milk fats - classic, 0%, 2%, and 5%. Unbeknownst to me, I picked up the 5%, when if I had been paying attention, I would have chosen the 0%. I also chose the honey kind (they also make cherry, peach and strawberry) because I have been on a honey kick lately, eating it in my plain American yogurt and on my English muffins with peanut butter.



I decided to test out the yogurt at the end of a long work day. The yogurt was VERY thick. And it had a very strong taste. When coupled with the honey, which was also thick as a result of being stored in the refrigerator, the yogurt reminded me of cream cheese - cream cheese with a side of honey. Needless to say, by the time I was done, I was slightly nauseous.

Disappointed, I told me co-worker "I just don't understand what all the fuss is about Greek yogurt." Her response? "Try the Chobani brand - its not as thick and its fat free." Determined to understand the public's obsession with Greek yogurt, I picked up Chobani's peach non-fat yogurt.



The verdict? Chobani tastes better. So much better that I purchased the strawberry non-fat yogurt the next time it was on sale and yes, yes, I can understand why people really like this yogurt. Thick, but not too thick, fat free, and not overly sweet like other brands.

Now, I know it wasn't a far comparison because I didn't try Chobani's honey non-fat yogurt. But the consistency of Chobani, in my opinion, is just that much better. Plus, Chobani's honey is already mixed in (unlike Fage's which is served separately on the side) and I heard that it is not as good. So I guess each brand has its plus and minuses.

Now for the rest test: will I continue to purchase Greek yogurt now that I have had a taste?

Only if it is on sale.

1 comment:

Christo Gonzales said...

everything you dont like about the first one is what I like - and this is coming from someone that had to learn to like yoghurt in general