A Review of New Things I've Tried #45 (Non-Dairy Yogurt Edition)

It's been a long time since I did a new things roundup! So long, in fact, that some of this post was languishing in my draft folder for years and it is entirely possible I tried some things that may well no longer exist. But here we are anyway! And I tried things!

I've gradually accepted that yogurt is a less-common part of my life as a vegan than it was before I was vegan, because non-dairy yogurt is more expensive by far. (I do not remember, by the way, how often I used to eat a single serve yogurt, but I think I used to consider that a basic staple.) But that's why I snap it up when I see it on sale! Here are some new-to-me yogurts. You'll notice I'm not someone who tends to eat berry yogurt or most fruit flavors; in fact, I generally stick with vanilla. That's me. I don't like surprise hunks of fruit in my yogurt. When I find a chocolate or a lemon version, of course I snap it up, because those tend to be smooth. But you do you! If you like berries, go for it.

1. Silk Dark Chocolate Coconut Almond Milk Yogurt

There was nothing super remarkable about this. I had it with granola one morning for breakfast and it served me reasonably well. It wasn't gritty like some non-dairy yogurts are, which I appreciated. The flavor wasn't quite bitter enough to be reminiscent of dark chocolate, but it tasted good. Like almost all non-dairy yogurts except those made from soy, this has almost no protein, so I don't usually eat something like this as something other than a garnish. If you add nuts, though, that should help matters (I note I am not that kind of doctor, nor, indeed, any kind of medical doctor, so see your own about your own nutritional needs).

2. Yoplait Oui Non-Dairy (Coconut) Vanilla Yogurt

Oui is distinctive on the shelf because it comes in a glass jar with a foil lid, unlike the sea of plastic tubs around it. I can appreciate that as I continue to try to figure out how to get less plastic in my life. Like other coconut milk yogurts, this is delicious, but the major nutritional component here seems to be fat (which is likely the reason it's delicious!). I don't object to that--after all, we all need fat--but it does mean that I'm more likely to dollop yogurt like this on my pancakes than I am to eat it straight out of the jar. This is a creamy, sweet yogurt that is somewhat reminiscent of Kite Hill, which I would use in a similar way.

3. Trader Joe's Vanilla Cashew Yogurt

This one was nothing remarkable. I remember it being a bit gritty, and there are others I've liked more, but this was fine as a topping or mixed with granola. I wouldn't eat this by itself.

4. Siggi's Vanilla Cinnamon Plant-Based Coconut Yogurt

As soon as I tried this, it became one of my favorite things. Unlike most vegan yogurts, it had a hefty amount of protein, and although it is sweetened, it's only very mildly sweet compared to some pretty sugary yogurts. The cinnamon is also a really nice flavor. This is a yogurt I'd feel fine eating on its own. It's also great as a topping for fruit, since it doesn't overpower the sweetness.

5. Silk Greek-Style Lemon Coconut Milk Yogurt

More protein-hefty plant-based yogurt, hooray! This one is thick. I'd forgotten how thick Greek yogurt could be! This one is not too sweet, which I like, and it had a nice tartness for the lemon flavor. This one might actually need to be sweeter to eat on its own, but it stands up as its own component of a meal, rather than a garnish.

6. Kite Hill Plain Unsweetened Greek-Style Almond Milk Yogurt

Still more protein-packed yogurt! It's an exciting time to be alive. This was what I use when making vegan naan. Having also just tasted it as it was, I think if you were ever into dairy Greek yogurt, you'll like this. I like that a plain Greek yogurt is out there for me to use in recipes; it could also be a more protein-heavy substitute for sour cream when used as a topping. This is a good, tart, thick yogurt, and not at all sweet.

7. Trader Joe's Pumpkin Spice Cashew Yogurt

After a run of good yogurts, or otherwise okay yogurts, I found a loathsome one: Trader Joe's pumpkin spice cashew yogurt. It was awful. So awful, in fact, that after two bites I gave up and turned it into a smoothie, and even that took adding quite a few other things to dilute the flavor. I don't know what they were going for here but it did not taste like pumpkin spice. It was exceedingly tart and just plain weird, plus it had an odd texture. I'll know better than to pick this up again.

8. Pillars Organic Probiotic Vanilla Coconut Yogurt

This yogurt is sweetened with stevia and fortified with protein; I didn't like the stevia aftertaste here but the yogurt worked fine mixed with other things. I would only buy this again in a situation where I couldn't get something else, but it is better than no yogurt (unlike that Trader Joe's pumpkin spice stuff).

9. Kite Hill Plain Unsweetened Almond Milk Yogurt

This is a good, basic yogurt. Want to make tzatziki? This is my go-to for that. It doesn't have tons of protein, but it has a bit more than a lot of non-dairy yogurts.

10. Icelandic Provisions Vanilla Bean Oatmilk Skyr

I don't usually like oat-based yogurt, but this was high in protein so I wanted to try it. It was okay, but I much prefer nut or legume-based yogurts. I would be unlikely to buy this again if I had an alternative available. I am just not an oat-based yogurt person. Also, I tend to eat with my eyes, and this is a weird, dingy color I found really unappetizing, which may explain part of why I don't like oat-based yogurt.

Do you have a favorite non-dairy yogurt?