Best Plant Yogurt

[MoreGreens]

So, I think I've finally lured my husband to the healthy side. He wants to transition rather than go teetotal, so I need to replace his dairy yogurt to keep his morning routine the same. (at least until he gets used to not having dairy, because plant yogurts are shockingly expensive) *sighs* He really loves his morning yogurt parfait.

I'm hoping someone has had positive experiences with plant yogurt. When I was ill, I tried So Delicious yogurt and thought it was watery and tasted of chemical with an odd, lingering aftertaste ... obviously, I won't be buying that again. I can't eat almond, so I have no idea about the quality of those products. This is a tricky fix for me, as I don't have much experience with dairy replacement.

Do you have suggestions for plant yogurts available in the US that would make a decent newbie substitute?
Also, if you were a previous yogurt eater, what do you eat now in its stead?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Lou]

We have talked about this before in the forum. So you might want to search and find the threads where this was discussed to get even More Input. (Please imagine #5 saying "More Input")

My opinion without much evidence is that there are few if any benefits to eating yogurt.
1. Do the live bacteria even make it thru past your stomach alive?
2. Most yogurts have very few species of bacteria. Our guts have hundreds (if not thousands). so how much benefit can yogurt do?

From a health standpoint, i think a bowl of oatmeal is the best breakfast. Comparing oatmeal to yogurt, nutritionally they are about the same except that yogurt has no fiber. (make the oatmeal with soymilk for even more protein, fiber, and other good stuff). You can even make an "oatmeal parfait". I think there are some good recipes and such for those - and if you make overnight oats it should be almost as convenient.

But if you Have to go with yogurt you should just go to the store and buy whichever ones they sell. There are probably just a few available to you. Get one of each and you can have your husband do a little side-by-side taste test. then let your hubby pick the one he likes. If you regularly visit different grocery stores you should check out the ones at all of them. maybe have your own Plant Milk Yogurt Playoffs.

The other thing is that you can make homemade yogurt that is less expensive and healthier than anything in the store. Some of the InstantPots have a yogurt setting, or you can buy a little yogurt machine. (Yogurt machines used to be readily available at Good Will and garage sales - they used to be a popular wedding present). Or if hubby is handy, home made yogurt makers are a fun project. When I was in college I made one out of a beer cooler and a light bulb.

Vegan Overnight Oat Parfaits- 12 Recipes To Kick Off The Season! – Oh She Glows

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[Forest Nymph]

I was a vegetarian before I was vegan and I used to eat a lot yogurt (and cheese) so I think my opinion is worth something - though in the end we all have our own taste buds.

Forager cashew yogurt is the best I have ever had. I use the plain unsweetened instead of sour cream sometimes and also love the vanilla. It comes in larger containers and costs a little more than soy yogurt but if you are big on yogurt it's worth it.

Soy yogurt I only usually like if it's flavored. Otherwise I eat coconut yogurt (which always has a coconut underlying taste no matter what the flavor is but has a great texture). Almond yogurt is my least favorite. I honestly like almond butter and almonds themselves, but I sometimes wonder who almond milk is even for. It's thin, watery and is awful in coffee.

 

[silva]

Oh gawd, I though Forager was nothing remotely yogurt like! I didn't like it at all
I like plain Silk, but I've been making my own soy yogurt weekly with a carton of Trader Joes soy beverage (beans and water) with one of these probiotics well shaken, and divided in jars. I have a Instant Pot duo

Amazon.com: NewRhythm Probiotics 50 Billion CFU 20 Strains, 60 Veggie Capsules, Targeted Release Technology, Stomach Acid Resistant, No Need for Refrigeration, Non-GMO, Gluten Free: Health & Personal Care

Buy NewRhythm Probiotics 50 Billion CFU 20 Strains, 60 Veggie Capsules, Targeted Release Technology, Stomach Acid Resistant, No Need for Refrigeration, Non-GMO, Gluten Free on Amazon.com ✓ FREE SHIPPING on qualified orders

www.amazon.com

Nice and smooth and thick.

 

[MoreGreens]

I was a vegetarian before I was vegan and I used to eat a lot yogurt (and cheese) so I think my opinion is worth something - though in the end we all have our own taste buds.

Forager cashew yogurt is the best I have ever had. I use the plain unsweetened instead of sour cream sometimes and also love the vanilla. It comes in larger containers and costs a little more than soy yogurt but if you are big on yogurt it's worth it.

Soy yogurt I only usually like if it's flavored. Otherwise I eat coconut yogurt (which always has a coconut underlying taste no matter what the flavor is but has a great texture). Almond yogurt is my least favorite. I honestly like almond butter and almonds themselves, but I sometimes wonder who almond milk is even for. It's thin, watery and is awful in coffee.

Thank you!

Wanting my husband to be vegan is a huge thing for me and I appreciate your help. I'm lactose intolerant, so my dairy love was limited to aged cheese. I don't know how dairy yogurt is supposed to taste, and I can't replicate what I don't know! I'm happy you suggested Forager. It was one of the 'new to me' companies that interested me most, because they appear transparent without request for transparency.

Here's to helping another person convert!

 

[MoreGreens]

Oh gawd, I though Forager was nothing remotely yogurt like! I didn't like it at all
I like plain Silk, but I've been making my own soy yogurt weekly with a carton of Trader Joes soy beverage (beans and water) with one of these probiotics well shaken, and divided in jars. I have a Instant Pot duo

Amazon.com: NewRhythm Probiotics 50 Billion CFU 20 Strains, 60 Veggie Capsules, Targeted Release Technology, Stomach Acid Resistant, No Need for Refrigeration, Non-GMO, Gluten Free: Health & Personal Care

Buy NewRhythm Probiotics 50 Billion CFU 20 Strains, 60 Veggie Capsules, Targeted Release Technology, Stomach Acid Resistant, No Need for Refrigeration, Non-GMO, Gluten Free on Amazon.com ✓ FREE SHIPPING on qualified orders

www.amazon.com

Nice and smooth and thick.

Holy! I don't like my husband enough to make him weekly yogurt in my instant pot. Maybe if I had an affection for yogurt, he'd be luckier! Thanks for mentioning Silk. I abandoned them for years ago because of carrageenan, but now they've left it out, I love them again. I didn't know they made yogurt.

 

[silva]

Holy! I don't like my husband enough to make him weekly yogurt in my instant pot. Maybe if I had an affection for yogurt, he'd be luckier! Thanks for mentioning Silk. I abandoned them for years ago because of carrageenan, but now they've left it out, I love them again. I didn't know they made yogurt.

It's super easy- just empty a capsule into the carton, shake, pour in jars and set the IP to yogurt between 9-12 hours. I set it at night and put lids on the jars in the morning in the fridge.
I use strained yogurt for sour creme with lemon, with some dates paste for creme chese, mixed with vegan mayo and herbs for ranch dressing, and eat with chia jam. Mixed with cucumbers, as a topping for spicy seitans or a dip for buffalo things....

 

[shyvas]

Yogurt doesn't seem very popular in the US compared to Europe. Moreover, it's very expensive and there is very little choice if you're looking for plain yogurt. I did try Daiya and found it tasted awful. I also tried a small carton of flavoured So Delicious which tasted far better. I actually don't remember seeing plain yogurt in any of the supermarkets.

Over here the best yogurt is made by Alpro (a Belgian firm) which is sold in large cartons or small x4 ones. They do soya, coconut,oat and almond yogurt. Sugar free and or with fruit. Moreover, they are reasonably priced. I think that some WF's in the US stock their products.

I would agree that home made yogurt is the best ever and I used to make it with dairy milk.

 

[Andy_T]

I think most people eat fruit yoghurt as it tastes quite delicious and has less calories than icecream.

Alpro is really very nice in Europe (my personal impression is that you would be very hard pressed to distinguish it from dairy yoghurt in a blind test), but there are other manufacturers as well bringing out very nice products. They also now have a new product called "Skyr style" yoghurt, which seems to be a richer-tasting, more dense type of yoghurt popular in Nordic countries.

 

[shyvas]

I think most people eat fruit yoghurt as it tastes quite delicious and has less calories than icecream.

Alpro is really very nice in Europe (my personal impression is that you would be very hard pressed to distinguish it from dairy yoghurt in a blind test), but there are other manufacturers as well bringing out very nice products. They also now have a new product called "Skyr style" yoghurt, which seems to be a richer-tasting, more dense type of yoghurt popular in Nordic countries.

I don't that is really the case as yogurt has always been popular as a dessert. It's just more common in Europe than the US. Moreover, most people don't have ice cream for dessert on a daily basis.

I don't think that Alpro tastes as good as dairy and you can taste the difference. Yet(unfortunately) another product that cannot be duplicated to taste like the real thing. However, Alpro is by far the best compared to other counterparts.

I did try Skyr from Iceland but was hugely disappointed. I think that I was expecting it to taste like some kind of Iceland gem. However, it is very high in protein but so very expensive;

 

[MoreGreens]

Yogurt doesn't seem very popular in the US compared to Europe. Moreover, it's very expensive and there is very little choice if you're looking for plain yogurt. I did try Daiya and found it tasted awful. I also tried a small carton of flavoured So Delicious which tasted far better. I actually don't remember seeing plain yogurt in any of the supermarkets.

Over here the best yogurt is made by Alpro (a Belgian firm) which is sold in large cartons or small x4 ones. They do soya, coconut,oat and almond yogurt. Sugar free and or with fruit. Moreover, they are reasonably priced. I think that some WF's in the US stock their products.

I would agree that home made yogurt is the best ever and I used to make it with dairy milk.

Plant yogurt really isn't as popular, and seems to be an after thought with most brands being sold only with fruit and sugar to mask the poor taste. I'm legit envious of your options. I've seen so much love for Alpro on Instagram.

 

[MoreGreens]

I think most people eat fruit yoghurt as it tastes quite delicious and has less calories than icecream.

Alpro is really very nice in Europe (my personal impression is that you would be very hard pressed to distinguish it from dairy yoghurt in a blind test), but there are other manufacturers as well bringing out very nice products. They also now have a new product called "Skyr style" yoghurt, which seems to be a richer-tasting, more dense type of yoghurt popular in Nordic countries.

Alpro has such a positive reputation. I've read loads of people praising it and also bemoaning not having access to it after spending time in Europe. I knew they had a Greek version but I didn't know about the Skyr ... or are they same just marketed differently by country? (I love gathering useless information, so I'll probably Google that! Too curious for my own good.) Violife came to the US, so I hold out hope that Alpro might as well.

 

[shyvas]

Alpro has such a positive reputation. I've read loads of people praising it and also bemoaning not having access to it after spending time in Europe. I knew they had a Greek version but I didn't know about the Skyr ... or are they same just marketed differently by country? (I love gathering useless information, so I'll probably Google that! Too curious for my own good.) Violife came to the US, so I hold out hope that Alpro might as well.

Skyr is an Icelandic dairy product which is similar to yogurt.

It may have originated in Norway and was bought over by the Vikings to Iceland. Another debate here.

What is Skyr? | Icelandic Provisions

Similar to yogurt, Skyr is a cultured dairy product born in Iceland

www.icelandicprovisions.com

Alpro products are really delicious however, if they were shipped all the way to the US, I would imagine that the price would be prohibitive. At least you have heard of them.

 

[Andy_T]

Alpro now belongs to Danone, so I guess they could also market it in the States.
Transport the product in bulk and fill it into the sales units close to the point of sale.