Survey: Your Preference for Fat in Yogurt.

[Chemicalkinetics]

I always have this question, so I might as well ask it here.

What is your preference for the fat content in your yogurt? Unaltered (full)? Low fat? Or Non-fat?

I like to know your preference, not what you normally get to eat. Thanks.

[montrealeater]

The higher the fat the better - for my tastebuds. I have a 10% Greek yoghurt I buy here and it's heavenly.

[sunshine842]

full-fat, plain unsweetened for me.

[sisterfunkhaus]

I love full fat cream on top.

[Orange_Blossom]

Full-fat, grassfed, made with some heavy cream for added decadence. I love my farmer. Strained just a little. For my preference AND my health.

I'll buy Fage full-fat in a pinch. You'll never, ever see me eat low/non-fat dairy. I'll do without instead.

[sweetfern]

Full fat, always, Greek style. Best = sheep's milk.

[emu48]

Whole-milk yogurt, with the whey drained off. In America, it's called Greek yogurt, because Greek-American companies popularized it. But there's nothing specifically Greek about it. It's popular all over the Balkans and Middle East, usually under the name labne or labane.

I just spent two years in Israel, where the labane and cottage cheese is way superior to what's sold in America. Over there, all dairy products are sold in a range of fat contents. You pick the one you want based on your preference or whatever use you have in mind. American cottage cheese is shit. Really. Read the ingredient list: thickeners and chemicals abound. I won't eat it. In Israel I loved eating labane or cottage cheese every single day, usually for breakfast. And it didn't make me fat. Israeli cottage cheese is so good that people spread it on bread, like we do cream cheese.

[aynrandgirl]

Full fat, which is surprisingly hard to find. The only brand around here with full fat (fruit not plain) is Liberte, and only one chain carries it. Full-fat chocolate milk is hard to find too, producers like low-fat + emulsifiers to fake the texture. Gross.

[NE_Wombat]

"Your Preference for Fat in Yogurt. "

Bacon

[OhioHound]

And I was going to say.. Peanut butter!
A dollop of peanut butter mixed into plain Greek yogurt is a great snack, and fantastic as a dip for apple slices.

[itsmejessica]

I like full fat plain Greek yogurt, it really hard to find at times. The 2% fage is OK and I have bought it when I've had to.

[jiffypop]

I LOVE full fat Greek. and can tame my portions because it's so rich. BUT I buy either low fat or fat free [depending on price, number of grams of protein and carbs]. Then i take the low fat/fat free yogurt, and mix in a couple of spoons of plain full fat yogurt. It's worked out to be a better compromise -and i get more protein, as well

[wapfcat]

All of our dairy products are full fat only (preferably grass fed). I prefer to avoid the oxidized cholesterol present in low fat/fat free dairy.

[ratgirlagogo]

Full fat all the way.

[wyogal]

I went to the grocery store specifically for yogurt, and a few other things this morning. I had not really looked at much of the yogurt section, nor read many labels. I usually would get the store brand, natural, plain yogurt, and drain it myself.
Then, I had fage 2% the other day, loved it. I wanted more.
The only Fage at the store was either the 0%, or a flavored 2%. So, I looked, read lables. No Greek full fat nor lowfat. Just no fat. I searched brands. nada. There are lots and lots of flavored no fat, low fat, "lite" (I really hate that). I ended up with Stonybrook regular, plain.
We have a Natural Grocers, so I may go back there and see what they have. WMart had the Fage 2%, and is nearby, so may just get it there in the time being. I want the protein bump with the Greek style, trying to get more berries in my diet via a good smoothie, and hit the protein source while I am at it. I love dairy, but also want to cut my intake to more yogurt and less cheese and full glasses of milk (which I can chug, love dairy).

[jiffypop]

I've been seeing Cabot Farms full fat PLAIN greek yogurt in the 2-pound containers. It's very hard to find full fat, flavored greek yogurt. i think i've stopped looking for it, in fact

[HillJ]

Have you seen the Fage TOTAL, that's full fat.

[Violatp]

Ah, but full fat and flavored? True, they're usually nonfat and 2%. Even the 2% aren't as available.

My opinion is that it's not so much out of health concerns but because this way they can sell a product twice. The fat is skimmed from the milk and made into butter or whatever. Whole fat can only be sold once!

[HillJ]

Fage TOTAL full fat in the large tub is unflavored. Plain Greek yogurt. The Fage Total indiv servings come plain & flavors.

[Violatp]

Hmm. Sadly, I don't think I've seen it. Bummer. :-(

[trolley]

how about Straus family creamery full fat greek? the catch is you have to buy a big tub but really one of the best full fat greek i've had.

[Violatp]

I don't think I've seen Straus outside of the Bay Area. But, anyway, while it's hard to find, full fat plain is easier to get than full fat flavored Greek. I don't think I've even seen the individual servings of flavored full fat Fage that HillJ mentions. Must be a fairly limited distribution.

That and when I'm on a full fat kick, it goes with a no sugar kick so maybe I just didn't look that hard!

[HillJ]

By me A&P grocery has the most consistent stock of Fage full fat. All that the label reads is FAGE TOTAL. Runs around $4.50 for the large tub. Fage freezes really well (no weird defrosting issue) so I usually buy three at a time and freeze two.

[itsmejessica]

Thank you for sharing the freezing info. I didn't know I could freeze it. Good to hear that the defrosting isn't an issue. I get so frustrated that one week I can find the full fat Fage , then the next week none.

[VitalForce]

In Canada my favourite is 'Olympic' Greek style with 10% fat. It's almost cheese-like. Tasty stuff. Made in BC and Quebec.

[LMAshton]

Full fat Greek.

[Isolda]

It depends what I'm using it for. I love non-fat plain Greek with a ton of honey as a post-gym protein and carb snack. For flavored Chobani yogurts, I like 2%, but still have to add honey. When I'm using yogurt as a dessert topping (roasted figs, for example), I use full fat plain with some turbinado sugar stirred in. Also use full fat for baking in recipes that call for sour cream.

[houndgirl]

Full fat. Cream top if it's available. Anything else seems like wallpaper paste. Yes, it is hard to find it because it's been drilled into us that "fat makes you fat" and that's just not true.

[GH1618]

Yes, it's added sugar that's the main problem, not the fat. Still, I get nonfat (with no added sugar).

[rockandroller1]

I prefer full fat but buy non-fat. I tried all last year to buy full fat dairy instead of the low or non-fat, believing the articles about how it is better for you. Well, I apparently get plenty of fat elsewhere in my diet and don't need it in my yogurt - I gained 8 pounds last year. Back to nonfat.

[LindaWhit]

Full fat Greek yogurt. Low-fat next. Non-fat is gross and chalky.

[321contact]

Low fat for eating (getting harder to find) and full fat for cooking.

[sandylc]

Low fat is getting harder to find? Really? I see an entire wall of low- and no-fat with a TEENY bit of whole yogurt pretty much everywhere I go - a holdover from the ol' fat-phobe days.....

[321contact]

Yes. Where I live in the suburbs "fat-free" has taken over, almost completely. Full fat is available in large containers, but single serving containers of full fat are usually not there, low fat less available than it used to be.

[coney with everything]

Have to agree with 321contact. Nonfat is getting the shelf space here too. Nonfat tastes vile IMO though obviously I'm in the minority

[sandylc]

Nonfat is evil.

[Kashmirgirl]

Chobani Greek Yogurt has plenty of low fat varieties. I use them daily.

[cumquott]

Yep. That. When cooking calls for fat, you need fat.

[inaplasticcup]

My preference and what I eat are the same - full fat. In all my dairy products.

[magiesmom]

Full Fat locally made regular yogurt. In greek yogurt, 2%

[DuchessNukem]

Prefer plain, full-fat (Dannon, local brands) without thickeners since I drain the yogurt myself to Greek-like consistency and use the whey for fermenting veg/fruit/foods. Lower-fat variants tend to have pectin, carageenan, etc., which prevent proper draining and have unknown (to me) effects on fermentation.

P.S. -- for those who drain -- Cuisipro Donvier Yogurt Cheese Maker.

[deet13]

Unaltered (full fat)

[onrushpam]

I don't often eat yogurt by itself, but cook with it a good deal. I prefer full fat, because it doesn't break as easily in sauces, curries, etc. and it's better in dips and spreads.

Yesterday, I was digging through all the yogurts at Publix, looking for a smallish container of plain, full fat or even low fat. The associate, who was restocking the yogurt, asked what I was looking for. When I told him, he said "Yogurt doesn't have fat!" I picked up a giant container of Stoneyfield and showed it to him. He asked, "If it says Whole Milk, it means it has fat?" Okaaayyyy...

[Basiorana]

I prefer low-fat. Most of my yogurt consumption is mixed into sauces, and nonfat doesn't cook up the same, but full fat is too heavy for me. And not Greek, I'm not a fan.

[relizabeth]

Used to be religiously non fat, but then saw the light and now have embraced full fat with joy and glee!

[mcf]

Welcome back from the dark side! ;-)

[1sweetpea]

My story mirrors that of relizabeth. A decade or so ago, I'd have said nonfat or 1%. Then, I moved to 2%, to 3.8%, to 6 or 8%, then to 10% (typically Liberte). I don't eat it on its own. It's typically used in tzatziki or cacik (similar), in marinades or else as a sour cream substitute. To me, the lowat and nonfat versions tend to be sour, chalky, too thin to drain easily and in general, lacking full taste. Whenever possible, I will buy sheep's milk yogurt (only found in certain natural foods stores, but it's heavenly), goat's milk yogurt (I love the tang and glossiness of this yogurt), but at my regular store it's pretty much cow's milk or else soy or almond milk. I can't say I've enjoyed Oikos. No matter how thick the Greek style is, it's still sour and chalky to me.

[rasputina]

plain full fat, but I will buy 2% if I have no other choice. It's so hard to find whole milk, non homogenized yogurt at the regular grocery store. You find a million sugar sweetened non fat yogurts though, which makes no sense at all to me.

[MikeG]

Overwhelming preference for the strained/superfatted Total brand yogurt. But then I rarely just eat yogurt by itself - I eat it almost exclusively in spreads like tzatziki in sauces or gravies.

[antimony]

Depends on how I'm eating it!

For using as a garnish on soups and as a sour cream alternative -- full fat greek-style yogurt. I often buy 2% instead due to availability.

For eating for breakfast with fruit -- low-fat (though not non-fat), without any weird stabilizers, and not drained/greek-style. Seven Stars 1% Plain is my favorite there.

[JungMann]

I'm willing to experiment with 2%, but it is hard for me to give up the flavor and creamy texture of full fat yogurt, particularly when it comes to making silky sauces. Before I started making my own yogurt I used to buy kaymakli yogurt, a Turkish variety which comes with a layer of luscious clotted cream on top.

[INDIANRIVERFL]

I would gladly pay the markup for triple cream yogurt as I do for triple cream brie.

[HillJ]

Because I eat Greek yogurt nearly daily and consume a good deal of dairy products, I go lowfat with fresh fruit or enjoy some of the brands with fresh fruit bits in them. I stopped eating what I grew up with as traditional commercially made yogurt (Dannon) once Greek yogurt became available. So 0%-2% suits me fine. Full fat is sometimes hard to come by. I definately prefer a thick yogurt over a thin and I don't care for the taste Yoplait or the latest offerings in low-fat custard yogurt.

There are so many Greek styled yogurt choices now!

[Pwmfan]

Full fat Fage, but it's getting harder to find everyday.

[iluvcookies]

Non-fat if it's greek, low-fat for regular.
Either way I look for the ones with no pectin or gums.
Full fat is just a little too rich to have more than a few bites.

[Cinnamonster]

I buy non-fat/0% most of the time, but I will admit the full fat does taste a bit better (although not better enough for me to want to deal with the extra fat, when I can get my fat other sources).
Also this applies more to Greek Yogurt; to me the difference that fat makes in regular yogurt makes me switch between full, partial and non fat yogurts much more often.

[Sal Vanilla]

I like fat free super thick Greek Kirkland brand.

[CanadaGirl]

That's my current fave too.

[HillJ]

Really good value on that Kirkland if you like it!

[jeanmarieok]

Good to know - I'll look for it.

[scubadoo97]

I haven't had it. What's not to like compared to Fage or similar?

[HillJ]

I like the Kirkland brand and I love the price but if you are a diehard Fage lover you will notice a difference in the taste. Kirland is thick but the flavor is not the exact same.

[sandylc]

Full fat.

[sueatmo]

I find no fat too tart for me. I prefer the low fat version in moderation in my lower carb diet.

[nofunlatte]

Full fat, cream top.

[Kashmirgirl]

Low fat Greek Yogurt

[jaykayen]

For regular yogurt, full fat.

For Greek, 2% Fage is like eating cheese, so non-fat.

[earthygoat]

If I can get yogurt that is more than full fat (3.25% in Ontario), I do. Some may be as high as 10%. Yum!

[Chemicalkinetics]

<If I can get yogurt that is more than full fat (3.25% in Ontario), I do. Some may be as high as 10%. Yum!>

Wow. :)

[earthygoat]

Yeah, this is the good stuff :)
http://www.liberte.ca/en/yogurt-medit...

[ohmyyum]

Fresh Market carries liberté.. this is in central bumble NC. Love the coconut and lemon flavors.

[calmossimo]

i read somewhere the liberte yogurt has changed its production or ingredients, but i haven't had it in over a year. when i lived in the northeast, i ate liberte almost exclusively when it came to yogurt, and coconut and lemon were my faves as well!

[Vidute]

liberte was bought by general mills. here's the link to the thread that discusses the changes in liberte.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/863347

[calmossimo]

Oh yeah, that was it! I forgot it was on CH... I shoulda known. Thanks for the link.

[Vidute]

glad to be of service!

[ohmyyum]

Oh my gosh that is so weird-- I think the last time I bought it was in August. While I didn't have such an intensely negative reaction, I just thought it wasn't as good as I had remembered it, and have passed on it since. Thanks for the link.

[earthygoat]

In Canada, Liberte is still the original company. Only the US version is owned by General Mills.

[Vidute]

and you lucky canadians continue to have the original, tasty version.

[ohmyyum]

Fage 2% plain Greek yogurt is my go-to.
Brown Cow cream top (maple flavor) and trader joes six packs of strawberry/banana and blueberry/vanilla are my favorite flavored varieties, and they are also whole milk.
I sometimes buy fage 0% at Costco, a large tub for $4.99 but I make sure to add lots of nut butter or other fats to it. :-)

It's interesting some are not able to find full fat yogurt because it's readily available where I shop (Trader Joes, Whole Foods, Fresh Market) in NC, which isn't exactly a Mecca of sophisticated eaters. Also, if I'm not mistaken, when I first started eating fage Greek yogurt, the only variety available was "total," plain which is full-fat, and that is available in regular chain grocery stores such as Harris teeter as well.

[rudysmom]

LOVE Brown Cow maple.
and to answer the OP: fat, fat, fat, but i don't eat yogurt that often.

[lolabrw]

The majority seems to prefer full fat, yet whatever grocery store I'm at the nonfat seems to be cleaned out. I don't notice the difference so I buy nonfat - if I can. I've heard someone say that they think nonfat tasted "chalky", but I have to say that I think *maybe* storebought nonfat might be thicker. Maybe.

[ipsedixit]

The majority seems to prefer full fat, yet whatever grocery store I'm at the nonfat seems to be cleaned out.
____________________________________

Chowhounds do not represent the general population when it comes to food.

In fact, Chowhounds are probably the *least* representative sample of the general public vis-a-vis food choices.

[lolabrw]

I will admit that that came to mind as I wrote that.

[Vidute]

low-fat and non-fat yogurts have thickeners added to create the texture of full-fat yogurts. that's why there is the "chalky" taste.

[GH1618]

Mine doesn't. Nothing but milk, cultures, and vitamins.

[trolley]

i hate the chalky taste of nonfat greek! i prefer full fat greek by Straus and St. Benoit regular yogurt. but sadly, i eat nonfat straus plain and add my own sweetener like jam. once in a while i get the full fat but if i'm eating 20 grams of fat and taking in 200+ calories i prefer cake or cookies :)

[biondanonima]

My favorite yogurt comes from a Turkish restaurant near my office - I have no idea how much fat is in it, but it has to be more than normal full-fat yogurt. It tastes like eating sour cream - amazing.

For at-home yogurt consumption, I make my own, Greek-style, and I use whatever milk I have on hand (sometimes full fat, sometimes 2%). I prefer the full-fat, but the 2% is fine too. Even fat-free is ok if it's homemade.

[Kholvaitar]

I found some interesting information about Turkish Yogurt...

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-turki...

Even the word "yogurt" was borrowed from the Turkish language where it first appeared over one thousand years ago.

[wyogal]

We were just at a grocery store, and I looked at the yogurt more closely. Yes, full fat is hard to find. I didn't see any.
I picked up the Fage 2% Greek, I had not previously had it.
I just ate some, plain, with nothing on it. It was very good, and rich.
I usually get a plain yogurt and strain. But, I think I'm sold on this 2% plain stuff.

[GH1618]

I don't get the last condition. Why wouldn't I normally get my preference?

I get (and prefer) plain, nonfat, Russian yogurt.

[Chemicalkinetics]

Because it is so damn difficult to get full fat yogurt, for me anyway. I prefer full fat yogurt, but if I look at my purchase objectively... I think I buy about 45% nonfat, and 45% low far, and 10% full fat. In other words, my answers are different for "prefer" and "purchase".

You get nonfat yogurt, so you don't understand the pain I have to go through every time I visit my supermarkets. :)

[LMAshton]

Yup. Full fat yoghurt doesn't exist in Singapore that I can find.

[OhioHound]

My mouth prefers full-fat Greek yogurt.
My waistline, however, does not!

[sandylc]

When you remove the fat from dairy, you concentrate the sugar. Food for thought. Also, you might be satisfied with eating less when it's full-fat.....

[sunshine842]

Hear, hear.

I actually lost weight when I started eating full-fat yogurt with homemade granola for breakfast -- probably because the fat and protein kept me going until it was time to have a healthy lunch, rather than being starving by mid-morning and shoving the first thing I could find (read: junk food) in my face.

[GH1618]

The sugar is mostly lactose, which is ok. (I'm assuming yogurt with no added sugar.)

[Chemicalkinetics]

Finally a few more replies on "Non-Fat". I was wondering where they all went. :) (considering 90%+ of the yogurt in supermarkets are non-fat)

[Becca Porter]

Doesn't the fat in yogurt help you absorb the nutrients better? I know I've read that several places. I try to find whole or 2% but it is hard around here. I just have Fage nonfat at my store. :(

[GH1618]

Fat helps absorb the fat-soluble nutrients, notably the carotenoids found in vegetables.

[sandylc]

I have read many bits and snippets about better weight loss and brain function with the inclusion of saturated fat in the diet.

[ohmyyum]

Fat only increases the absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins-- A, D, E, K.

[sandylc]

Which is a good thing, right?

[Becca Porter]

I just read a Dr. Oz quote that says he eats Fage 2% because a little fat helps you absorb the calcium better.

[cookie monster]

Non-fat Fage Greek. Eating it right now with strawberries and Barbara's Puffins cereal.

[foodieX2]

non fat greek, plain, for everyday eating.

Low fat greek for sauces like tzatziki

[meerastvargo]

Full fat or low fat, not non fat. I don't usually buy Greek yogurt, I will drain yogurt if I want it thicker.

[Crockett67]

Never saw full fat Greek. I can find 2% Fage and that's what I like.

[Enso]

Full fat, GOAT yogurt.

[eepi]

Full-fat goat milk yogurt for me as well.

[cresyd]

I'm not in the US - so I don't know if the fat labeling is entirely comparable - but in general, for general eating I like yogurt with some fat. But for cooking or using in larger meals - I prefer nonfat.

[Chemicalkinetics]

Hi all,

I just want to also say that I like full fat. 2% is ok too. I just find it pretty difficult to find full fat Greek yogurt. Fagor has some, but it is difficult to find. Most of the Greek yogurts in stores are 0% fat. I know this is not part of the survey, but do you know any suggestion for full fat Geek yogurt?

[janniecooks]

Fage Total is generally available in my area.

[wyogal]

Oikos, by Dannon, made with whole milk
Fage Total Classic
And then there is the option of just getting your favorite full fat yogurt, and draining it yourself.

[laraffinee]

Wallaby Organic makes the best full fat Greek yogurt that I have ever had. Some of the Whole Foods stores have it and also some of the mom and pop "health food" stores and markets carry it.

[mcf]

Full fat Fage is my favorite, and I find it widely available. I usually buy 2% though, for the lower calories. Fat free is totally off my menu for any dairy... better to eat something else, IMO.

[rasputina]

All the usual Greek yogurt companies make full fat, it's just getting the store to carry it that is the problem.

[Chemicalkinetics]

I am looking at Chobani website. It does not seem to carry full fat Greek yogurt:

http://chobani.com/products/

[LisaPA]

I bought some Cabot full fat greek yogurt at Target a few months ago because it was the only full fat, plain yogurt they had. It's amazingly creamy and delicious and is now my preference. I just found it again in my local Acme, so I'm a very happy girl.

[laraffinee]

Full Fat Greek yogurt - my preference, and what I normally eat. Wallaby Organic is the one I like the best.

[Vidute]

full-fat, grass fed.

[Stephanie Wong]

Full fat, which I drain myself for two days

[Hecetamom]

Prefer full fat Greek. Usually buy nonfat and still find it acceptable.

[scubadoo97]

I have to go with the small majority and the more full flavor and better texture makes full fat Greek a preference for me based on the limited selection commonly available

[ipsedixit]

Non fat

For both eating and cooking.

[wyogal]

Full fat, Greek as well.

[Violatp]

Full fat Greek, absolutely.