**UPDATE!!** = NEW YOGURT FROM SODELICIOUS! Read on for the full review 😀
Hi guys! I’m sooooooo sorry I have neglected my blog in the past couple weeks. With the end of summer approaching I was blasted with a wave of business combined with laziness… I’m starting graduate school in just a short week and a half! Eeek! I promise to be a better blogger going forward 🙂
Apologies aside, I present to you in this blog…my first vegan product review!!! For those of you who are newly vegan, considering going vegan, curious about those suspicious looking vegan yogurts on the shelf of your grocer, or a longtime vegan who maybe hasn’t tried them or is looking for a good recommendation for a friend/loved one but who has forgotten what dairy tastes like (and therefore worried about making a non-ominvore friendly recommendation). I have the answers for you!
I have a hot, tempestuous, lustful, desirous affair with yogurt…frozen yogurt…yogurt shakes & drinks…pretty much anything with yogurt I’m sure to love. So committing to veganism, I did imagine that someday I might miss my true beloved…yogut. Thankfully, I was so wrong. Over the past few weeks I have been buying and taste testing all the non-dairy vegan yogurt brands available to me and I now present to you: The Results!! (Results you can hopefully 🙂 trust. As a still new vegan, I know my yogurt dammit and I want something that tastes just as good without all the animal exploitation!!)
**NEW** So Delicious Coconut Yogurt Greek Style!
Pros:
It truly is SO DELICIOUS!!
Consistency is identical to dairy yogurt
Coconut is good for your heart!!
Soy free
Lower fat than other coconut based yogurts/items…only 4 grams of fat per yogurt cup!
6 Live Active Cultures!
Cons:
Honestly I don’t have any criticisms, it’s definitely a new favorite
Oh wait, I thought of one… sort of… it’s a little pricey compared to its soy counterparts offerred by other brands. So/Del Greek Coco Yo = $1.99 per/yogurt. Honestly though, it’s worth it, I mean, you’re reaping health benefits and spoonfuls of coconut yogurt bliss.
Reccomendations:
I approve this yogurt for everyone! Coconut yogurt for all humankind!
Comments:
I have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of So Delicious Greek Style yogurt to my grocery shelf since being tipped off by a lovely So Delicious Representative (who was kind enough to read my review of their other yogurt products). So, yesterday, when I saw it sitting pretty on the shelf of Whole Foods in Oakland, I nearly fainted. I couldn’t wait to try it, and it did not dissapoint. I have tried the bluberry and the raspberry. I have the strawberry in my fridge and it has breakfast written all over it for tomorrow morning.
The yogurt is, in my humble oppinion, perfection. The consistency is identical to dairy yogurt, the fruit flavors are right on point, and most exciting (for me anyways) is these yogurts have that amazing natural tartness that one finds in the dairy yogurts. This is an element I have missed in my non-cruelty yogurts. So Delicious Coconut Greek Style yogurt has sung a siren song to my palette.
Ok, enough with the gratuitous love letter/recommendation of So/Del Coco Yo. Something which critics of the regular So Del Coco (non-greek) Yo might find interesting is that the Greek Style is much less sweet than the regular. Some people didn’t like the natural sweetness the coconut brought to their regular Coconut-based yogurt. The greek style is very natural tasting and as stated previously, has that natural tartness inherent to dairy yogurts.
So in conclusion, So Delicious now has TWO yummy coconut-based yogurts you can try/buy/eat/bathe in/write love ballad to/contemplate/review/whatever you like to do with yogurt…
If you like sweet –> get the regular So/Del Coco Yo
If you like tart –> get the greek style
Whatever your fancy, go get some yogurt 🙂
1. Ricera Yogurt!
Pros:
Low Fat, only 1 gram of fat per container
Soy Free, for those of us who may be wishing to reduce our soy intake, this is an easy substitution
Made with fiber rich cultured brown rice, one little container = 1 Full serving of whole grains
Cons:
The texture is not akin to “regular” yogurt, but rather syrup-like
Reccomendations:
Recommended strongly to seasoned, long-time, or adventurous vegans.
Not Recommended to new vegans, or vegans looking for a true yogurt substitute
Comments:
After reading a rave review about Ricera yogurt on another blog, I was very excited to try it. So excited in fact, that I ordered a whole case because my local Whole Foods didn’t carry it.
(I got 10% off for ordering by the case! So if you find a yogurt you absolutely love, save yourself some money and order by the case!)
I tried the vanilla flavor. Opening the little carton I was a bit surprised by the texture which is not dairy/yogurt-like at all, but more syrup-like. This really isn’t a bad thing unless you want an exact yogurt subsitute. I’m certainly not criticizing the Ricera, because in fact, I DID like it! I ate the whole case :).
However, if you are looking for a vegan yogurt which will be identical to your dairy yogurt, this is not the one. The flavor was very tasty, the vanilla was definitely there, but to me it was more like a spiced vanilla or a chai vanilla. Overall, I enjoyed this yogurt & it’s something I will buy again. I appreciate very much that it is a whole grain yogurt. I really like to get as much variety in my diet as I can and this is an easy, tasty way to do it!
Pros:
The most wallet friendly of all the vegan yogurts, I believe this was only about 99c per cup! Stock up!
Great for those soy milk lovers out there as it does have a slight but distinct tinge of soy milk flavor
Yummy traditional fruit flavors like blueberry, peach, raspberry etc…Besides the soy milk flavor, the fruit flavors are true to taste!
Cons:
If you don’t like or are not used to soy milk, you may not like this. As mentioned above, it does taste true to soy milk
The texture is much closer to your dairy yogurt, however the texture is still a bit thin
This isn’t a con per say, but it’s a soy product. A lot fo vegans I know are trying to be more conscious of their soy intake. It’s just an observation.
Recommendation:
Recommended for eating yummy vegan yogurt on the cheap!
Recommended if you are accustomed to soy milk
Not Recommended for someone who is looking for an exact yogurt substitution
Comments:
This is the first soy yogurt I ever tried, I actually tried this even before I went vegan. I suppose I was testing the waters, seeing if I could live with a dairy yogurt substitute. The answer to that question: absolutely. I’ve been drinking soy milk for years so I really like Whole Soy Yogurt Co. It’s widely available at most traditional grocery stores, it’s cheap, it’s quick and it’s yummy!
Pros:
Texture is almost perfect. Indistinguishable from dairy yogurt!
Really fun flavors like Key Lime Pie (which is the one I tried)
Has live active cultures for your digestion
Cheap! Between 99c and $1.49 depending on your grocer
Cons:
None, this is a great yogurt
Recommendation:
Recommended for any vegan, new, old, even those looking for a true yogurt substitute.
Not recommended for those looking to reduce their soy intake
Comments:
I tried the Key Lime Pie flavor and it was super tasty! The texture is identical to regular yogurt and the flavor is really yummy! I would love some reader feedback if you have tried this yogurt and tell me if you taste any soy flavor, I really couldn’t but I want to be as accurate as possible!
4. So Delicious Coconut Milk Yogurt
Pros:
Texture is spot on, I will reveal my favorite yogurt shortly, however until I tried my fave yogurt, this was my favorite. Identical in texture to dairy yogurt.
Fun flavors like Passionate Mango & Pina Colada
Coconut based! Get your fruit, and then get more fruit from the coconut!
Very Sweet
Cons:
I believe this is the most expensive of all the vegan yogurts I tried
Very Sweet (this goes in pros and cons, it just depends on your taste preferences!)
Recommendation:
I would recommend this to any vegan or omnivore.
Recommended if you want to reduce your soy intake.
Comments:
I was very curious about the So Delicious Coconut Yogurt after I read a pretty scathing review on another blog. I bought two flavors, vanilla and pina colada. The other blogger stated that the vanilla was inedible to her but the other flavors were better. I really wanted to see about this vanilla myself…
I don’t really know what to say other than, we just must have different taste buds because I loved the SO Delicious Coconut Yogurt. I loved both flavors, I thought the texture was spot on, and the flavors were really good! This yogurt is sweeter than the others I tried, which is fine with me but I can see how others might be put off by this.
It seems to be a controversial yogurt…but doesn’t that make you want to taste this dangerous delicacy? Try and tell me what you think! Comment!!
5. Amande Almond Yogurt
Pros:
The texture is AMAZING. Full, fluffy, custard like, unbelievable.
Flavor is impeccable (I had the peach & it even had little peach bits mixed in)
It’s made from almond milk!!! Almonds! Get your nut protein!!
Cons:
None…?
Recommendation:
Recommended for everyone. Everyone. Go buy some right now.
Not recommended for those looking to reduce fat (see comments on the Coconut Yogurt)
Comments:
I’m sorry, I can’t be impartial with this yogurt because I FUCKING LOVE IT!!!!! This is the sweetest thing to ever touch vegan lips. I really enjoyed all the yogurts I tried and I’ll be buying all of them again, but in my opinion, the Amande blew everyone right out of the water. The texture is divine, the fluffiest, fullest yogurt I ate. The flavor was amazing. I am unable to come up with a single criticism. I would love to hear what any of you have to say about this yogurt. Please bring the criticism because I really do want to provide an accurate review of each yogurt. However, for my taste palate, this yogurt was perfection.
The Very New Vegan 
Hi Lili! Congratulations on your decision to adopt a healthier, kinder, and more sustainable diet. Your body, the animals, and the planet will all benefit for years to come. And thank you for the tasty review of our Coconut Milk Yogurt. We’re delighted that you enjoyed it! I wanted to let you and your readers know that our yogurts are rich in medium-chain fatty acids, which are naturally energizing. And we have some exciting news! We are about to launch a new line of creamy, delicious, Greek-style Coconut Milk Yogurts, which will be significantly lower in sugar. (Those who prefer a less sweet taste and are looking for a vegan yogurt they can use in savory recipes, will love the plain flavor!) As with all of our coconut milk products, our new Greek-style yogurt will be made with organic, non-GMO-verified coconuts, and they’ll be coming to stores in the next few weeks. We hope you’ll try them and let us know what you think!
Hey Lili,
You have me salivating. I have a question though. Isn’t coconut oil supposed to be bad for you? I always had the impression that it was but I guess all those wonderful Thai cooks can’t be wrong.
I think you should stop dropping F bombs in your blog because it might limit your audience. But then, I’m your mother. :))
Great comparison. I want to try them all!!!
Thanks Lili!
I believe that I’m going to try the almond yogurts. I’m not vegan and have no plans to give up my meat. However, according to Eat Right 4 Your Type, as a Black female, I need to give up dairy :(, so I’m looking for alternatives. Also, glutten is not my friend, which isn’t too much of a problem. Thanks again, I think I’ll be following your posts!
This is amazing! You weren’t kidding about the quality of analysis here. 😉
Follow me, too!
http://gigantesimprobables.blogspot.com/
Thanks Beki!! Check out my newest rewview of vegan cream cheeses! …ps love your blog, we need to get our cats together for a kitty party sometime 😛
Interesting that you loved the almond yogurt so much. I’ve had it several times and while the fruit flavors are good, I just can’t get beyond the texture of it. It has a somewhat gelatinous vibe, not creamy like I expect my yogurt to be. I love the So Delicious Coconut, although it is very sweet (too sweet, I think). I haven’t seen the Greek version, so I’ll have to look for that and see if I like it better. I’m not vegan (or even vegetarian) but can’t have any dairy, so I appreciate your comparisons. It encourages me to try some new brands!
You know, the first almond yogurt I ever tried, and reviewed for this post, was perfectly creamy… I have to agree with you though that I have gotten some cups that did have a semi-coagulated consitency. I don’t know why that is, I still really like the almond yogurt but I’m always sure to shake the cup really good first. I think you are right that the coconut and soy yogurts are more consistent with their creamy textures. Great comment!!
Hi! I’m a brand new vegan and I have a question. I recently tried the So Delicious Greek Yogurt. It was chalky and sour and reminded me of a funky tasting apple sauce. When/if you try this, could you tell me if this is a typical texture and I will adjust or if it’s just uncommonly funky and I might like one of these other yogurts better. I’m going to try some other yogurts regardless, I just wanted your opinion before diving in. Thanks! Btw, I kinda like the F-bombs. It makes me feel that you’re being real with us through and through. 😀 Okay, that was it, I’m actually done this time. Bye.
Hi Tia! Sorry for my delay in responding! I’m glad you are okay with the F-Boms, I just can’t seem to help myself, I’m like a sailor ;). I’m so sorry you had a bad experience with the So Delicious Greek Yogurt! What a bummer!!!! I would probably recommend you try the Silk Live yogurt. They have fun flavors, they’re sweet and the texture has been consistently good. I’ve bought the Silk Live brand several times and I haven’t been disappointed yet. I hope you have more yogurt-luck in the future!!
I’m actually loving WholeSoy right now, I’ll try Silk Live soon. Thanks for the recommendation!
NEW UPDATE: So Delicious has now come out with a GREEK ALMOND MILK yogurt!
I found your blog while doing a search for vegan yogurts. I liked your review. Only I did experience some of the yogurts quite a bit differently than you. I think the whole soy and co yogurt does not taste at all soy-ey. I do happen to think this brand is the best in imitating the dairy-like qualities and taste of yogurt. The only downside with them is that their lemon flavor tastes a bit how I would guess lemon dish detergent to taste like. Now, the silk yogurts to me have a very soy and plasticky aftertaste to me, especially when comparing the blueberry flavor in both products. I didn’t personally like the almond milk yogurts. To me they also tasted like plastic. Now, the regular coconut milk yogurts are phenomenal. Not quite like dairy yogurt, but they are good and soy free as you said. Now their greek coconut yogurt in my opinion fails to recreate the thick, smooth, creamy consistency found in actual greek yogurt and again tastes a bit like plastic to me. I have yet to try Almonde and Ricera brands as I have never seen them in a supermarket near me, but I will be on the hunt now.
You did a lot of testing! Another couple of choices for plain soy yogurt, at least if you live in the Northwest like I do: Nancy’s Organic Cultured Soy and Wildwood Organic Probiotic Soyogurt. Personally I prefer the soy yogurts since soy milk has way more protein than the other non-dairy milks. Soy has potential benefits for breast cancer prevention and heart health. Coconut is full of saturated fat, and despite all the recent coconut hype, and while I do use some coconut in my diet, I’d question any claim that it’s good for heart health.
I found and enjoyed the new So Delicious Greek Coconut yogurt. But now I’ve come to the conclusion that the chicory root extract in the So Delicious products is messing up my digestive track so I’ve gone back to Amande almond yogurt, even though I don’t like the consistency. I can’t eat soy either (and I would avoid it even if I could) so i don’t really have any other options.
I found this to be very helpful! I have a three year old who has just recently been diagnosed with some major food allergies including but not limited to milk, wheat, corn, eggs, and beef… While we are not a vegan household our diet has changed drastically and I am finding it hard to come up with alternative foods to replace her loves… string cheese and yogurt being two of the biggies. Any information I can find to help with my quest is greatly appreciated, now I have a few brands in mind to keep an eye out for!
I appreciated these non-dairy yogurt reviews and went to my local Whole Foods wanting to to try some of them. To my dismay, they added sugar (mostly in the form of Evaporated Cane sugar). Soooo disappointing as I was looking for a plain, un-sweetened yogurt substitute. If there’s one someone’s seen out there, I’d love to know about it!
http://www.wholesoyco.com/our-products/24oz-soy-yogurt/unsweetened-plain
Boom.
This has been most helpful. My 15 month old son is allergic to whey so dairy if pretty much out for him. Hes definitely not vegan (he eats meat) but everything else has to labeled vegan so he doesn’s mistakenly ingest whey (which is a filler in EVERYTHING). I stumbled across this while trying to find a non-dairy yogurt that contained love cultures to help him with his digestion. While he has no experience with dairy yogurt it was nice to see the comparison between dairy and vegan yogurt. Have you compared cheese yet? :). I’m having a terrible time with vegan cheeses.
Lili, Thanks fora great review of Yogurts. I find it interesting how newbies to dairy/free living are so interested in tasting foods which are “like” their dairy/meat counterparts. I’ve been gluten-free for 5 years now and I can’t even remember what a dairy based food tastes like any more. Well ok, I remember the taste…I also remember the phlegm/mucus and other such wonder side effects of too… FOCUS!
So, all I wanted to say were two things: All of the yogurt brands, I believe are gluten-free. I have had them all in the past and if memory serves they should all be without gluten. And lastly, Amande ROCKS THE HOUSE!! Best price by far, tasty, great consistency, low on sugar, no Soy, No Gluten, Vegan.
Sadly, Amande has not been available all summer (2013) due to production problems. Glad to say, November 2013, they should be back on the shelves. Yea!
Good luck in Graduate School and keep preaching the Veggies!
I found your blog very helpful. I’m not vegan, but I have issues with dairy. My veggie/fruit smoothies just don’t do it for me without yogurt, so I’m anxious to try some of your recommendations. I’m with your mom, your blog is entertaining enough, you don’t need the f-bombs.
Gayle
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Hi…are these gluten free yogurts? Does anyone know?
This is an old post but came up on my search. I have to concur with you 100% about almonde and I am heartbroken that the stopped making it. Best yogurt ever dairy or otherwise. For health reasons I now need to eat yogurt, and I’m looking for a good vegan brand with high cultures matching or exceeding cultures in dairy yogurt.
I was very disappointed to find out today that Wholesoy, my personal favorite has gone out of business even though they were the best selling non-dairy organic yogurt in the USA.
The Wholesoy yogurt is, unfortunately, gone for good as of now. It was my favorite by far, as it tasted the most like dairy yogurt and had a good protein content. Its competitors are sadly not as well flavored (I especially don’t like the weird flavor of O’soy). So I am hoping that someone new comes to fill in the gap with a soy yogurt that tastes like real yogurt, and I am super sad to see them go.
I love your review, and unfortunately, most of the yogurts you reviewed are not sold where I live, even in Whole Foods. All they have is regular So Delicious and O’soy. Most of their other yogurts are not vegan. Maybe I can get them to carry the rice one you mentioned 🙂 Thanks for your review!
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