Yo Yo Yogurt

I love yogurt, all kinds. Any brand will do honestly. So when Stonyfield offered to send samples of their YoKids and new YoKids Greek yogurt, I said "Suurree!!" Stonyfield is a cool company in New Hampshire that supports family farms and uses organic ingredients. I like that their yogurts don't have artificial colors and flavors. They also fortify their yogurts with additional strains of probiotics, healthy bacteria that normally live in our digestive tract. Stress, illness, and certain medications can sometimes deplete normal levels of these bacteria and cause bowel problems so it helps to eat foods that contain live probiotics or prebiotics (non-digestible food products such as soluble fibers that promote the growth of healthy bacteria).

I was most interested in trialing these on my five-year-old who doesn't care for yogurt (I can barely get him to eat pudding) but knew that I'd gobble up anything he didn't want, so no waste here! The verdict: Jake tried the YoKids yogurt and didn't really like it. It is less sweet than other brands (sweetened with organic sugar and fruit juices), which isn't a bad thing but add that to a grainy texture (as all Stonyfield yogurts have) and a distinctive yogurt tang perhaps heightened by the additional probiotics added. So overall not the type of food to tempt Jake. I tried the YoKids Greek and thought it was smooth with less yogurt tang but had an odd texture, like jello. That surprised me as Stonyfield prides itself in not using fillers like gelatins. The yogurt contains pectin, a natural thickener sometimes used to make jellies and jams, which may have contributed to the gelatin-like texture. I've heard several people (and kids) rave about Stonyfield so I think it's just a personal preference for texture and taste. They're definitely worth a try, and I appreciate the nutrition profile. They come in a smaller manageable kid size of just under 4 ounces and the YoKids Greek yogurts contain 6 grams of protein and 20% of the daily value for calcium and vitamin D...perfect as a snack or part of a nutritious breakfast. It's also a plus that they're not overly sweet, as all kids should get used to a lower sugar palate. Visit Stonyfield's website for more information about their company and products. You'll also find fun Lorax-themed games as Stonyfield has partnered with The Lorax in support of the colorful movie's environmental message.

Yum Is for Yogurt

I've been a yogurt fan for decades. I started out with basic Dannon in the 80s, moved on to 100-calorie light yogurts in the 90s, was charmed by chocolate yogurts in 2000, and was thrilled with the debut of Chobani Greek yogurt in 2007. I've appointed myself as an (un)official spokesperson for Chobani because I mention their yogurt almost daily to my patients and clients. I promote it for people trying to lose or gain weight thanks to its high protein content, for people with diarrhea or constipation thanks to its probiotics, and for several other nutritional needs as it is a good source of calcium and potassium.

So when I recently received samples of Ehrmann Bavarian low fat yogurts to taste-test, I was a little hesitant since I've become such a diehard fan of Greek yogurt. But I will also never refuse free food! I researched the company and found that Erhmann yogurt has been a mainstay in Europe for decades but now has a branch in Vermont, home to some of my favorite foods including Lake Champlain chocolates, Cabot cheese, and Ben & Jerry's.

I received Ehrmann's five fruity flavors (strawberry, peach, cherry, blueberry, blackberry-pomegranate) and dug in. The container comes with plain lightly sweetened yogurt in one compartment and the fruit mixture (with real fruit by the way) in another; the nifty packaging allows you to bend the fruit part over the yogurt to pour it in. The yogurt had a nice texture—creamy and not too thick or thin. The fruit mixture was really sweet but tasted great when blended into the yogurt. I enjoyed each flavor perfectly fine, and would even consider these as a healthful dessert alternative to satisfy a sweet tooth. Each yogurt has 140 calories, 1.5 grams fat, 7 grams protein, 15% calcium, and 20% vitamin D. I liked the consistency of the yogurt better than Columbo or Stonyfield, which can be watery, gloppy and thin. The price is a little steep (retails at $1.69 per 5.3 oz cup at Shaw's supermarkets) compared with Dannon at $.79 per 6 oz cup or $1.29 for Chobani per 6 oz cup. I've noticed that Greek yogurt has engulfed the yogurt shelves, with Dannon, Stonyfield and Yoplait all arriving with their own versions...most at lower prices than Ehrmann while delivering a higher nutritional punch. So I'm not sure that Ehrmann yogurt can survive such stiff competition, as tasty as it is. I noticed some fan comments on their Facebook page that they offer Chocolate Chip and Hazelnut versions in Germany. Now those are yummy sounding flavors that could give them a real edge here...but unfortunately not yet available in the USA. I do wish them all the best as a nice high-quality product to try!

Taste This!

·  Trader Joe’s Whole-Wheat Couscous: I don’t absolutely love couscous but there isn’t an easier food to prepare: boil water, pour in the tiny grains, turn off heat and let stand. The trickiest part is to not spill the grains all over the stove. The flavor of couscous can be doctored up by what you add to it, or serve with it. For a nice side dish, drizzle olive oil and mix in peas, chopped almonds, and Craisins. Couscous is a very nutritious grain, especially if you can find a whole-wheat version like this that packs in 7 grams of fiber and 8 grams of protein per serving.

·  Skinny Cow Ice Cream Sandwiches: This is a super-yummy snack or dessert. It’s a not-too-small version of the classic frozen dessert sandwich that tastes rich and creamy, despite qualifying as “low fat” with only 140 calories per sandwich. They come in 6 flavors (although classic vanilla still rules!) and a no-sugar-added version.

·  Greek Yogurt: This is a hot product slowly invading the yogurt shelves. The first time I tried Greek yogurt was, well, in Greece. In every restaurant sat a small dish of white glob offered as an appetizer. I didn’t like it much because it was so unlike ultra-sweet American yogurt. Traditionally, Greek yogurt contains whole milk and is dense and very rich-tasting. The Americanized version has been defatted and flavored with fruit options but is still miraculously thick and rich. Just when I’ve been lamenting the watery, overly sweet taste of traditional yogurts, this is a welcome diversion. A 6 oz. tub of the fat-free version has 100-130 calories, 16 grams of protein, and 20% calcium.

·  Chocolate Altoids: After being a fan of Altoids, I had to try this variety of “dark chocolate dipped mints.” What a great idea! Two mints lightly basked in chocolate have only 15 calories but are flavorful enough to tease a chocolate craving, and still give you the minty bite of fresh breath at the end. Your teeth may not benefit from it, as anything sugary lingering in the mouth is a bacterial trap, so don’t go overboard. But these are a nice teeny tiny almost guiltless treat—just don’t swallow the whole package in one sitting.