REVIEW: Dairy Free Yoghurt Alternatives
Once upon a time I discovered the joy of yoghurt. I was quite a late bloomer in terms of my yoghurt appreciation, being exposed to a particularly creamy traditionally pot set version in a breakfast buffet at a chateau in the south of France only 5 years ago. It was divine. I was already coeliac symptomatic and somewhat dairy intolerant, but not significantly. Unfortunately 3 wonderful years of yoghurt consumption that followed came to an end when my body decided that it now could no longer tolerate yoghurt at all! Much sadness.
Until now!
I have found gluten free dairy free yoghurt (alternate) heaven!!
Coyo Organic Yoghurts
Coyo is made from coconut milk, it is low in sugar, and it is organic and vegan. It is, in short, a quality wholefoods product and comes in a lovely range of great flavours. I have tried the Natural, Vanilla Bean, Chocolate & Blueberry versions and loved them all! It is much creamier than its competitors out there, and not as tart, which appeals to me. AND the packaging is beautiful. It comes in 3 sizes: 350g, 500g & 1kg tubs. The big downside to this particular top shelf dairy free yoghurt is the cost and its availability. It can only be found in Health Food stores at this stage, and sells for around $11.00 for the 500g size. Despite this, it is proving so popular that I now have to preorder the flavours/sizes I am after to ensure my local store has them available when I pop in!
If this price point is just a bit too far beyond your budget, I also taste tested several varieties of non-dairy yoghurts available in the supermarket to see if there was a cheaper alternative that held similar appeal. I have included a quick review of these here.
Nudie Coconut Yoghurt
This one was vanilla flavoured which helped breakthrough the tartness. Also dairy free but not as creamy in texture as Coyo, and I was only able to source the one flavour and size (170g) at the supermarket (Woollies). Much cheaper than Coyo however, so perhaps a good choice for those on a tighter budget.
Cocobella Coconut Yoghurt
This dairy free yoghurt was also a handy size to buy to add to lunches (170g), and quite economical. I did not think it was much different to the Nudie one, but came in this non flavoured version, which might suit some better. Again, not a favourite.
Jalna Lactose Free Whole Milk Natural Yoghurt
This one is not coconut based which may appeal to those who don’t like the taste of coconut. It does of course contain dairy however, which is a problem for those who can’t tolerate any dairy, or are choosing a vegan diet. However for those whose only issue with dairy is lactose it might suit better. I actually found it was too tart for me, and not as creamy in texture. It might be a great alternative however to use in cooking for recipes that allow for yoghurt substitutions instead of cream. It was only available in this 1kg sized tub in Woolies. Much more economical however compared to Coyo regarding price point. I do know Jalna do have smaller tub sizes available in health food stores as well as some other flavours…a new one just promoted at the recent Gluten Free Food Expo in Brisbane was a coffee flavour. Again, I was not a huge fan, but it will appeal to many I’m sure.
So there you have it. I hope this guide helps you navigate the non-dairy or lactose free yoghurt world a little better.
I’d love to hear of your thoughts on these options, and if you have found any other yum dairy free yoghurts out there, in the COMMENTS below.
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Jane x
KEEN on some great RECIPES that are gluten free AND dairy free?!
Have a look at a couple of guest recipes on the BLOG from two beautiful ladies who aim to live well and STILL enjoy sweet treats with their refined sugar free, dairy free & gluten free recipes.
GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE AVOCADO TART
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