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Review by Andrea McHugh
- My family tried plain Greek yogurt fromfour grocery stores and ranked them from worst to best.
- I found Trader Joe'sGreek nonfat yogurttoo tangy, and my daughter gave it a thumbs down.
- The organic plain nonfat Greek yogurt from Wegmans had the perfect subtle flavor.
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My family consumes a lot of Greek yogurt. It's low in carbs, high in protein, contains probiotics, and serves as a filling breakfast or snack for my 9-year-old daughter.
Greek yogurt has also become an increasingly popular grocery-store item in recent years. In fact, according to market intelligence company Skyquestt, the global Greek yogurt market is worth billions.
Though many brands offer Greek-style varieties, I find they're often twice the price of standard plain yogurt. So, to see which Greek yogurt is the best value, I tried store-brand versions from Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Costco, and Wegmans.
I bought the most basic plain Greek yogurt I could find at each store and sampled them without any toppings. All were nonfat except the 365 brand from Whole Foods, which contained 3.5% milk fat.
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Here's how the Greek yogurt stacked up, from worst to best.
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Trader Joe's nonfat plain Greek yogurt had a medium-thick consistency.
I liked that Trader Joe's option didn't have the ubiquitous pool of milky whey that sometimes settles on top of yogurt when I open it. The yogurt seemed to have a nice, medium-thick consistency.
At $5.50, the 32-ounce tub of Greek yogurt was the least expensive of the four brands I tried.
The yogurt was creamy but a bit too tangy for my taste.
Sadly, I thought this yogurt had an intensely tangy, almost sour flavor. Because of its standout creaminess, I'd be more inclined to buy Trader Joe's flavored Greek yogurt with honey the next time I'm at the store.
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The 365 organic 3.5% milk fat plain Greek yogurt from Whole Foods was the most expensive option.
At $6.70, this 32-ounce tub was the highest-priced yogurt I tried. When I opened the container, the yogurt looked creamy and smooth.
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The 365 Greek yogurt tasted mildly sweet, with no tanginess.
The 365 Greek yogurt tasted fresh and was well-balanced — mildly sweet and not too tangy or tart.
I'd likely use this yogurt in one of my smoothies, as I don't feel it would alter the taste but would add a nice boost of protein.
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The Kirkland Signature organic nonfat plain Greek yogurt from Costco was the best bang for my buck.
Costco sells many items in bulk, including the $6 Kirkland Signature organic nonfat Greek yogurt, which comes in a 48-ounce tub.
At cost-per-ounce, it was the best-value item in this taste test. The entire tub was cheaper than the 365 organic yogurt from Whole Foods and contained 16 more ounces.
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The Kirkland Signature yogurt would make a great base for fruit or granola.
The Kirkland Signature yogurt was rich and full-bodied, with just enough tartness to give it some depth.
I appreciated that this yogurt, though less dense than the others, didn't have a puddle of whey at the top.It seemed like an ideal base for fruit, granola, or other add-ins.
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Finally, I tried Wegmans' organic nonfat plain Greek yogurt.
The 32-ounce tub of organic Greek yogurt from Wegmans cost $6 — a pleasant surprise, as I thought it would be more expensive.
Some whey floated at the top of the yogurt, but only creamy goodness remained once I dumped it out.
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The yogurt from Wegmans was my favorite.
This Greek yogurt was creamy and smooth with the slightest tang, making it a solid base for add-ins. I think its light consistency would also be ideal for recipes that call for Greek yogurt.
Notably, this yogurt had the most sugar (7 grams) of all four options. My daughter also liked it the most, so I plan on packing it in a container with some toppings for her lunch.
I liked this yogurt so much that I'm permanently keeping it in my refrigerator. The next time we need Greek yogurt, I'll reach for this one from Wegmans.
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