enjoying yogurt responsibly
August 3, 2021 11:13 AM Subscribe
How do I learn to love yogurt?
I have never, ever enjoyed yogurt. I react to yogurt now the same way I did when I was a kid and my mom made me eat some with antibiotics. I find its taste note wholly off-putting. No variety I've tried (flavor on the bottom, get it frozen like Pinkberry, try to hide it in a smoothie) has convinced me otherwise. But I want to add yogurt to my diet--it's convenient, healthy, and granola parfaits look so good from afar--and I don't know how.
In general, I don't especially like tartness, although I'm fine with sour and bitter. I enjoy a sour pickle, for example, but I don't like Sour Patch Kids. Sour cream? Sure. Yogurt? Bleah. The internet pointed me to not-very-yogurt-y yogurts, like Oikos Triple Zero, but my reaction was the same, if a bit more muted.
So: how can I acclimate my tastebuds to this most useful of foods?
I have never, ever enjoyed yogurt. I react to yogurt now the same way I did when I was a kid and my mom made me eat some with antibiotics. I find its taste note wholly off-putting. No variety I've tried (flavor on the bottom, get it frozen like Pinkberry, try to hide it in a smoothie) has convinced me otherwise. But I want to add yogurt to my diet--it's convenient, healthy, and granola parfaits look so good from afar--and I don't know how.
In general, I don't especially like tartness, although I'm fine with sour and bitter. I enjoy a sour pickle, for example, but I don't like Sour Patch Kids. Sour cream? Sure. Yogurt? Bleah. The internet pointed me to not-very-yogurt-y yogurts, like Oikos Triple Zero, but my reaction was the same, if a bit more muted.
So: how can I acclimate my tastebuds to this most useful of foods?
There's a wide variety of yogurts and quality in yogurts even in just the straight up grocery store dairy section category. Maybe try a high fat yogurt like Cabot's Triple Cream Vanilla Bean or The Greek Gods honey vanilla flavor or strawberry vanilla flavor. They may not be tang free but are going to taste much more delicious than a fat-free or low fat yogurt.
posted by Jess the Mess at 11:23 AM on August 3, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by Jess the Mess at 11:23 AM on August 3, 2021 [2 favorites]
Yeah I would definitely go with a Greek yogurt that has more fat in it. I like vanilla flavor, and mix in frozen berries & uncooked quick oats- it's delicious!
posted by DTMFA at 11:26 AM on August 3, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by DTMFA at 11:26 AM on August 3, 2021 [2 favorites]
A lot of children's yogurt isn't really all that tangy, more sweet -- maybe start there and then try adding some shittier adult-focused yogurt that has a lot of sugar and not much if any active culture. You can mix yogurt you have learned to like with yogurt you don't yet like if that helps you make the transition. Like, if you're fine with the children's yogurt, add a spoonful of better yogurt to a cup, then add a couple of spoonfulls, and then half and half, and then three-quarters and by then you should probably just be able to eat the better yogurt.
posted by jacquilynne at 11:26 AM on August 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by jacquilynne at 11:26 AM on August 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
I really dislike yogurt with sweet things but I enjoy it in savory preparations. Oh, and I only really enjoy full fat Greek style yogurt, pretty much anything else is disappointing.
One thing I do is mix some Greek yogurt with lemon zest and juice, good olive oil, minced raw garlic, salt and pepper and then a ton of chopped dill, sometimes a combo of tender herbs, and let it sit for a few hours or overnight. This is a fantastic dip or spread for raw veggies and flatbread, and also great on roasted potatoes and other starchy things. It’s good with simple seafood too in place of a traditional tartar sauce, I think. It’s not quite tzatziki.
I like yogurt marinades on meats, generally chicken. Again, it’s basically yogurt plus a bunch of savory flavors and spices. I like one that’s got a bunch of oregano and turmeric and paprika with grated onion and garlic, on chunks of chicken thigh. Overnight or all day in the fridge, then plucked out and cooked off on pretty high heat so bits get charred. Extra set aside yogurt mixed with grilled onions and more subdued levels of seasonings for a topping.
I think by leaning into savory flavors I better balance the tang and tartness that we both struggle with. I’ve been known to enjoy a froyo or a lassi in my time, though, so it’s possible that this just isn’t a good goal for you. There are plenty of ways to get similar benefits. Maybe you would enjoy cottage cheese? I often have that with berries and nuts for breakfast, almost like a parfait. And a refrigerated probiotic pill is going to be much more consistently effective for gut health than occasional yogurt consumption.
posted by Mizu at 11:28 AM on August 3, 2021 [12 favorites]
One thing I do is mix some Greek yogurt with lemon zest and juice, good olive oil, minced raw garlic, salt and pepper and then a ton of chopped dill, sometimes a combo of tender herbs, and let it sit for a few hours or overnight. This is a fantastic dip or spread for raw veggies and flatbread, and also great on roasted potatoes and other starchy things. It’s good with simple seafood too in place of a traditional tartar sauce, I think. It’s not quite tzatziki.
I like yogurt marinades on meats, generally chicken. Again, it’s basically yogurt plus a bunch of savory flavors and spices. I like one that’s got a bunch of oregano and turmeric and paprika with grated onion and garlic, on chunks of chicken thigh. Overnight or all day in the fridge, then plucked out and cooked off on pretty high heat so bits get charred. Extra set aside yogurt mixed with grilled onions and more subdued levels of seasonings for a topping.
I think by leaning into savory flavors I better balance the tang and tartness that we both struggle with. I’ve been known to enjoy a froyo or a lassi in my time, though, so it’s possible that this just isn’t a good goal for you. There are plenty of ways to get similar benefits. Maybe you would enjoy cottage cheese? I often have that with berries and nuts for breakfast, almost like a parfait. And a refrigerated probiotic pill is going to be much more consistently effective for gut health than occasional yogurt consumption.
posted by Mizu at 11:28 AM on August 3, 2021 [12 favorites]
Well first off, yogurt is not a moral imperative.
I think rather than trying to mask the aspects of yogurt you dislike, you should embrace the yogurtyness of yogurt and make it work for you.
For this I recommend plain flavor full fat Fage brand yogurt. It's THICK. It's the most decadent of all yogurt. Sub it in for sour cream on things you'd use sour cream for: baked potatoes, fish tacos, splop onto creamy soups.
Personally I think sweet yogurt foods are extremely overrated. If I want to eat that much sugar I'll grab a few cookies or a handful of gummy bears, not a chobani tropical mocha crunch flip. High fat yogurt is good enough on its own.
posted by phunniemee at 11:28 AM on August 3, 2021 [15 favorites]
I think rather than trying to mask the aspects of yogurt you dislike, you should embrace the yogurtyness of yogurt and make it work for you.
For this I recommend plain flavor full fat Fage brand yogurt. It's THICK. It's the most decadent of all yogurt. Sub it in for sour cream on things you'd use sour cream for: baked potatoes, fish tacos, splop onto creamy soups.
Personally I think sweet yogurt foods are extremely overrated. If I want to eat that much sugar I'll grab a few cookies or a handful of gummy bears, not a chobani tropical mocha crunch flip. High fat yogurt is good enough on its own.
posted by phunniemee at 11:28 AM on August 3, 2021 [15 favorites]
I would aim for a higher fat content. The lower the fat content, the more unalloyed the tartness is. I'm a big eater of fermented foods but I don't care for fat-free yogurt at all. It almost hurts my teeth. The sweetening question is more complicated, as you don't want to be unintentionally eating dessert every time you down one, but it sounds like you need some. I'd try La Fermiere or Liberte. I also dig the Skyr Triple Creme, but that's a little less sweet.
Seconding the comments about trying it in more savory preparations, where it may be a less discordant note.
posted by praemunire at 11:33 AM on August 3, 2021 [4 favorites]
Seconding the comments about trying it in more savory preparations, where it may be a less discordant note.
posted by praemunire at 11:33 AM on August 3, 2021 [4 favorites]
It’s funny to me that people are recommending Greek yogurt, because I dislike it precisely because I find it way too tart (along with Icelandic yogurt). I do, however, enjoy non-Greek-style yogurt (the more liquidy kind of yogurt) and don’t find it tart at all - I buy tubs of unsweetened plain yogurt, can’t remember any brand names off top of head, and add chocolate chips and nuts. (I like having something crunchy/chewy for contrast.)
Also seconding savory yogurt, like in dips or sauces.
posted by chaiyai at 11:34 AM on August 3, 2021 [3 favorites]
Also seconding savory yogurt, like in dips or sauces.
posted by chaiyai at 11:34 AM on August 3, 2021 [3 favorites]
If Liberte Organic brand flavoured yogurt exists in your area, I find it very tasty.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 11:36 AM on August 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by nouvelle-personne at 11:36 AM on August 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
When I was in college I decided it would be healthy for me to start drinking orange juice for the vitamin C, even though I didn't like it. So every morning in the dining hall I would get a very small glass of it and gulp it down like medicine. At first it was pretty much like taking medicine but gradually I started minding it less, then not minding it at all and I eventually got to the point where I really enjoyed it. I can't remember how long it took to get to that point, probably a few months.
I bet you can make the same thing happen with yogurt. You can pick the least offensive kind you've come across and eat a small amount, maybe just a couple of spoonfuls, every day until you don't mind it. Or maybe, since you really don't like any of it at this point, you ought to just start with plain whole milk yogurt and mix in only healthy stuff like berries. As long as it's going to be like taking medicine, you might as well make it good medicine.
posted by Redstart at 11:39 AM on August 3, 2021 [3 favorites]
I bet you can make the same thing happen with yogurt. You can pick the least offensive kind you've come across and eat a small amount, maybe just a couple of spoonfuls, every day until you don't mind it. Or maybe, since you really don't like any of it at this point, you ought to just start with plain whole milk yogurt and mix in only healthy stuff like berries. As long as it's going to be like taking medicine, you might as well make it good medicine.
posted by Redstart at 11:39 AM on August 3, 2021 [3 favorites]
Fage makes a 5% yogurt and it’s astonishingly rich and not tart at all. I recommend hiding it inside baked goods that call for sour cream. Unfortunately I think the only way to mask/unlearn your distaste for the “yogurty essence” is to skew it so far in a direction that would end up negating its alleged health benefits.
posted by oxisos at 11:41 AM on August 3, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by oxisos at 11:41 AM on August 3, 2021 [2 favorites]
As for high-fat yogurts, I'm a huge fan of Siggi's Icelandic Skyr. Either whole-milk, or triple-cream.
posted by Thorzdad at 11:43 AM on August 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by Thorzdad at 11:43 AM on August 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
It's not a very practical yogurt (it tends to be sweet and kind of expensive) but I love Noosa. It is the flavor-on-the-bottom kind but I like it better than any other I've tried. There are a variety of fruit-based flavors but I'd suggest picking up a small tub of honey or vanilla bean and seeing how you like it. I'd imagine it to be a pretty good gateway yogurt, if there is such a thing, since it's not a very yogurt-y yogurt. The texture is super creamy, and the vanilla/honey notes give it sweetness without being cloying. (YMMV.)
I love Siggi's Icelandic skyr, too, but my guess is that's going to be more of exactly what you don't like.
Otherwise, yeah, we pretty much always have a tub of 5% Fage yogurt in the fridge. We use it in tzatziki sauce or to make a cucumber raita to go with spiced lamb meatballs, to stretch out a home-made French onion dip -- basically use it as a sour-cream substitute or augmentation, as others have suggested above, and see if you eventually warm to it. It's used in a variety of delicious sauces that don't cry out "yogurt!", like tikka masala, so that might be another way to edge toward #thatyogurtlife.
posted by Mothlight at 11:45 AM on August 3, 2021 [3 favorites]
I love Siggi's Icelandic skyr, too, but my guess is that's going to be more of exactly what you don't like.
Otherwise, yeah, we pretty much always have a tub of 5% Fage yogurt in the fridge. We use it in tzatziki sauce or to make a cucumber raita to go with spiced lamb meatballs, to stretch out a home-made French onion dip -- basically use it as a sour-cream substitute or augmentation, as others have suggested above, and see if you eventually warm to it. It's used in a variety of delicious sauces that don't cry out "yogurt!", like tikka masala, so that might be another way to edge toward #thatyogurtlife.
posted by Mothlight at 11:45 AM on August 3, 2021 [3 favorites]
Can you make your own yogurt? I've started recently and all consumers agree it's better than anything you buy. It's super easy in the instant pot and I can make ricotta from the leftover whey. The longer you leave it, the tarter it gets so I usually let it form for 12 hours. Try 10 hours or 8 hours and see if the less tartness pleases you. It will be thinner, which means you'll need to drain the whey longer. The mouthfeel after a couple of hours of draining out the whey is much richer and nicer than anything I've ever bought
As for how to eat it, I never buy anything other than plain and then eat it with berries, and some trail mix (or raisins and sunflower seeds) stirred in. If I want something sweeter, I can stir in jam (this is actually still way less sugar than buying flavoured yogurt).
OR drain it (homemade or storebought) for 24 hours with a weight on top. This basically makes it hard. Basically, line a strainer with cheesecloth, throw in your yogurt. Put a weight on top. Leave it for a day. Obviously put a bowl under the strainer. You can mix in some olive oil and herbs and eat it like a cream-cheese. My son eats this on a tortilla with jam. I can't imagine he can even taste any tartness with the 1:1 jam to yogurt ratio.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 11:49 AM on August 3, 2021 [2 favorites]
As for how to eat it, I never buy anything other than plain and then eat it with berries, and some trail mix (or raisins and sunflower seeds) stirred in. If I want something sweeter, I can stir in jam (this is actually still way less sugar than buying flavoured yogurt).
OR drain it (homemade or storebought) for 24 hours with a weight on top. This basically makes it hard. Basically, line a strainer with cheesecloth, throw in your yogurt. Put a weight on top. Leave it for a day. Obviously put a bowl under the strainer. You can mix in some olive oil and herbs and eat it like a cream-cheese. My son eats this on a tortilla with jam. I can't imagine he can even taste any tartness with the 1:1 jam to yogurt ratio.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 11:49 AM on August 3, 2021 [2 favorites]
Is Ellenos available near you? It's expensive but so good. The vanilla and lemon flavors are rich and creamy and gently tart, without the offensive sharpness of some yogurts.
I also like the vanilla flavored Chobani Greek yogurt, if you've not tried that. It's yogurty but not sharp. Mix in loads of berries and nuts and honey.
posted by esoterrica at 11:54 AM on August 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
I also like the vanilla flavored Chobani Greek yogurt, if you've not tried that. It's yogurty but not sharp. Mix in loads of berries and nuts and honey.
posted by esoterrica at 11:54 AM on August 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
Try cooking with plain yogurt in flavorful recipes, such as curries or masalas. I also make my own version of tzaziki sauce with full-fat plain Greek yogurt, diced cucumber, minced garlic, lemon juice, and salt & pepper. It's delicious on chicken, salads, and fresh vegetables.
posted by SamanthaK at 11:55 AM on August 3, 2021
posted by SamanthaK at 11:55 AM on August 3, 2021
Hmm, do you ever make creamy sauces with sour cream? E.g. things like this (not vouching for this recipe in particular). You can replace ALL the sour cream with plain yogurt and maybe acclimate to the taste that way — even slowly reducing the amount of other spices in the sauce until you’re eating plain yogurt.
On the other end of the spectrum, maybe try super-sweet vanilla yogurt? I like Activia vanilla yogurt.
FWIW I find parfaits gross even though I mostly like yogurt in general.
posted by mekily at 11:58 AM on August 3, 2021
On the other end of the spectrum, maybe try super-sweet vanilla yogurt? I like Activia vanilla yogurt.
FWIW I find parfaits gross even though I mostly like yogurt in general.
posted by mekily at 11:58 AM on August 3, 2021
Oh, I just saw you don't like tartness, but are fine with outright sour, which I take it to mean you don't mind sourness as long as it's not mixed with sweetness. ok, then I would make your own yogurt and let it form for 24 hours. THen don't add anything sweet with it...just throw in some sunflower seeds or nuts, or drain it to make cream-cheese-like spread (as I said above) and eat it with savoury crackers or cook with it.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 12:06 PM on August 3, 2021
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 12:06 PM on August 3, 2021
Have you tried nondairy yogurts? My favorite is cashew based but soy, oat, and coconut are some other options.
posted by mezzanayne at 12:12 PM on August 3, 2021
posted by mezzanayne at 12:12 PM on August 3, 2021
Seconding Fage Full fat yogurt. Thick, creamy has some heft. I make a yogurt bowl with the following: diced apple, handful of thawed frozen berries and their juice, pecans, sunflower seeds, chia seeds and touch of honey. Hits on texture. Hits on protein and fat. Hits on fiber.
I find it incredibly satisfying but not an everyday thing. For me, a couple of times a week is great. I can lay out a buffet style setting for my children and they can make a bowl of yogurt that they will actually eat.
Figure out what textures and flavors that you like. Peaches, blueberries, dried cherries, walnuts, granola maple syrup...man...there are a whole lot of delicious directions to go and you can adjust for carbs and sugar to fit your diet. Enjoy!
posted by zerobyproxy at 12:36 PM on August 3, 2021
I find it incredibly satisfying but not an everyday thing. For me, a couple of times a week is great. I can lay out a buffet style setting for my children and they can make a bowl of yogurt that they will actually eat.
Figure out what textures and flavors that you like. Peaches, blueberries, dried cherries, walnuts, granola maple syrup...man...there are a whole lot of delicious directions to go and you can adjust for carbs and sugar to fit your diet. Enjoy!
posted by zerobyproxy at 12:36 PM on August 3, 2021
If you’re not going for the probiotics, go with Oatly yogurt. It’s not tangy and it’s vegan too.
posted by iamkimiam at 12:39 PM on August 3, 2021
posted by iamkimiam at 12:39 PM on August 3, 2021
My gateway yogurt was Stonyfield vanilla yogurt- it’s not too runny but not Greek yogurt thick, not as tart or strongly yogurt tasting as Greek yogurt, and fairly sweet. It’s also good for mixing with fruit or granola or whatever, if that’s how you’d like to eat your yogurt.
posted by MadamM at 12:41 PM on August 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by MadamM at 12:41 PM on August 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
I was just coming in here to recommend Oatly or a soya yoghurt. Vegan yoghurt doesn't have that sour tang that dairy yoghurt has.
posted by essexjan at 12:42 PM on August 3, 2021
posted by essexjan at 12:42 PM on August 3, 2021
Based on what you described, I also don't think you would like general Greek yogurt because it's more tangy than regular yogurt. I wonder if you might like plain yogurt in place of sour cream and/or with savory add-ins. Have you tried an Indian raita (cucumber, onion, and seasonings like cumin) or a Greek tzatziki (cucumber, lemon, garlic)?
Or, maybe you'd like something really light and sweet (and potentially dubious nutritional value) like the Yoplait Whips, which are more like a structured whipped cream than anything. Personally, I do love the Greek Gods Honey option and strawberry rhubarb Noosa, which are somewhat sweet but both do have some tang to them. I also will sometimes have non-Greek plain yogurt with fruit like green grapes and slices of grapefruit, a combination that is very tangy but because of the fruit, not the yogurt, so perhaps it would cross the tang threshold into something you wouldn't mind.
Also, I'll second Redstart in saying sometimes it's just a bit by bit effort to learn to like a thing. I finally gave up drinking morning Mountain Dew a few years back by training myself to drink coffee. I found the least offensive option (aeropress), and then just kept powering through. Now I genuinely look forward to a good cup and I'm mostly okay with even the most bitter of swill in small portions when necessary.
posted by past unusual at 12:43 PM on August 3, 2021
Or, maybe you'd like something really light and sweet (and potentially dubious nutritional value) like the Yoplait Whips, which are more like a structured whipped cream than anything. Personally, I do love the Greek Gods Honey option and strawberry rhubarb Noosa, which are somewhat sweet but both do have some tang to them. I also will sometimes have non-Greek plain yogurt with fruit like green grapes and slices of grapefruit, a combination that is very tangy but because of the fruit, not the yogurt, so perhaps it would cross the tang threshold into something you wouldn't mind.
Also, I'll second Redstart in saying sometimes it's just a bit by bit effort to learn to like a thing. I finally gave up drinking morning Mountain Dew a few years back by training myself to drink coffee. I found the least offensive option (aeropress), and then just kept powering through. Now I genuinely look forward to a good cup and I'm mostly okay with even the most bitter of swill in small portions when necessary.
posted by past unusual at 12:43 PM on August 3, 2021
There's a recipe for a cauliflower slaw I often put up here on ask. The original uses creme fraiche, but that can be hard to find, and I have often used yogurt instead. The dressing can be used for all other slaws. I recently made it for pointed cabbage.
Finely chop either three scallions (only the white parts) or the equivalent amount in weight of shallot. Add in a very finely chopped clove of garlic, salt and pepper. Mix this base well with a tablespoonful of Dijon mustard and half mayonnaise and half Greek 10% yogurt (probably 1/2 cup of each).
Separate a small head of cauliflower into bite-sized florets and mix them with the dressing. Let it rest, covered, for an hour.
Serve on a flat dish, decorated with halved cherry tomatoes and if you like it, little dollops of lumpfish roe. Or sprinkle some dill and the scallion greens into your mixing bowl and eat it straight from the bowl. Or something in between.
Maybe look to Middle Eastern food for savory uses for yogurt. I'm not a fan of sweet yogurt products because I would rather have the real sweet thing, but there are many ways yogurt is used in Mediterranean cooking that I enjoy. In the sauce for kebabs, for instance, with tahini and herbs.
In Iran, there is a drink called doogh, and there are similar drinks all over the general area, it's called aryan in Turkey and lassi in India. You might like some of these variations.
Finally: check out different brands. Avoid skyr like the devil. Some types of yogurt hardly have any of the tartness you don't like.
posted by mumimor at 12:47 PM on August 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
Finely chop either three scallions (only the white parts) or the equivalent amount in weight of shallot. Add in a very finely chopped clove of garlic, salt and pepper. Mix this base well with a tablespoonful of Dijon mustard and half mayonnaise and half Greek 10% yogurt (probably 1/2 cup of each).
Separate a small head of cauliflower into bite-sized florets and mix them with the dressing. Let it rest, covered, for an hour.
Serve on a flat dish, decorated with halved cherry tomatoes and if you like it, little dollops of lumpfish roe. Or sprinkle some dill and the scallion greens into your mixing bowl and eat it straight from the bowl. Or something in between.
Maybe look to Middle Eastern food for savory uses for yogurt. I'm not a fan of sweet yogurt products because I would rather have the real sweet thing, but there are many ways yogurt is used in Mediterranean cooking that I enjoy. In the sauce for kebabs, for instance, with tahini and herbs.
In Iran, there is a drink called doogh, and there are similar drinks all over the general area, it's called aryan in Turkey and lassi in India. You might like some of these variations.
Finally: check out different brands. Avoid skyr like the devil. Some types of yogurt hardly have any of the tartness you don't like.
posted by mumimor at 12:47 PM on August 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
I’m going to be real honest here. I fucking hate yogurt. And I have TRIED! I may be somewhere near the super taster category. I don’t even want to look at cilantro. But I like other bitter or sour or funky things. Even blue cheese and green olives! Even frozen yogurt (which of course isn’t even close to the same thing.)
But ever since I was a kid I gag on yogurt. As an adult I don’t gag anymore but I feel it in my soul.
I tried trix. It’s not for all kids. I tried stuff with mix ins. I tried fancy expensive adult yogurt. I tried whipped. I tried non dairy.
I hate all of it.
Which is to say - you can try a bunch of stuff and just see if anything works. But sometimes it just doesn’t. Sometimes you just really hate it and that’s okay. If you’re after probiotics you can take a capsule.
posted by Crystalinne at 12:53 PM on August 3, 2021 [11 favorites]
But ever since I was a kid I gag on yogurt. As an adult I don’t gag anymore but I feel it in my soul.
I tried trix. It’s not for all kids. I tried stuff with mix ins. I tried fancy expensive adult yogurt. I tried whipped. I tried non dairy.
I hate all of it.
Which is to say - you can try a bunch of stuff and just see if anything works. But sometimes it just doesn’t. Sometimes you just really hate it and that’s okay. If you’re after probiotics you can take a capsule.
posted by Crystalinne at 12:53 PM on August 3, 2021 [11 favorites]
I learned here on AskMe about non-sweet yogurt options-- even at the office in the before times I would do a 4% plain greek yogurt with added chia seeds (fiber; keeps forever in a jar in a desk drawer) and a packet of soy sauce (it's always around)
posted by travertina at 12:59 PM on August 3, 2021
posted by travertina at 12:59 PM on August 3, 2021
I'm with Crystalline - I've tried, and I just don't like it. A couple of exceptions, though. There is one particular flavor of one particular brand that used to be commonly available but seems to be harder and harder to find (Dannon Light & Fit Cherry Vanilla) that I liked the taste of. No other brands, no other flavors within that same brand. So I guess the lesson for you is to just try a lot of things and see if any stick. I don't know, that's not very satisfying. The other exception is that I don't mind yogurt as an ingredient in traditional dishes. Tzatziki is the obvious one - it's hard for me to imagine a gyro without tzatziki. There's a lot of yogurt in Indian food too, which I like. The one thing I HATE though is when people try to sub yogurt in for sour cream, because they're not the same and I love sour cream dearly. Years ago, when we could still do such things, my office had a taco potluck and someone brought yogurt instead of sour cream and I had to eat yogurt on my tacos and I am still holding on to this resentment.
posted by kevinbelt at 1:17 PM on August 3, 2021
posted by kevinbelt at 1:17 PM on August 3, 2021
Try mixing in a packet of instant onion soup mix.
posted by Faint of Butt at 1:33 PM on August 3, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by Faint of Butt at 1:33 PM on August 3, 2021 [2 favorites]
I find whole-milk kefir to be less tangy than yogurt, with more of an underlying sweet/round flavor. As someone above said it's not completely un-tangy, but it still might be worth a try. It also has a lot more probiotics than yogurt does, FWIW.
posted by Greg_Ace at 1:52 PM on August 3, 2021
posted by Greg_Ace at 1:52 PM on August 3, 2021
I don’t love yogurt in general, but Stonyfield whole milk plain with some peaches and a drizzle of honey is really good. Many single serving yogurts have a lot of sugar. Fat is okay. I 1st had yogurt with honey in Greece and it totally changed my mind about yogurt
posted by theora55 at 2:20 PM on August 3, 2021
posted by theora55 at 2:20 PM on August 3, 2021
I've become fond of the Brown Cow yogurts, one of the items from the Stonyfield operation. It's smooth, rich, creamy, probably falls into a category of "dessert items that I'm going to pretend are not dessert". Whole milk, not many oddball ingredients, not particularly sour. It's only carried by one upscale-ish grocery in my area, at least that I'm aware of. If you run across it, might be worth giving a try, if you just want to experiment with another yogurt to see if you like it.
posted by gimonca at 2:29 PM on August 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by gimonca at 2:29 PM on August 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
I'm in the "could not live without yogurt" camp and right now have tubs of Fage full fat (5%) and a variety of flavored Noosa cups. I ran in to the kitchen and did a taste test, and I honestly do not think that Fage going to be your gateway. I personally love it with all kinds of things, sweet and savory, but I can't see it changing your mind if you aren't a yogurt person. Even loving Fage, I don't think it is a satisfying substitute for sour cream, although I have used it that way.
That said, you might want to try the Noosa vanilla bean. It's not a fruit on the bottom type of thing, it's flavored throughout. The mouthfeel is different than even the other types of Noosa - creamier, closer to a sour cream texture. I enjoyed my spoonful of Fage, but had to force myself to stop eating the vanilla Noosa - it is that good. Almost like ice cream.
posted by Preserver at 4:53 PM on August 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
That said, you might want to try the Noosa vanilla bean. It's not a fruit on the bottom type of thing, it's flavored throughout. The mouthfeel is different than even the other types of Noosa - creamier, closer to a sour cream texture. I enjoyed my spoonful of Fage, but had to force myself to stop eating the vanilla Noosa - it is that good. Almost like ice cream.
posted by Preserver at 4:53 PM on August 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
I eat a lot of yogurt, and I basically treat it like a savory dressing. I often season it with lemon juice and black pepper and use it on roasted brussel sprouts, roasted chickpeas, salmon, baked potatoes, and even french fries. I use full fat Greek yogurt for this, any brand.
posted by twelve cent archie at 5:34 PM on August 3, 2021
posted by twelve cent archie at 5:34 PM on August 3, 2021
5% full fat Fage was my yogurt gateway, although perhaps that’s the wrong word: I still kind of don’t like most yogurts, even though I now can stomach them. For me, there’s a combination of taste & texture that has turned me off most yogurts, something about the thinness & aftertaste that created an irrevocable mucous association in my child brain that I have never recovered from. But super thick yogurts avoid that association for me, and when I started eating it I just slatherrrrrred it in honey. I gradually let up on that, and now enjoy thick yogurt with a normal amount of honey or candied fruit, but mostly it trained my taste buds enough so that now I can eat and enjoy (my primary goal) a yogurt sauce or labneh.
posted by CtrlAltDelete at 6:26 PM on August 3, 2021
posted by CtrlAltDelete at 6:26 PM on August 3, 2021
Seconding Ellenos. It's a high-fat, creamy style but not quite as thick as most Greek yogurts. They started here in Seattle and I fully expect them to take over the world because that stuff is addictive.
posted by doift at 7:07 PM on August 3, 2021
posted by doift at 7:07 PM on August 3, 2021
I asked a somewhat similar question almost exactly 10 years ago!
Like you, I don't like the taste of straight yogurt, although I DO like it pretty well with a bunch of fruit in it. I don't like it as a substitute for sour cream. But turned into raita or tzatziki, I find it quite good, and I am a big fan of it mixed with a lot of berries.
My current favorite way to eat yogurt is getting Trader Joe's plain 2% fat Greek yogurt, thawing a LOT of frozen fruit (raspberries are my favorite, strawberries work well, go with what you like) and adding some buckwheat groats (you can either soak them in water overnight and add them to the yogurt and berries in the morning, or mix the yogurt, thawed berries, and groats together at night and let the groats soften right in the yogurt).
(And also seconding that if you try some of the ideas in this thread and you STILL don't like it, that's okay. There are plenty of other healthy foods out there.)
posted by kristi at 7:12 PM on August 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
Like you, I don't like the taste of straight yogurt, although I DO like it pretty well with a bunch of fruit in it. I don't like it as a substitute for sour cream. But turned into raita or tzatziki, I find it quite good, and I am a big fan of it mixed with a lot of berries.
My current favorite way to eat yogurt is getting Trader Joe's plain 2% fat Greek yogurt, thawing a LOT of frozen fruit (raspberries are my favorite, strawberries work well, go with what you like) and adding some buckwheat groats (you can either soak them in water overnight and add them to the yogurt and berries in the morning, or mix the yogurt, thawed berries, and groats together at night and let the groats soften right in the yogurt).
(And also seconding that if you try some of the ideas in this thread and you STILL don't like it, that's okay. There are plenty of other healthy foods out there.)
posted by kristi at 7:12 PM on August 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
I have 2 ideas for non-yogurtifying yogurt, both of which turn it into something that isn't technically yogurt as such.
1. Use it in smoothies. Take any fruit or mix of fruits you want, throw it in a blender, and add some yogurt and fruit juice. Blend and drink. You'll have so much other stuff in there the yogurt flavor may not be noticeable.
2. Make "labneh", which is yogurt cheese. This kind of leans into the flavor of yogurt, but pushes it into the realm of "cheese" - which is often supposed to be a little funky. All you do for labneh is: take a container of yogurt, mix in some salt (about 1/4 teaspoon salt per cup of yogurt), and then plop it all in a sheet of cheesecloth. Then wrap the cheesecloth around that gloop of yogurt and rig it up so that it hangs over a bowl (this recipe suggests simply tying the corners of the cheesecloth around a spoon and balancing it over a bowl), and let that sit overnight in the fridge. In the morning a good deal of the watery whey should have drained out; what's left in the cheesecloth is your labneh.
It's possible to drain the labneh so much that you can sort of mold it into little balls, and those balls can be marinated in a mix of olive oil and chopped herbs for a quick cheese appetizer (fish a ball out of the oil-and-herb marinade and spread on a cracker or on toast). Or for a softer labneh, stir in other chopped herbs or spices and use as a dip.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:23 PM on August 3, 2021 [2 favorites]
1. Use it in smoothies. Take any fruit or mix of fruits you want, throw it in a blender, and add some yogurt and fruit juice. Blend and drink. You'll have so much other stuff in there the yogurt flavor may not be noticeable.
2. Make "labneh", which is yogurt cheese. This kind of leans into the flavor of yogurt, but pushes it into the realm of "cheese" - which is often supposed to be a little funky. All you do for labneh is: take a container of yogurt, mix in some salt (about 1/4 teaspoon salt per cup of yogurt), and then plop it all in a sheet of cheesecloth. Then wrap the cheesecloth around that gloop of yogurt and rig it up so that it hangs over a bowl (this recipe suggests simply tying the corners of the cheesecloth around a spoon and balancing it over a bowl), and let that sit overnight in the fridge. In the morning a good deal of the watery whey should have drained out; what's left in the cheesecloth is your labneh.
It's possible to drain the labneh so much that you can sort of mold it into little balls, and those balls can be marinated in a mix of olive oil and chopped herbs for a quick cheese appetizer (fish a ball out of the oil-and-herb marinade and spread on a cracker or on toast). Or for a softer labneh, stir in other chopped herbs or spices and use as a dip.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:23 PM on August 3, 2021 [2 favorites]
Yoplait makes a yogurt mousse so processed it's almost not yogurt. They're also really good as a dessert and not breakfast. You might find cheesecake flavor yogurt more appealing as the yogurt taste adds to the cheese flavor.
posted by fiercekitten at 9:52 PM on August 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by fiercekitten at 9:52 PM on August 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
I am definitely more of a savory yogurt lover than sweet. I make a raita inspired yogurt with chopped cucumbers, toasted cumin seeds, maybe some garlic, and salt to taste. Eat with hot flatbread of some kind. It's a great breakfast on a hot day, especially if you've made it the day before and the flavors have melded in the fridge. Obviously it can be modified with anything else you like: grated carrot, various chopped fresh herbs, toasted mustard seeds, black pepper, chopped chiles, chunks of feta, greek olives...
posted by oneirodynia at 10:20 PM on August 3, 2021
posted by oneirodynia at 10:20 PM on August 3, 2021
At least in the UK, so called "Greek yoghurt" here tastes absolutely nothing like the deliciously thick, mild, moreish yoghurt I'd have in Greece, to my continued dismay. Turns out that's because it's made with cow's milk here, whereas in Greece it's made with sheep's milk. I've since found a sheep's milk yoghurt here and, boom! That's the taste I love. It does away with that tangy tartness that I'd always assumed was a yoghurt thing rather than a cow's milk thing.
posted by FifteenShocks at 12:30 AM on August 4, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by FifteenShocks at 12:30 AM on August 4, 2021 [2 favorites]
Mr. gudrun, who likes the full fat and also sweeter yogurts, recommends Brown Cow cream top whole milk maple yogurt, and also nthing Noosa brand yogurts.
posted by gudrun at 5:30 AM on August 4, 2021
posted by gudrun at 5:30 AM on August 4, 2021
I eat unsweetened, plain yogurt for health reasons, not for the taste. I don't mind the taste, but do improve it by mixing in some smooth peanut butter that is 100% peanuts, then sprinkling with cinnamon.
posted by Homer42 at 11:24 AM on August 4, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by Homer42 at 11:24 AM on August 4, 2021 [1 favorite]
It sounds like you should really try yoghurt as a savoury ingredient. Raita is fantastic with poppadum and tzatziki is great with lamb koftas for example. I don't like or eat plain yoghurt otherwise, just the stuff that's commercially prepared with lots of sugar and other sweeteners and a bit of fruit. But ever there, the exact flavour makes a big difference (and real fruit pieces are definitely better).
posted by plonkee at 3:32 PM on August 4, 2021
posted by plonkee at 3:32 PM on August 4, 2021
I already like yogurt, but I often mix vanilla coconut yogurt with maple syrup and it rules.
posted by jitterbug perfume at 10:12 PM on August 5, 2021
posted by jitterbug perfume at 10:12 PM on August 5, 2021
This thread is closed to new comments.
I was going to suggest drinking kefir, but it also has that tang that you hate. Honestly, I'm not sure you're ever going to be able to fully mask the tang, as that's kind of the signature of an active-culture food.
posted by Thorzdad at 11:17 AM on August 3, 2021 [4 favorites]