Published June 29, 2021

As a writer, I’ve always enjoyed the clickbait titles that read, “I tried X for 30 days, here are my thoughts.” Inevitably, I click the article and read about beauty routines, exercises, or — very rarely — food.

I decided to approach this week’s ingredient review in the same fashion — I tried 7 days of Trader Joe’s yogurts. I scored these yogurts based on 4 factors: Branding, flavor, texture, and price to give you my recommendations.

7. Nonfat Pineapple Kiwi Greek Yogurt

Branding

I feel that Trader Joe’s has clean product branding. I enjoy that the neon green (referencing the kiwi flavor) helps this yogurt pop from the shelf.

The simple illustrations of the fruit help you recognize the flavor without reading the packaging. I like the front of the container the best, where the color splits the yogurt type with the flavor.

Flavor

I intentionally selected this flavor because I had never heard of pineapple and kiwi as a yogurt combination. Most yogurts I see are strawberry, blueberry, banana, so I was excited to try the pineapple-kiwi flavor.

Unfortunately, this flavor was disgusting. Maybe it was because it was nonfat? I checked that the yogurt had not expired, and it was fine, but the flavor combination was terrible. The kiwi aftertaste made it even worse. After two bites I threw the container away.

Texture

As you can see, this greek yogurt is thick. I stirred it before taking this picture.

There are no sizable fruit pieces in this yogurt, which I thought was strange. There were nearly invisible flecks of pineapple, but that made it seem as if there was something in the yogurt that shouldn’t be there. I would’ve preferred pineapple cubes throughout.

Price

I paid $0.99 cents for this yogurt. I think this is a great price for Greek yogurt, especially when I compare it to the packs of 4 at Target. Considering I didn’t enjoy this yogurt either, I’m glad I didn’t splurge for it.

Score 1.5 of 4

All of the points for this yogurt go to branding and price. I don’t think the texture was as bad as the flavor, but I wouldn’t recommend this yogurt nor buy it again for myself.

6. Organic Creamy Cashew Strawberry Yogurt (Dairy Free)

Branding

The color palette for the cashew and strawberry yogurt made sense to me with its cream and neon accents. I like the patterned detail inside of the yogurt container as well, though it doesn’t make me think of cashews or strawberries.

The "Dairy Free” stamp on the bottom right is a nice addition for a stand-out way to catch consumer’s attention, considering the name of the yogurt is so long.

Flavor

Unlike the other dairy-free yogurts I tried, this yogurt does have a cashew aftertaste, which I did not enjoy. I did not taste the strawberry flavor that much, and I would’ve enjoyed having strawberry pieces throughout.

Texture

When I first removed the top for this yogurt, I thought the texture would be thick and chunky the way Greek yogurt is. It wasn’t — the yogurt was smooth. However, if you stirred the container for a while, the yogurt does thicken and any liquid that was on top combines for a better texture.

Price

I paid $1.69 for this dairy free strawberry cashew yogurt. This appears to be the average cost of ~5 oz of dairy free yogurt.

When I compare this cost to the other yogurts I’ve tried in this post, I don’t think I would spend that amount for this flavor, I would select another option.

Score 2 of 4

If you don’t mind the taste of cashews, this is a good dairy-free yogurt to try. I am not a fan so that’s why I gave it a lower score than you might.

The branding is what carried this yogurt with a score of 2, since it was unclear whether the texture should be thick (after stirring), or the strange texture when you first open the container.

5. Guava Passion Fruit Greek Yogurt (with Whole Milk)

Branding

I’m guessing this Guava Passion Fruit Yogurt is the cousin of the Pineapple Kiwi Yogurt. This yogurt had the same layout, drawing of the fruit, and colors to match the flavors. Comparing the containers to one another, you can easily recognize the different types, flavors, and brands, which is useful for consumers who are shopping for their favorites.

Flavor

I don’t believe I’ve tried guava or passion fruit before, so I enjoyed this yogurt’s bright, sweet flavor. It reminded me of sweet tea.

I will note that after reading the nutrition label, this yogurt has a lot of “fruit juice” and sugar — 26% compared to the protein, fat, sodium, and calcium in the serving. While the flavor is nice and sweet, I don’t consider it to be healthy.

Texture

The Guava-Passion Fruit Yogurt had a thick, rich texture without any fruit or gelatin pieces. When comparing this yogurt to the Pineapple Kiwi, which had flecks of pineapple, I prefer this version.

Price

As with the previous container, this yogurt was $0.99, and for the price. I would buy it again!

Score 3 of 4

I prefer the Guava-Passion Fruit Yogurt’s smooth texture and sweet flavor, however, it doesn’t seem like the healthiest yogurt selection with its high amount of fruit juice and sugars.

4. Creamy Almond Mango Yogurt (Dairy Free)

Branding

I love the bold colors and patterns on this container. The mango flavor is unique, so why not use the bright color on the packaging?

I enjoy that this yogurt container has a rim of orange almonds as a pattern on the top of the lid. It also has the “Dairy Free” stamp with the shape of an almond in the middle. I’m not entirely sure what the stamp across the top label was supposed to be. Aesthetically, as a foodie, I would’ve preferred that to be across the bottom of the container, so it was easier to read and didn’t overlap the branding.

Flavor

Gloriously, this yogurt hardly tastes like almonds. The mango flavor wasn’t that bold or bright, but I did enjoy it. As I recommended with the other yogurts, I would enjoy actual pieces of the fruit flavor throughout.

Like the other flavors, this yogurt had a high amount of sugars (24% added). I imagine that’s how it has a sweet flavor, but I would’ve preferred less sugar and more of the actual fruit.

Texture

As you can see above, this yogurt’s texture is smooth without any fruit pieces. It is thicker than some of the dairy free yogurts, and reminded me of the greek yogurt texture.

Price

This almond mango yogurt was $1.49, which is a great price considering this is a dairy-free option. I would recommend it and buy it again.

Score 3 of 4

I love the branding on this container. I would buy this yogurt again for the price and texture, though I think the flavor could be bolder to highlight the mango.

3. Creamy Almond Vanilla Bean Yogurt (Dairy Free)

Branding

I’m not sure why vibrant purple was the color choice for this packaging, but I enjoy how graphic it is. The text is bold and clear — emphasizing, I assume, the fact that the yogurt contains almonds.

I like that the interior of the container also has the same pattern as the yogurt sleeve (see below).

Flavor

Vanilla is one of my favorite flavors so I was excited to try a dairy free yogurt in this flavor. I was slightly concerned about the yogurt tasting like almonds more than vanilla. I was happily surprised that there was no almond flavor.

Like most of the other yogurts in this review, this vanilla bean yogurt had 21 grams of sugar. I would prefer a yogurt with less sugar, though I was happy to see that it also contained 4% calcium, 4% iron, and 2% potassium, so I felt I was still getting some nutrients with this serving.

Texture

I enjoyed how light this yogurt was, though I felt like it left a bit of a coating in my mouth afterwards. Occasionally, this yogurt had small specks of what looked like gelatin pieces throughout, which was a bit odd. It didn’t impact the flavor.

Price

I would buy this yogurt again for $1.49, especially since it is dairy free.

Score: 3.5 of 4

I loved the branding and flavor of this yogurt. However, I did not like the aftertaste from this yogurt nor the small bits of gelatin.

2. Blueberry Coconut Milk Yogurt (Dairy Free)

Branding

This yogurt stood out on the shelf with its narrow container and font choice. It had a clean design that accented the blue color of the yogurt’s flavor. The addition of the image for the blueberry and coconut hinted that it was dairy free.

Flavor

Thick and rich, this yogurt had a great flavor with no hint or aftertaste of coconut, I was shocked! I’m glad that Trader Joe’s offers a coconut-based yogurt for folks who cannot have the almond or cashew yogurt.

Texture

Finally, a yogurt that actually has pieces of the fruit in it! I was reminded of the greek yogurt consistency, without it feeling so heavy. The blueberry pieces were a welcome addition to add more flavor.

Price

I paid $1.49 for the blueberry dairy free yogurt, which I think is a great price.

Score 3.9 of 4

I can’t say I was blown away enough to give this yogurt a full score of a 4 of 4, but I will say it is one of my top favorites of my 7 days of Trader Joe’s Yogurt. I would buy it again and I recommend you try it!

1. Low Fat Lemon Yogurt

Branding

I love this branding. The circular placement on the front of the container reminds me of a lemon shape. It is bold and clear, using the yellow font to highlight the flavor. I also like the splash of yellow around the side of the container and the outlined drawings of lemons with leaves.

The black and white lid helps the branding feel balanced without too much yellow. It is also easy to read that it is a low-fat, dairy-based yogurt.

Flavor

I was not sure how lemon yogurt was going to taste but it was aaamazing. The flavor was bright and bold. It reminded me of a lemon meringue pie. It was sweet, but not nauseating to eat. I would definitely buy this yogurt again.

Texture

This low-fat lemon yogurt has all of the element’s I’ve been discussing. The texture is smooth, yet creamy. It does offer flecks of lemon (rind?) throughout, which I don’t enjoy, but does add to the flavor.

Price

$0.79! Can you believe it?! I 100% recommend you try this yogurt, it’s a steal.

Score 4 of 4

My favorite yogurt of the bunch! I did not expect to enjoy this yogurt, considering it was lemon and low fat, but it is amazing! All around, it offers bold branding, bright flavor, and balanced texture, for a wonderful price.

Are you looking for more product reviews?

Browse my other ingredient reviews and recommendations here. Or leave a comment with your thoughts on this post, I’d love to hear from you!