To plan snacks around your marathon training, choose the number of pots and portion sizes to suit how often you eat yoghurt, then compare the ingredients in plain varieties. A pack of four gives you a few individual portions; a pack of eight is better suited to regular consumption at home, provided you can store it properly and finish it in time. Yoghurt can be part of a snack, but it isn’t enough on its own to fuel a marathon.
You want to include an individual pot of plain yoghurt in a snack alongside other foods. Anses notes that dairy products provide protein, while IRBMS also highlights the importance of energy intake in a marathon runner’s diet.
You’re looking for a pack size that suits how much yoghurt you eat at home. The ranges listed by Carrefour and E.Leclerc include packs of four or eight pots, with different weights per pot.
You’d rather know what’s in a yoghurt and how much fat it contains before adding it to your routine. Assurance Maladie distinguishes lactose intolerance from a food allergy. If you have a known milk allergy, checking the allergens is essential.
First, decide when you’ll eat the yoghurt and how many pots you’ll use, then compare the nutritional information and ingredients for the specific variety.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| What’s in your snack | Compare protein and carbohydrates per 100 g; look separately at the other foods you plan to include in your snack. | After training, I want to put together a snack without expecting yoghurt alone to meet my energy needs. Around 40% of consumers put the overall composition first. |
| Individual portions | Check the number of pots, their weight and the use-by date on the packaging. | When planning a few snacks, I prefer pots with a set portion size. Portion size is the priority for around 30% of consumers. |
| Pack size | Compare the total weight and number of pots with how much you usually eat and how long the yoghurt will keep. | If I eat yoghurt regularly at home, I look for a pack I can finish before its use-by date. Pack size is the main consideration for around 20% of consumers. |
| Tolerance and ingredients | Read the ingredients list, allergen information and fat content per 100 g. | As race day approaches, I don’t want to find out how I tolerate a new dairy recipe. Around 10% of consumers put digestive tolerance first. |
The name alone doesn’t tell you how much protein it contains: recipes and dairy product categories vary.
Check the “protein” line in the nutritional information for the product you’re thinking of buying.
IRBMS highlights the importance of energy intake for marathon runners. The contents of one pot aren’t enough to show whether a snack on its own meets your training needs.
Consider yoghurt as part of your whole snack and diet, taking into account when you eat it and how well you tolerate it.
Packs of four, packs of eight and large tubs don’t all take up the same amount of space or take the same time to finish.
Check the total weight and use-by date before choosing a size for the week.
The Greek-style yoghurts featured here contain milk. Assurance Maladie distinguishes lactose intolerance from a food allergy, which can have serious consequences.
Check the allergens and ingredients on the packaging. If you have a known milk allergy, follow the advice of your healthcare professional.
Carrefour lists Danone plain Greek-style yoghurt in a pack of eight 150 g pots.
Carrefour lists this plain variety in a pack of four 150 g pots.
Carrefour lists this plain Greek-style yoghurt in a pack of four 125 g pots.
Auchan lists plain Greek-style yoghurt in a pack of four 150 g pots.
E.Leclerc lists Delisse plain Greek-style yoghurt in several pack sizes, including four 150 g pots, eight 125 g pots and a 1 kg tub.
No. Yoghurt can be part of a snack, but it isn’t enough on its own to provide suitable fuel for exercise. IRBMS highlights the importance of energy intake for marathon runners, so consider your snacks and meals as a whole.
First compare the weight per pot and the total weight, then check the same nutritional information per 100 g. Manger Bouger notes that labels show information such as fat, carbohydrates, sugars and protein on this common basis.
It’s safer to see how you tolerate it during training than to try a new variety for the first time on race day. Check the ingredients and fat content of the yoghurt you choose.
Check the ingredients and allergen information for the specific product: the varieties featured here contain milk. Assurance Maladie distinguishes lactose intolerance from a food allergy. If you have a known milk allergy, follow the advice of your healthcare professional.
Follow the storage temperature and use-by date shown on the packaging of the pack you buy. For example, for its plain Greek-style yoghurt in a pack of four 150 g pots, Auchan recommends storage between 0 °C and +6 °C.