Greek yoghurt for barbecue sauce: 1 kg tub or “4 pint”?

Who is this guide for?

Anyone making sauces to share

For tzatziki, a dip or a cold sauce to serve to a group, a large tub of plain yoghurt lets you take out the amount you need instead of opening individual portions.

Anyone comparing recipes

If you’re choosing between a 0% option and one with a higher fat content, check the nutrition information per 100 g and the ingredients list. These details alone can’t predict the texture of your sauce.

Households planning to use up the rest

It’s worth considering a family-sized tub alongside the recipes you have planned for after the barbecue, the use-by date and the storage instructions once opened.

What should you look for?

For a barbecue dish, first choose an amount you’ll be able to use, then check the product type, ingredients and storage instructions.

What to consider	What to check	Who is it for?
Amount you’ll use	The net quantity and the stated time to use the product after opening, especially for a 1 kg tub.	When serving sauce to a group, I want to be able to measure out the yoghurt without opening several small tubs. Around 36% of consumers put this need for a format suited to sharing first.
Ingredients	The ingredients and fat content per 100 g; protein, too, if you want to compare that.	If I’m choosing between a 0% option and a higher-fat one, I want to compare their nutrition information without assuming they’ll work the same way in a recipe. Around 29% of consumers prioritise ingredients and composition.
Storage	The use-by date, storage temperature and time to use the product after opening, as stated on the packaging.	I don’t want to open a large tub just to use a small amount if I can’t finish the rest within the stated time. Storage is the top priority for around 21% of consumers.
Product type	The product name and net quantity, especially when the packaging looks like a bottle.	Before buying yoghurt for a sauce, I want to tell plain Greek yoghurt apart from stirred or drinking yoghurt. Around 14% of consumers prioritise identifying the product type first.

Mistakes to avoid

Confusing Greek yoghurt with stirred or drinking yoghurt

Yoplait describes Yop as an 825 g drinking yoghurt and Perle de Lait Nature as stirred yoghurt, available in packs of x4 or x8. Their product names and pack sizes don’t describe a tub of plain Greek yoghurt for a sauce.

Before choosing a product that looks familiar, check its name, net quantity and ingredients for your recipe.
Assuming “4 pint” or 2 litres means a tub for cooking

Carrefour, Auchan and E.Leclerc list 1 kg tubs of Greek or Greek-style yoghurt. A volume label or bottle-shaped pack on its own doesn’t tell you what type of product it is.

Work out how much your recipe needs using the net weight shown on the products you’re considering.
Choosing based only on “0%” or “10%”

Carrefour Extra, Auchan and Delta list products with different fat contents. That figure doesn’t tell you everything about the ingredients or how the yoghurt will work in your recipe.

Compare the nutrition information per 100 g and, if texture matters for a large barbecue, try the product in a small batch first.
Forgetting storage instructions after opening

The French Ministry of the Economy reminds consumers that a use-by date is a strict deadline. The DGCCRF also stresses the importance of maintaining the cold chain for the food products concerned.

Follow the temperature and time limits shown on the packaging, and plan how you’ll use the rest of the tub after the barbecue.

Brands to know when comparing products

Carrefour

Carrefour Extra offers a 1 kg tub of plain Greek-style yoghurt, worth considering for a sauce served to a group.

According to Carrefour, this product contains whole milk and pasteurised cream, and has 8.6 g of fat per 100 g.
Before opening this large tub, check the storage instructions and how much you’re actually likely to use.

Auchan

Auchan offers a 1 kg tub of plain Greek yoghurt.

Its product information lists 10% fat and 7 g of protein per 100 g.
For this product, Auchan recommends storing it between +2 °C and +6 °C and eating it within four days of opening.

E.Leclerc / Délisse

E.Leclerc offers a 1 kg tub of Délisse plain Greek yoghurt.

The product information lists 10% fat and 5.6 g of protein per 100 g.
E.Leclerc recommends contacting your local store to check whether this product is available.

Lidl / Eridanous

Lidl presents Eridanous Greek-style yoghurt for savoury and sweet dishes, including tzatziki.

Its suggested culinary uses make it an option for a sauce, provided you choose the product that suits your recipe.
To compare it with a 1 kg tub, check the net quantity and nutrition information on the packaging.

Yoplait

Yoplait provides a useful point of comparison when telling stirred or drinking yoghurt apart from plain Greek yoghurt in a tub.

Yoplait offers Perle de Lait Nature in packs of x4 and x8, and describes Yop as an 825 g bottle of drinking yoghurt.
These products shouldn’t be mistaken for a 1 kg tub of plain Greek yoghurt intended for a sauce.

Joybuy products

Frequently asked questions

How can you tell if a yoghurt is suitable for a barbecue sauce?

Start by checking the product name and net quantity, then read the ingredients list and nutrition information. Don’t assume that stirred or drinking yoghurt will work in the same way as plain Greek yoghurt in a tub.

Can you keep the rest of a 1 kg tub after the barbecue?

Yes, as long as you follow the use-by date and the product’s storage temperature and time limits after opening. For its 1 kg tub of plain Greek yoghurt, Auchan recommends storing it between +2 °C and +6 °C and eating it within four days of opening. Check the packaging for any other product.

Will 0% Greek yoghurt make the same sauce as a 10% product?

Fat content alone can’t tell you whether the sauce will turn out the same. Auchan lists 0 g of fat per 100 g for its Delta 0% product, compared with 10 g for its 10% plain Greek yoghurt. Compare the ingredients, too, and try a small batch if texture is especially important for your recipe.