For New Year’s Eve, don’t choose a yoghurt based solely on claims that it is “mature” or “aged”. Instead, compare the plain recipe, stated country of origin, ingredients and fat content, without treating any of these as proof of a particular flavour. A large tub is handy for a dish to share, while individual pots make serving dessert easier. In either case, check the use-by date and storage instructions for the product you choose.
If you’re making tzatziki, a cold sauce or a dessert to top with other ingredients, a plain recipe lets you choose what else to add. Check the country of manufacture and ingredients for the specific product rather than relying on the word “mature”.
A 750 g to 1 kg tub can provide the base for a dish to serve several guests. Choose the quantity with the stated shelf life after opening in mind.
Pots let you prepare individual portions to serve as they are or add toppings to. Compare plain and flavoured recipes by checking their ingredients, allergens and nutritional information.
First decide whether you’ll use the yoghurt as an ingredient in a dish to share or serve it as a dessert in individual pots. Then check the exact recipe: “Greek” and “Greek-style” don’t, by themselves, tell you where it was made or what it tastes like.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Origin and ingredients | The stated country of manufacture, ingredients and fat per 100 g. None of these tells you how the yoghurt tastes. | When making a dish with plain yoghurt, I want to know where it comes from and what it contains rather than rely on a suggestion of style. This would be a priority for around 38% of consumers. |
| A dish to share | The quantity needed for the recipe and how long the chosen tub will keep after opening. | When I’m making a sauce for several guests, I look for a size that suits the recipe without leaving too much yoghurt unused. Around 31% of consumers would put this use first. |
| Individual desserts | The number of pots, whether the recipe is plain or flavoured, and the use-by date. | If I’m serving dessert without making a large dish, individual portions make planning easier. Serving dessert in pots would be a priority for around 31% of consumers. |
The retailer listings mentioned in this article include yoghurts made in France as well as yoghurts made in Greece. Words such as “mature” or “aged” are no substitute for the details on the packaging.
If you have a preference about origin, look for an explicit statement of the country of manufacture on the product you buy. Check its product description and ingredients list separately.
The stated shelf life after opening varies by product: Auchan’s listing for its 1 kg plain Greek yoghurt says 4 days, while the listing for Yoplait’s 750 g carton says 7 days.
Plan how much you’ll need and follow the instructions for the product you buy. For a buffet, serve small amounts at a time and return the rest to the fridge promptly, in line with Anses advice on keeping food cold.
An oversized tub can also leave you with leftovers to throw away before the stated time is up.
Carrefour’s listings for the Danone and Carrefour Extra plain varieties both mention milk and cream, among other ingredients, but their stated fat contents differ.
Check the ingredients, allergens and nutritional values for the specific product, especially if several guests will be sharing it.
Size, recipe and origin can vary from one product to another, even within the same brand. So compare individual products rather than choosing by brand name alone.
The Greek-style range includes plain and flavoured pots. The Carrefour listing mentioned here is for a multipack of eight plain pots.
The 750 g carton of plain Greek-style stirred yoghurt can be used as the base for a dish to share.
Carrefour’s listing for this plain Greek-style yoghurt describes 150 g pots and states that it is made in France.
Two plain varieties show why it’s important to distinguish between products from the same brand.
The Delisse plain Greek-style yoghurts featured by E.Leclerc include 4 × 150 g and 8 × 125 g multipacks.
Lidl describes its Greek-style yoghurt as suitable for sweet or savoury dishes, including tzatziki.
No. These words don’t give you a precise way to compare the yoghurts featured here. The French decree on fermented milks defines yoghurt by the fermentation process. To choose a product, check its product description, ingredients, stated origin and fat content instead, without assuming these tell you what it will taste like.
Yes, as long as you follow the use-by dates and storage instructions for the ingredients, then keep the sauce in the fridge until it’s time to serve. Anses advises limiting the time that perishable foods spend at room temperature. Also check how long the yoghurt you choose will keep after opening.
Keep it in the fridge, following the instructions on the packaging. Anses says the coldest part of the fridge should be at 4 °C. The Auchan listing for the Yoplait carton mentioned here specifies storage at 0 to +6 °C for that product.
Don’t eat yoghurt after its use-by date. Anses says that foods carrying a use-by date must not be eaten after that date. Check the exact wording on the packaging, along with the instructions for storing the product after opening.
Don’t assume it is. The Danone, Carrefour Extra and Auchan products mentioned in this article all list milk as an ingredient. Check the ingredients list and allergen information on the packaging of the product you plan to serve.