For a back-to-school snack that can’t be kept cold, don’t assume fresh Greek yoghurt can be stored at room temperature: follow the instructions on the packaging. If you have access to refrigeration, Greek yoghurt or skyr may be suitable, depending on the texture and ingredients you’re looking for. If it must be stored at room temperature before opening, consider a UHT drink instead — it isn’t Greek yoghurt.
If the snack needs to be stored before it’s eaten, keeping it at the right temperature matters more than its texture. For a fresh product, follow the packaging instructions. If you can’t keep it cold, compare drinks that are explicitly designed to be stored at room temperature before opening.
If you can keep the product at the temperature stated on the packaging, fresh Greek yoghurt could be an option. You can then compare individual portions and ingredients based on when you plan to eat it.
If protein content is your main priority, compare the nutritional information for skyr, Greek yoghurt and protein drinks on a product-by-product basis. Storage requirements and format are separate factors to consider.
First, decide whether you’ll be able to keep the snack cold until you eat it. This will determine which formats you compare next.
Worth considering: if you can keep it cold and want the texture of Greek yoghurt in a pot.
Bear in mind: this isn’t a substitute for a product designed to be stored at room temperature.
Worth considering: if you’re prioritising nutritional content or a drinkable format, while following the storage instructions for your chosen product.
Bear in mind: skyr isn’t Greek yoghurt. Yoplait says its drinkable Skyr can be kept out of the fridge for up to 4 hours; this guidance doesn’t apply to other products.
Worth considering: if storing it at room temperature before opening is a priority and a drink is what you’re looking for.
Bear in mind: a UHT drink doesn’t have the texture or culinary uses of Greek yoghurt in a pot. Check the storage instructions for after opening, too.
| Factor | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | The temperature stated on the packaging and the instructions for before and after opening; check how long it can be kept out of the fridge only if this is specified for the product. | If I can’t keep my snack cold until break time, I shouldn’t treat a fresh product like a drink that can be stored at room temperature. Around 46% of consumers would put storage requirements first. |
| Nutritional content | Protein and fat per 100 g or 100 ml, followed by the amount per portion of the exact product. | If I’m mainly comparing the nutritional content of my snack, the word ‘Greek’ isn’t enough to tell me how the recipes differ. This would be the priority for around 27% of consumers. |
| Recipe and format | Individual pot or larger format, ingredients and sugars per 100 g; storage instructions after opening. | For family portions or cooking, I want a recipe and container that suit my needs, with access to refrigeration. Around 27% of consumers would prioritise texture and format. |
These names refer to different products with different storage requirements. Danone describes its HiPRO UHT bottle as a drink, while Yoplait’s drinkable Skyr has its own refrigeration instructions.
First choose the storage method and format that suit you, then compare the nutritional information for the specific products.
The DGCCRF stresses the importance of maintaining the cold chain. For example, Auchan says its 150 g pots of plain Greek-style yoghurt should be stored between 0 °C and +6 °C.
Follow the temperature stated on the packaging and make sure you have the equipment to keep the product within that range. Otherwise, choose a product whose instructions allow it to be stored at room temperature before opening.
E.Leclerc’s Delisse plain Greek-style yoghurt, 8 × 125 g, contains 2.8 g of sugars per 100 g, compared with 15 g in the Delisse honey-layer version. So these recipes aren’t interchangeable on this measure.
Check the ingredients, nutritional information per 100 g and portion size for each product rather than assuming you know its composition from its category.
Danone’s range includes both fresh Greek-style yoghurt and UHT protein drinks, which are different types of snack.
The Skyr range is worth comparing if nutritional content and a portable format matter more to you than the texture of Greek yoghurt.
Carrefour’s Greek-style products come in different formats, which you can compare depending on whether you need an individual portion to take with you or a pot to share.
Delisse’s plain and honey-layer recipes show why it’s worth comparing the nutritional information for each product.
Auchan offers Greek-style yoghurt in individual portions and Greek yoghurt in a 1 kg pot. These are different products with different recipes and formats.
Lidl’s Eridanous Greek-style yoghurt is presented as suitable for sweet or savoury dishes.
Don’t assume this is safe for fresh Greek yoghurt. The DGCCRF reminds consumers that products requiring refrigeration must be kept within the cold chain. Check the temperature and storage instructions on the packaging of the product you choose.
Yoplait says its drinkable Skyr can be kept out of the fridge for up to 4 hours and advises throwing it away after that. This guidance applies to that specific product and doesn’t automatically apply to other skyr or yoghurt products.
The use-by date, marked ‘use by’, must be followed for the highly perishable foods it applies to. The best-before date (BBE) means something different. The Ministry of the Economy notes that yoghurt is among the products that may carry a use-by date. Also check the temperature requirements and storage instructions after opening.
No. The two Delisse products compared by E.Leclerc differ: the honey-layer version contains 15 g of sugars and 2.3 g of protein per 100 g, compared with 2.8 g of sugars and 3.2 g of protein per 100 g for the plain 8 × 125 g version. Compare the listings for the exact products before choosing.