If you’ve been around us for any length of time, you’ve probably figured out that we are Chobani evangelists. A little over one year ago, we decided to give greek yogurt a try. We had been hearing a lot about how great it tasted and how great it was for you. The first kind we tried was Chobani and we were addicted! If you are not familiar with greek yogurt, it is made by straining regular yogurt in a cloth or sack to remove the whey, giving it a much thicker consistency. Typically greek yogurt contains lower sugar, higher protein and higher amounts of probiotics. So it’s much better for you than regular yogurt and has a slightly different taste. Some people have tried greek yogurt and hated it. For us personally, there is no going back. We considered doing a Food Face-Off between greek yogurt and regular yogurt, but we knew there would be no contest. Instead we decided to branch out and try another brand of greek yogurt.
There are many brands of greek yogurt available in grocery stores today. The reason we picked Dannon is because it was closest to Chobani in price and nutrition and we felt it was one of the more accessible brands for most people.
Chobani Greek Yogurt
Cost: $1.49 for 6oz container at Hy-Vee
Nutrition: Serving size 1 container: Calories 140, Total Fat 0g, Sugars 19g, Protein 14g,
Taste: Creamy, slightly tangy, not to sweet.
Dannon Greek Yogurt
Cost: $1.39 for 5.3oz container at Hy-Vee
Nutrition: Serving size 1 container: Calories 120, Total Fat 0g, Sugars 16g, Protein 12g,
Taste: Creamy and sweet.
Cost Breakdown: Chobani is more expensive than Dannon, by about 3¢ per ounce. BUT (we like big buts, and we cannot lie), we almost always buy our Chobani at Costco. For just under $1.00 per container, we can get a 12 pack of strawberry, peach and blueberry. There are times we feel like getting a different flavor like lemon, pomegranate or honey, so we will sometimes buy it at a regular grocery store. For the most part though, we buy a pack at Costco once every two weeks. That means we save about $6.00 for every twelve Chobanis! That’s $12.00 per month and $144 per year in savings. Boom. So if you buy just a few yogurts per month and do not have a Costco membership, the winner would be Dannon. But if you are addicted to greek yogurt like us and have a Costco membership, the winner is Chobani.
Cost Winner: Chobani (with a Costco membership)
Nutrition Breakdown: A quick look at the nutrition label and it appears Dannon is the clear winner. Per ounce, Chobani does have slightly more calories and sugar, but it also has more protein. When you get down into the nitty gritty of the ingredients, you find out that Chobani is all natural, with no artificial sweeteners or preservatives. Dannon cannot make that claim. We’ll accept an additional 3 calories per ounce if it means we are eating something that is all natural
Nutrition Winner: Chobani
Taste Breakdown: First five ingredients of Chobani: Cultured pasteurized nonfat milk, strawberries, evaporated cane juice (less processed than regular sugar), locust bean gum (natural thickening agent), natural flavors. First five ingredients of Dannon: Cultured grade A nonfat milk, strawberries, water, sugar, fructose. We are not food scientists by any means, but we are assuming that the yogurts taste slightly different because Dannon uses refined sugar as a sweetener and adds water, while Chobani uses evaporated cane juice as a sweetener and no water. The Dannon is thick and a little tangy like most greek yogurt, but also has a grainy, sugary taste to it. The Chobani is creamy with just the perfect amount of sweetness and tang.
Taste Winner: Chobani
Overall Winner: Chobani Greek Yogurt
We tried to like you Dannon, we really did. But if we’re being honest with ourselves, you didn’t stand a chance. Chobani is a part of our everyday life now. It’s a mid-morning snack, a substitute for sour cream, or a late night treat. We cannot get enough of it. We are in love with Chobani and we don’t care who knows it!
Have you ever tried greek yogurt? If so, what brand and what was your opinion? Are you a Chobani fanatic like us?
I really like Chobani, but I also enjoy the AE Greek yogurt. Plus, I like to support a local dairy. The flavored AE Greek yogurt is a little higher in sugar and calories than I prefer, so I buy the plain version when it’s on sale (78 cents at HyVee last week) and add agave nectar and/or berries.
Love, LOVE LOVE me some Chobani! Our stores have started branching out with new flavors, too! My favorites are raspberry and Black Cherry. I do sometimes get the Dannon Greek because it’s cheaper by 50 cents a cup, but usually only for vanilla that I know I’m going to be jazzing up with fresh fruit. If I’m going for a fruity flavor, it’s Chobani all the way – yum yum yum. I can never go back to regular yogurt!!
i love chobani too, but always buy it at target where it is more expensive. i’m going to need to look into a costco membership!!!
We more than make up for the Costco membership just in Chobani savings alone!
I like Chobani a lot but try to eat only organic dairy when it’s decently priced and I can find a good selection. If I can’t find a good selection or it’s not on sale, I usually buy Chobani!
I have only ever had FAGE and it was delicious! They have split cups so you can pour in your topping as you want.
Fage is probably the most sour of the different brands, but I do really like the split cup idea.
I am newer to Greek yogurt since it took me awhile to justify the higher prices, but I do love Chobani. I usually only buy them when I can find them on sale, but I enjoy every little bit when I do!
Tessa – Thanks for checking us out. Your blog looks great! When we want to branch out from the 3 basic flavors from Costco, we wait for it to go on sale as well. Our kids have even made the greek yogurt switch now too. They love Chobani Champions.
I’ve tried the Dannon, and I agree…it’s just not the same! I love Chobani.
I used to be a Chobani nut–Until I got my Hy-Vee to start carrying Fage. While I agree that the 0% & 2% Fage are indeed tangy, the 4% Fage is like eating a cup of thick cream–Which I like! I’ve tried the AE Greek yogurt, as well as Oikos, Athenos, & Brown Cow’s Greek yogurt…And Fage has completely spoiled me. If my store is out of it, I don’t even bother getting any other kind, I just go without!
A food face off every Friday? What lucky taste buds! Thanks so much for the shout-out. Do you have a BJ’s? We have a new low-fat club pack that has debuted there and should be hitting other club stores soon (fingers crossed). Be on the lookout for the Pineapple, Mango, (and new!) 2% Black Cherry combo.
Nothing but good,
Emily, Communications Manager, Chobani
I really try to like yogurt. Really, really try. But I just don’t. My son, however, loves it! He’s 14 months old and eats any kind of yogurt, as long as it doesn’t have chunks of fruit in it!