Cheapskate Gourmet: Two Yogurts With Cul-cha

Yogurt doesn't have to be pricey, or full of fat. Here are some delicious options in your local market

When I was a girl, yogurt was some crazy thing my friend’s dad made when he wasn’t smoking marijuana. But then I guess I’m being naïve. Of course he was smoking marijuana when he made the yogurt. What else could possibly explain his craving for little glass jars full of watery fermented milk with a fine sprinkling of wheat germ. Eeew!

Luckily, times have changed and we now have enough yogurt in supermarkets to keep us up nights puzzling over which to buy. Nonfat, low fat, full fat, Bulgarian style, Greek Style, “European” style, and of course that doesn’t even get into a single one of the fruit flavors, ranging from white chocolate raspberry to custardy key lime pine. Between the yogurts and the no-pulp, the some-pulp, and the lots-of-pulp orange juice, it’s a wonder any of us actually leave the store.

Which is why you need to check out this recommendation for a cheap, nonfat plain yogurt that you will love with granola and fresh fruit for a delicious, healthy breakfast. It’s Trader Joe’s Organic Nonfat Yogurt—Plain, and it’s only $2.99 a quart. I’ve tried the plain yogurts sold in standard supermarkets and every other of the gajillion varieties sold at Trader Joe’s, but this one is my favorite.

It’s tangy but not overly so, and it has texture, thick, creamy texture. Because it’s nonfat, you can load it up with some fat-bomb granola (such as the roasty, nutty stuff from Café Fanny in Berkeley) and still feel all self-righteous and gloat-y. Some purists might say this yogurt cheated because it gets some of its thickness from pectin, the natural thickener made from apples and citrus, but I don’t have a problem with it. It’s not bad for you, and I don’t taste it.

Let’s get back to the Café Fanny Organic Granola, which while glorious, is not cheap at $5-6 a box. Unless you’re trying to fatten up quick, don’t try this at home: Mix half a cup of the granola (13 grams of fat) with a cup of classic, full-fat Fage Total Greek Yogurt (23 grams of fat!). Add fresh fruit, and you will think you’re eating cheescake! And in terms of fat, you will be!

You may find you’re addicted to the rich, ultra-thick Fage (rhymes with Yahweh). It’s currently $4.59 for about a pint at the Walnut Creek Whole Foods, which is odd, because the lowfat and nonfat are $5.49. The folks at Trader Joe’s say Whole Foods has been lowering its prices to duke it out in this economy with Trader Joe’s, where the yogurt is also $4.59.

If you’re going full throttle on the Fage, you might want to go with a slimmer, cheaper granola. Good luck finding one in a regular grocery store that’s not either a) loaded with sugar, or b) six bucks a bag. After much munching and crunching, I’ve located a granola at Trader Joe’s that’s awesome and $3.59 a box: Trek Mix Granola: Simply Almonds, Cashews and Cranberries, which comes in the purple, not the blue, box. A half-cup has about seven grams of fat. With all the nuts, much of that fat is “the good fat.” As if that will make a difference in the width of my ass.

Anyhow, check these out. Mix and match. There’s no need to wait until you’ve got the munchies. See you next time with more ways to eat well and save money.
 

Posted at 05:34 PM in Cheapskate Gourmet | Permalink