When my daughter started eating solid foods (she is almost 6 1/2 now) I made an effort to feed her wholesome foods, making my own baby food (for both kids) and buying organic whenever I could. My husband and I started making a conscious effort to eat more “real food” and less processed, artificial foods, sweeteners and flavorings. Being a new mom, I was also struggling to lose the baby weight, and I ended up discovering that real food was much more satisfying than “diet” foods, and helped me get fit and feel great.
Previously, my yogurt of choice was a light yogurt with artificial sweeteners and flavors. When I started buying plain, whole milk yogurt for my daughter, I discovered how darn delicious and filling it was. A friend turned me on to Fage Greek Yogurt, and before I knew it, I couldn’t stomach the fake stuff anymore. I tried a while ago, and I actually gagged and had to throw the rest of the yucky stuff away!
A few months ago, I caught a sale on Fage, and I grabbed all kinds to sample (I’ve been buying the plain 2% for a few years now!) I consider it a bit of a treat since it’s rather pricey (I’ve seen it as low as $1.69-regular price, all the way up to $2.09 for a single cup.) A good sale is when they are 4/$5, or $1.25 each. Still rather spendy if you ask me! However, if you “like” the Fage Facebook page, they often have coupons that make it an absolute steal (as in 25 cents per cup when it’s on sale!)
Anyhoo, the yogurt comes in classic (whole milk, this is what we fed my son when he started eating solids/dairy), 2% and 0%/non-fat. I’ve tried other Greek yogurt; I’ve even made my own homemade yogurt, but none compares to Fage. Greek yogurt is yogurt with active cultures, which has had most of the whey removed, giving it a thick texture and slightly tart flavor. It takes 4 pounds of raw milk to make one pound of Fage Greek Yogurt!
The final product is thick and packed with protein.
Check your packages for the most up to date nutrition info, the information listed on Fage’s website varies slightly from what I have here (which is based on the packaging.) Sorry for the blurry photos!
- The whole milk version is a 7 ounce cup and contains 260 calories, 20 grams of fat and 14 grams of protein. I loved this for my son since he definitely needed the fat and calories, but it’s a bit much for me!
- The 2% version (my favorite!) is also a 7 ounce cup, and contains 130 calories, 4 grams of fat and 17 grams of protein.
- The non-fat version is a smaller package (6 oz) and contains 100 calories, 0 grams of fat and 18 grams of protein.
If you’re not into totally plain yogurt, they have 5.3 oz split cups with a smaller portion of yogurt, and a little bit of fruit in a tiny cup. They come in all 3 versions (whole, 2% and 0%) and come in cherry-pomegranate, blueberry acai, mango guanabana and strawberry goji (non-fat) strawberry, peach, cherry and blueberry (2% and whole), as well as a version with honey in the little cup. I haven’t tried the honey version (makes more sense to get more yogurt for the same price and add my own honey, since I eat these at home instead of “on the go”), but I’ve tried most of the others. I’m not actually a huge fan of fruit in yogurt, something about the texture bugs me (especially if there are seeds, yecccchhhhh…) but I like the peach, and my daughter likes them all! I try to hide them but she always finds them. 🙂
Of course, the split cups don’t pack quite the same nutrient punch as the plain versions, but they still put “regular” yogurts to shame. Again, nutritional info I list here is based on the packages I have (sorry again for the blur.) Double check on your packaging since my info is slightly different than Fage’s website. Each flavor varies a bit in sugar content etc. but calorie, fat and protein content is largely the same.
- The whole milk fruit cups contain about 210 calories, 12 grams of fat and 8 grams of protein.
- The 2% fruit cups contain about 130 calories, 2.5 grams of fat and 10 grams of protein.
- The non-fat fruit cups contain about 120 calories, 0 grams of fat and 11 grams of protein.
The versions with honey of course have higher stats.
If someone who was used to processed, artificial foods tried this, I’m not sure they’d like it plain. If you already enjoy whole, natural foods, you may love it! If you’re somewhere in between, the versions with fruit are perfect.
You could dip your spoon in the fruit, or flip it over and squeeze it on top. The package says not to stir, but my disobedient daughter stirs hers anyway. 😉
My absolute favorite (as in I savor it and practically lick the cup) is the 2% Fage with a drizzle of light agave nectar on top. Ohhhh my…so good. The protein keeps you full, and it makes a fantastic snack!
I love Fage and I hope you will grab some if you see it at your store. Just save some for me!
FTC compliance: I paid normal retail prices for all pictured/mentioned products. I was not asked to write this post, I was not compensated for writing it, and all opinions are my own.
Maria wants to live in a world where cloth diapers are the norm and moms can make parenting choices without judgement. When she’s not chasing her 18, 14 and 11-year old kids around, you might find her checking out the latest gadgets, organizing something (again) or exercising in the fresh air. 
