Yoghurt is a staple in many people’s diets, but the quality can vary greatly from brand to brand. Ray tried cherry yoghurt from three different supermarkets to see which was the best
Yoghurt, in Ray Bonsall’s view, one of our shopping writers and regularly tests out supermarket products, is a vastly underappreciated food. While some might find the term itself to be synonymous with dull and tasteless, she sees it as a refreshing and highly versatile fridge necessity.
Given its ubiquity, it’s easy to overlook the array of flavours and numerous ways to enjoy this modest staple. From a granola breakfast to a midday nibble and even a pleasing post-dinner delight, yoghurt truly is an all-day food. However, with this broad variety comes a spectrum of quality.
From thick and luscious to thin and disappointing, the texture of yoghurt is as crucial as its flavour. In terms of taste, yoghurts can range from ultra sweet to naturally fruity, and even tangy.
Ray decided to put one of his favourite flavours, cherry, to the test at three different supermarkets including Aldi, Lidl and M&S to see just how much variation there can be.
All yoghurts were low fat (as that was the only option available), reports the Liverpool Echo.
Aldi – 89p
The cherry yoghurt from Aldi was the first Ray sampled and the cherry flavour did not overwhelm his palate. Although convincingly cherry, it wouldn’t require much imagination to mistake this for a raspberry yoghurt.
Ray said: “It was the sweetest of the three yoghurts which is ideal if that’s your preference (it’s not mine). It also had the smallest fruit pieces which again is perfect if you prefer a smooth yoghurt but I favour chunky fruit.”
Lidl – 89p
She explained: “Lidl’s version was remarkably similar but boasted a touch more flavour whilst being less sugary.
“The consistency was again virtually identical to Aldi’s, both offering a delightfully thick texture that wasn’t watery whatsoever.
“Despite my noticed taste variation, both contained identical amounts of sugar and cherry content, plus the same protein levels.”
Marks and Spencer – £1.95
The final yoghurt Ray sampled was the M&S low fat cherry yoghurt. Promoted as “super fruity” the yoghurt absolutely delivered on its promise.
Ray observed: “Packed with generous cherry pieces, the yoghurt also boasted the most genuine flavour – pleasantly sharp rather than the overly sweet taste of the other two.
Remarkably, the M&S yoghurt contains a fraction more sugar (11.3g/100g compared to 11g/100g) than the other two, but also features more than double the cherry content.
Priced at £1.95, the M&S yoghurt cost more than double the other two, which were both 89p.
She added: “Yet it delivered quite a different experience, and for that the cost appears reasonable.
“Following the taste comparison of all three, it was the M&S yoghurt that left me wanting another serving.”
