I found Dannon Light & Fit Greek yogurt at my local grocery store - and I was both intrigued AND skeptical at the same time. Only 80 calories per cup? How can that be? That's more than a third less calories than most Greek yogurts out there. It only comes in 4 packs - so I was forced to buy 4. I'm actually glad I had to; it gave me an opportunity to try the yogurt, then try it again.
First - it isn't tangy whatsoever. It has a strange mouthfeel that my first impulse came out as "chalky" but then I decided was the defatted proteins that make this yogurt "Greek" but also lower in calories. It's a different feeling than you are used to if you are a normal Fage or Chobani eater.
Second - I had the vanilla flavor ( I always test vanilla flavor; I add my own fruit ) and the Dannon Lit & Fit is like licking a vanilla bean or guzzling some vanilla extract. It's really strongly flavored with vanilla - almost cloyingly so. Maybe the fruit added varieties are less strongly vanilla - but the taste is definitely pronounced.
Finally - Dannon has a terrible track record when it comes to yogurt. Unnecessary ingredients, preservatives, etc. I was partially pleased when I saw the ingredient list for the Greek vanilla yogurt:
Ingredients: Cultured grade A non fat milk, water, fructose, contains less than 1% of modified corn starch, natural & artificial flavors, sucralose, citric acid, potassium sorbate ( to maintain freshness ), acesulfame potassium, sodium citrate.
99% Clean 1% potentially suspect ( though not all are deal killers - but just know acesulfame potassium is an artificial sweetener. If it makes up one ingredient which accounts for less than 1 percent of a product, I'm not honestly sure how much having it really would be detrimental to your health. But be advised- if you are avoiding ALL artificial colorings, preservatives, and sweeteners...Dannon Light & Fit Greek DOES have an artificial sweetner in it. ).
I think if the calorie content ( 120-160 for Chobani, Fage type yogurts ) has you scrunching your face every morning, perhaps Dannon Light & Fit is a yogurt for you to check out. Try different flavors, and keep in mind that this variation on Greek yogurt is a bit different than you may be used to - approach with an open mind. My mind was closed before my first bite. I was a bit more than surprised as I ate it that I found it tolerable. Yes, it is very vanilla-y. Yes, it has a funky mouthfeel. But I did eat all 4 cups in the package over the period of a week.
Try it before you dismiss it.
