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In my house, yogurt is always a big hit. Long gone are the days of the standard yogurt tub: The yogurt innovators have created all kinds of pouches, tubes, and drinkable options, which are ideal for journeying to school in a kid’s lunchbox without creating a mess (I’ve scraped out days-old yogurt from all sorts of crevices, and I’d much rather not.)
Pouches and sticks bring an element of fun for kids, and they deliver protein, calcium, and energy in a delicious form, so they’re a snack choice we can all get behind. (Pro tip: Pop them in the freezer for about 10 minutes for an extra cold treat on a hot day.)
The only problem? There are almost too many options to choose from. So I — with the help of my family — set out to find the very best tasty and transportable yogurts for kids’ lunchboxes.
The Tasters
As a professional cheese writer, all dairy is in my wheelhouse (har har), and I’m a lifelong fan of yogurt. I love its versatility and its tang — yogurt makes its way into my breakfasts, snacks, marinades, and salad dressings. It was fun to turn my attention to on-the-go options.
I’ve been fixing myself yogurt with granola and berries for breakfast most mornings this summer. I do the same for my two-year-old son Julius, four-year-old daughter Simone, and husband Tony, although we’re all just as likely to grab a yogurt for an anytime snack, which these picks are ideal for.
The Methodology
We took a dozen yogurts on the go, on car rides and picnics and to the playground and yes, in lunchboxes. We used them to soothe toddler meltdowns and hangry afternoon lulls. I made Tony, Simone, and Julius offer copious feedback (or as much feedback as one can coax from a two-year-old), even when they would have much preferred to enjoy their yogurt in peace. We looked for the creamiest, smoothest, most flavorful, and most satisfying.
The results below were our five favorite picks — the ones we wanted to go back for again and again, and the ones I’ll be stocking in our fridge. Here’s what we found:
The Results
Best tubes (kids’ choice): Go Gurt Lowfat Yogurt
I am fascinated by the way many things that are marketed to kids are instinctively off-putting to adults. At the grocery store, my little ones always reach for this shouting-bright green packaging, and I want to put it back. But these were a surprise hit for all of us. The strawberry flavor is undoubtedly artificial tasting, but it’s also totally pleasing. It’s got plenty of sugar, but no high fructose corn syrup, as the box proudly proclaims. The texture is a spot-on silky smooth. Simone called it “party yogurt” and proclaimed it tasted “like lollipops.”
Best less sugar: Siggi's Kids Low Fat Strained Mixed Berries Skyr Yogurt
This is a slightly more sophisticated, differently delicious choice (no neon packaging, very tasteful). Siggi's has brought the Icelandic skyr to American fame; I’m a big fan of its thickness and richness. It takes almost four cups of milk to make one cup of skyr. It has only 6 grams of sugar per pouch, compared to Go Gurt’s 22, making it a great low sugar yogurt option for kids. What it lacks in sweetness, it makes up for in bright, berry flavor with notes of vanilla and fresh cream. If you can’t find Siggi’s, the Chobani Less Sugar line is another good low-sugar alternative.
Best pouches: Stonyfield Organic Kids Low Fat Strawberry Yogurt Pouches
Milk from pasture-raised cows, live and active cultures, and punchy flavors — we especially liked the blueberry — combine to make these yogurts a great choice. “The blueberry is dancing, dancing, dancing,” noted Julius about the packaging design. He wanted another one as soon as he finished his pouch. Tony appreciated that these were sweet without being overly sweet, and I liked the real fruit flavor.
Best probiotic: Activia Probiotic Yogurt Drink
With plenty of live and active cultures and Activia’s exclusive probiotic, I stocked up on these when I was on antibiotics for tonsillitis and never looked back. They’re refreshing and delightful, with lots of lively fruit or vanilla flavor and a hint of tang on the finish. The vanilla was my favorite; it gave vanilla milkshake vibes (almost). Simone voted the Cherry and Blueberry flavor “just perfect.”
Best yogurt smoothie: Noosa Yoghurt Fruit Smoothie
Tony declared the mango flavor tasted “like vacation,” and I immediately agreed. Julius liked the strawberry flavor, which he said tasted like the strawberry smoothie we made together from scratch, “only better” and smoother. Noosa makes yogurt feel luxe and indulgent, and their smoothies live up this reputation. It’s a little more liquidy than I expected, and it tastes like dessert (with only 10g of added sugar)
PHOTO CREDIT:
Photographer: Paul Quitoriano
Food Stylist: Mieko Takahashi
Art Direction: Sarah Ceniceros Gomez
