Snack Review: Rachel’s Wickedly Delicious Yogurt
No, wait! Don’t go!
I know, I know. You don’t come here to read about yogurt. Yogurt isn’t a snack. It’s a meal replacement for deluded dieters who will inevitably be hungry an hour later and succumb to Twinkies from a vending machine, or a health food for people who’ve read that there are some crazy eastern Europeans somewhere who eat yogurt at every meal and live to be a hundred… or at least their lives feel really long, what with having to eat all that yogurt all the time.
I hate fruit flavored yogurt. I like plain yogurt in savory dishes like Indian cucumber raita. I can eat maple or vanilla sweetened yogurt, although without a huge amount of enthusiasm. But I have always felt that yogurt doesn’t improve fruit, and fruit doesn’t improve yogurt.
Well, maybe there really is an exception to every rule.
I was sucked into buying these because I can’t resist anything mango flavored, despite repeated experience that it is usually a tragic disappointment. I remembered this when I got home, so first I tried the cherry-black currant, which I got because the black currant aspect of it was intriguing.
I couldn’t believe what I was eating. Oh My God. This stuff is amazing. You know the tart cherries in pie? This is that kind of cherry flavor, but without the over-sweetened goop that usually surrounds and ruins the cherry in a pie. So intense and creamy and tasting nothing like nasty fruit flavored healthy yogurt.
People, I am here to tell you: this is not a pathetic fake diet food. This is dessert.
The Mango-Pineapple-Passionfruit is also wonderful. I was not impressed with Plum-Lavender. Kiwi-Passionfruit-Lime was only OK but that’s not surprising since I’m not a big fan of kiwi. I have not tried the rest of the flavors yet, but I am definitely going to get them all.
I will warn you that deliciousness comes at a price – some of these are 160 calories for 6 ounces, which is not far off from some kinds of ice cream. But you get what you pay for: they are so good that I doubt you will want a Twinkie afterward.
I will also warn you that their marketing is incredibly pretentious and irritating. They divide their flavors into two lines, Exotic and Essence, and the Essence flavors aren’t just named for the flavor but also for moods like “Calm,” verbs like “Relax” and random words like “Glow.” Fortunately I didn’t know this before I bought it, and it’s so good that I am just going to forget that I looked at the website. Don’t click on that link – just go out and buy this stuff.
(Further warning: if you do look at the site, don’t follow the links to the UK version of the product either, or you may be sad that we don’t get Rhubarb flavor and Greek Style Coconut, as I was. )
12 Comments
Jim on October 14th, 2008
Gobs of French people eat plain yogurt for breakfast. Throw some fruit
on there and it’s not half bad. Rachel’s looks too beautiful to eat.
BK: “I nearly licked the screen” … that’s funny. I nearly did, too.
Yogurt kicks ass.
Linda on October 14th, 2008
While this Rachel’s has made me feel more positive towards yogurt,
I still feel sorry for French people who are eating plain yogurt for
breakfast when they could be eating a croissant.
jujumonkey on October 14th, 2008
I lived in Paris for two years and for breakfast we all ate yogurt,
croissants, cheese, and chausonne aux pommes to name but a few items.
Really, you needn’t feel sorry for the French — they eat very well, believe me.
Thanks for the review! I’ll look for it.
amy on October 14th, 2008
I just tried the MOST decadent yogurt ever. Really. I will never buy it again because it isn’t faat free, but it was heavenly. Greek Gods pomegranate yogurt. Absolutely the best yogurt hands down. It tastes like a dessert. Definitely not something to have as lunch. It was light on the tongue and not too sweet, yet fruity enough. And I don’t like fruit in my yogurt ever. I;m the person who buys plain or vanilla flavor. I haven’t told anyone about this yet. You’re the first. You must try this. I bought the fat free plain. It was good. But I had already tasted the pomegranate.
Deb on October 14th, 2008
Rhubarb! I really really want that. Now I’m sad.
Bob on October 15th, 2008
I’ve stopped eating other yogurts, I eat one of these every day at breakfast. The Vanilla Chai is wonderful and the Mango Pinapple Passion Fruit is terrific. I’m a sucker for anything mango too - that’s how I got into Rachels. My local grocery only stocks 4 flavors, I hope they get more.
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CINNAMONGIRL on July 31st, 2009
As I sit here at my desk enjoying my very first Rachel’s Pomegranate Acai yogurt, I feel as if I have finally found a yogurt that beats Trader Joe’s Organic yogurts (which it does by about a mile-and I like them pretty well). I like yogurt, but I would never say I love it-until, maybe, NOW. This stuff tastes like some exotic, light dessert. The texture is so smooth & creamy, and the taste is not too tart-but just tart enough. Great snack food and I might even eat it for dessert occasionally. Yum. Can’t wait to try the other flavors.
Missing my Yogurt in PA on January 10th, 2010
I was in love once, now I am in mourning! I too tried Rachel’s because I will also try anything that has Mango in it (mostly to be disappointed), but along the way I tried the Pomegranate Acai and fell in LOVE! This yogurt was my morning ritual! But alas the stores here no longer sell it, and I miss it desperately! Where O’Where has my yogurt gone?
ButterflyKyss on October 14th, 2008
I, personally, love fruit and yogurt. Either fruit on the bottom kind
we get from our local dairy (which is fantastic, btw) or in a parfait.
I regularly eat cheap-o low-fat strawberry yogurt mixed with my cereal
in the morning. I get the calcium, and it’s much less likely to spill
all over as I chase my five year old around the house :P.
But this, THIS I must try. I want the pomegranate acai one shown so
bad I nearly licked the screen! Though I am sad about rhubarb and
the greek style coconut. Those sound fab!