[Round Up] Dairy-Free Yogurts
When families go dairy-free, a common question I get is “but what about yogurt?!”. Dairy-free yogurts have stepped up their game over the past decade, but they are in no way perfect as they often contain high levels of added sugars, little protein, and often many additives to give the mouthfeel of typical yogurt. If your child is a selective eater and you are looking for a 1:1 nutritional replacement for dairy yogurt, be sure to take a look at the protein content if your child is relying on that to meet their daily protein needs.
The American Heart Association recommends that kids ages 2-18 should have less than 25 grams (6 teaspoons) of added sugar daily. This does not include sugar from fruit. Many of the popular dairy-free yogurts have up to 16 grams (~4 tsp) of added sugar in a 5 oz serving, which is over 60% of the recommended amount per day in just one small cup.
That being said, yogurt is a great source of natural probiotics, which are bacteria that can benefit your child’s gut health. It is common for children with autism to have an imbalance of gut bacteria (called dysbiosis). While probiotic supplements and fermented foods help provide beneficial bacteria, if they contain loads of added sugar, they also feed the unfavorable bacteria. If your child prefers to drink yogurt instead of eating it, consider some of the drinkable yogurts below or try kefir!
Did you know you can make your own yogurt in an Instant Pot? Check out this recipe!
All nutrition facts from the yogurts below are taken from their Vanilla flavor, unless specified.
Our top Favorites
The following have the cleanest ingredients (i.e. no added sugars, fillers, gums, etc), though may not be widely available:
⭐️ Culina is my favorite dairy-free yogurt! They are all made from coconut, water, organic maple syrup, and real fruit. They also come in glass containers, which prevent the use of plastics! They have both yogurt cups and drinkables. One serving size of the Bourbon Vanilla flavor has 230 calories, 8 grams added sugar, and 2 grams protein.
⭐️ Lavva is my second favorite dairy-free yogurt! The ingredients are coconut water and cream, plantains, pili nuts, cassava root starch, and lime juice. One serving of the Vanilla flavor has 140 calories, 0 grams added sugar, and 2 grams protein.
Other options
The following are more available but may include additional ingredients and high levels of added sugar:
Siggi’s now has a Dairy-Free Line in both Yogurt Cups and Yogurt Drinkables. Their ingredients are pretty minimal and do not contain added gums or preservatives. One serving size of the Vanilla flavor has 200 calories, 9 grams added sugar, and 11 grams protein.
Chobani now has a Dairy-Free Line made from oat milk. One serving of the Strawberry Banana flavor (they don’t have plain Vanilla) has 130 calories, 14 grams added sugar, and 6 grams of protein. This is a lot of added sugar for such a small cup of yogurt and they do not have an unsweetened or vanilla option, though it does offer more protein than a lot of other options.
Kite Hill is more readily available than many options, though has added cane sugar and gums. One serving of their Plain Almond Milk Yogurt has 150 calories, 11 grams added, and 3 grams protein. I personally do not love the taste of this yogurt, but I know others really love it!
They also have Almond Milk Greek Yogurt. One serving of the Vanilla Unsweetened has 160 calories, 11 grams of protein and 0 grams added sugar. I have not yet gotten the chance to try this variation, so I cannot vouch for the taste.
Lastly, they have Protein Almond Milk Yogurts. The Vanilla has 130 calories, 10 grams protein and 4 grams added sugar. This variation includes soy protein isolate, an ingredient many kids with autism are sensitive to. I have not yet gotten the chance to try this variation, so I cannot vouch for the taste.
Forager has yogurt made from cashews, unlike any other option. One serving of their Vanilla Bean flavor has 140 calories, 11 grams of added sugars, and 3 grams of protein. I personally do not care for the taste of this yogurt, but I know others really love it!
Silk has different lines of dairy-free yogurts made from almond milk, soymilk, oatmilk, or a greek style coconut milk. One serving of their Vanilla yogurts (from all lines) has between 9-16 grams of added sugars and between 3-10 grams of protein, depending on the product. This brand generally isn’t my favorite due to the additives in their products and the amount of sugar per serving.
So Delicious is a very common brand, but the nutrition facts aren’t the best. The Vanilla flavor contains 130 calories, 15 grams of added sugar, and 0 grams of protein. I typically do not recommend this yogurt due to the amount of added sugar and lack of protein.
A note on ingredient quality: If possible, choose products with ingredients that are primarily organic and non-GMO. Stores such as Sprouts, Natural Grocers, Whole Foods, and other health food stores can help finding higher-quality products and ingredients. If access to higher quality products isn't an option for you, choose the best option that is available to you locally.
