Eating Healthy - June 22, 2022

The 15 Best Healthy Yogurt, Cheese, Milk, and Non-Dairy Alternatives You Can Get in the Dairy Aisle

admin June 22, 2022

0 38 18 min read

Dairy and dairy-free alternatives are probably part of your life in some way or another. That’s because the food category is such a huge umbrella, it includes everything from milk to cheese to yogurt, which are essential building blocks to all different kinds of recipes. It makes appearances in sandwiches, smoothies, pastas, salads, and so, so much more. Whatever you’re eating, it’s not unlikely that dairy will make an appearance. And now you can almost always find a non-dairy alternative to whatever you’re looking for, so anyone can get in on the fun regardless of dairy-related dietary restrictions.

There are so many dairy products out there, it’s not automatically clear which ones are the best. So SELF editors put dozens of dairy, non-dairy alternative products, and other products you can get in the dairy aisle to the ultimate taste-test. To even be considered, they had to meet nutrient criteria created by our registered dietitians, so they’re guaranteed to be good for you. We tried so many different products, we’re certain that these 15 yogurts, cheese, milks, and more deserve to be the winners of the 2018 SELF Healthy Food Awards.

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Courtesy of Brand1

Best Cheddar Cheese: Arla Medium Cheddar Snack Cheese

Taste testers liked this cheddar because it was “mild, nutty, and soft” unlike a lot of cheddars can be really sharp. And since it comes in tiny, individually packaged squares, it was practically invented for snacking.

Per 1-oz. serving: 80 calories, 7 g fat (4 g saturated), 0 g carbs, 0 g sugar, 5 g protein, 135 mg sodium

Suggested retail price: $4.49 per 6-oz. bag

Buy it: amazon.com
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Courtesy of Brand2

Best String Cheese: Organic Valley Mozzarella Stringles Organic String Cheese

String cheese always makes an excellent, high-protein snack, and this one is no exception. It has that classic string cheese flavor you probably remember from childhood—plus, it’s got a squeaky bite, just the way our editors like it.

Per one stick: 80 calories, 6 g fat (3.5 saturated), 0 g carbs, 7 g protein, 210 mg sodium

Suggested retail price: $5.59 for 6 1-oz. sticks

Buy it: amazon.com

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Courtesy of Brand3

Best Swiss Cheese: Finlandia 7-oz. Swiss Premium Cheese Slices

Along with its smooth flavor and creamy texture, editors loved that this one is sold in slices that are perfectly sized for sandwiches. Even better—use them to make ham and cheese roll-ups, or eat a slice when you need a quick hit of protein.

Per one slice: 70 calories, 6 g fat (3.5 saturated), 1 g carbs, 0 g sugar, 6 g protein, 65 mg sodium

Suggested retail price: $4.99 for a 7-oz. package

Buy it: finlandiacheese.com for retail locations
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Courtesy of Brand4

Best Plain Cottage Cheese: Good Culture Low-Fat Cottage Cheese Classic

This cottage cheese is responsible for turning some of our editors into fans of the snack. One person wrote, “It’s the first cottage cheese that’s ever made me be like, ‘Oh, wait, this is actually…good!’” They like it because it’s thick and sour in all the right ways.

Per one container: 110 calories, 1.5 g fat (1 g saturated), 5 g carbs, 4 g sugar, 19 g protein, 380 mg sodium

Suggested retail price: $1.69 for a 5.3-oz. container

Buy it: walmart.com
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Courtesy of Brand5

Best Flavored Cottage Cheese: Muuna Black Cherry Cottage Cheese

Flavored cottage cheeses are a bit like flavored yogurts—there are many to choose from, but it can be hard to find a good one. Here, the fruit flavor adds a nice contrast to the creamy cottage cheese. One person wrote, “I liked this best because the cherry flavor wasn’t competing with the cottage cheese, whereas softer flavors of vanilla and peach are too similar to the cheese itself.”

Per one container: 120 calories, 2.5 g fat (1.5 g saturated), 10 g carbs, 9 g sugar, 15 g protein, 370 mg sodium

Suggested retail price: $1.49 for a 5.3-oz. container

Buy it: thefreshgrocer.com

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Best Plain Cream Cheese: Organic Valley Neufchatel Cream Cheese

Rather than being dense and sticky, this French-style cream cheese is airy and easy to spread, perfect for all your bagel needs. As far as plain cream cheese flavors go, our editors say it it doesn’t get better than this.

Per 2 Tbsp: 70 calories, 6 g fat (4 g saturated), 2 g carbs, 2 g sugar, 2 g protein, 120 mg sodium

Suggested retail price: $3.69 for an 8-oz. container

Buy it: amazon.com
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Best Flavored Cream Cheese: Arla Herbs and Spices Cream Cheese

This herb-filled cream cheese is so good, our editors said they’d put it on everything. It’s like a standard veggie cream cheese, but elevated, packed with a garlicky seasoning that you won’t be able to get enough of.

Per 2 Tbsp: 70 calories, 7 g fat (4 g saturated), 1 g carbs, 1 g sugar, 2 g protein, 160 mg sodium

Suggested retail price: $3.29 for a 7-oz. container

Buy it: amazon.com
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Courtesy of Brand8

Best Dairy-Free Cream Cheese: Daiya Plain Cream Cheese

The dairy-free people on our team swear by this cream cheese. Made with ingredients like pea protein and potato starch, it has a consistency and flavor that mimics actual cheese. If you told someone it was the real deal, they might just believe you!

Per 2 Tbsp: 80 calories, 7 g fat (5 saturated fat), 4 g carbs, 0 g sugar, 1 g protein, 120 mg sodium

Suggested retail price: $6.99 for an 8-oz. container

Buy it: amazon.com

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Best Eggs: Eggland’s Best Organic Hard-Cooked Peeled Eggs

If you eat hard-boiled eggs on the reg, these ready-made hard-boiled eggs will make your life a whole lot easier. “This on-the-go option is perfect for busy mornings, or afternoon snacks when you need an extra boost of protein,” one editor noted.

Per one egg: 78 calories, 5 g fat (1.6 g saturated), 0 g carbs, 0 g sugar, 6 g protein, 62 mg sodium

Suggested retail price: $4.79 for a bag of six

Buy it: walmart.com
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Courtesy of Brand10

Best Milk: Organic Valley Lowfat 1% Milk

This milk is light, creamy, and it’s produced without any antibiotics, synthetic hormones, or pesticides. And even though it’s skim milk, it’s super rich and satisfying.

Per one cup: 110 calories, 2.5 g fat (1.5 saturated), 12 g carbs, 12 g sugar, 8 g protein, 125 mg sodium

Suggested retail price: $5.09 for a half gallon

Buy it: amazon.com
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Courtesy of Brand11

Best Dairy-Free Milk: Silk Unsweetened Almond and Coconut Blend

Turns out, blending alternative milks together is the secret to making them great. Case in point: this mix of almond and coconut milk, which our editors say has the “perfect balance between almond and coconut flavors,” and doesn’t taste watery like a lot of alternative milks do. “The blend adds a rich nuttiness without adding sugar,” one tester wrote.

Per one cup: 35 calories, 3 g fat (1 g saturated), 1 g carbs, 0 g sugar, 1 g protein, 160 mg sodium

Suggested retail price: $2.98 for a half gallon

Buy it: walmart.com

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Best Flavored Yogurt: Icelandic Provisions Key Lime Skyr

In case you haven’t heard, Skyr—Icelandic yogurt—is the new trendy dairy product in town. It’s like Greek yogurt but slightly thicker, and this one is the best of the bunch. Editors liked its excellent key lime flavor, which they said “tasted like straight up dessert.”

Per one container: 130 calories, 2 g fat (1 g saturated), 14 g carbs, 11 g sugar, 15 g protein, 110 mg sodium

Suggested retail price: $1.79 for a 5.3-oz. container

Buy it: amazon.com
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Courtesy of Brand13

Best Dairy-Free Yogurt: So Delicious Unsweetened Vanilla

This coconut milk-based yogurt proves that you don’t need dairy to make something rich and creamy. There’s also no added sugar in this at all, and yet it’s still totally fabulous. Try flavoring it on your own with jams or syrups, or enjoy it as is.

Per one cup: 110 calories, 7 g fat (6 g saturated), 12 g carbs, 1 g sugar, 1 g protein, 50 mg sodium

Suggested retail price: $4.59 for a 32-oz. container

Buy it: target.com
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Courtesy of Brand14

Best Plain Greek Yogurt: Chobani NonFat Plain Greek Yogurt

This classic yogurt is a staple for many SELF editors. One wrote, “Whether you’re eating it plain, or adding fruit, granola, honey, or even quinoa (don’t knock it till you’ve tried it!), you’ll never notice that this creamy yogurt is actually the nonfat kind.”

Per one cup: 120 calories, 0 g fat (0 g saturated), 9 g carbs, 6 g sugar, 22 g protein, 85 mg sodium

Suggested retail price: $4.98 for a 32-oz.container

Buy it: chobani.com

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Best Flavored Greek Yogurt: Stonyfield Organic Blueberry 0% Fat Greek Yogurt

If you like fruit-flavored yogurt but are picky about how much fruit at the bottom is too much, this one’s for you. The organic blueberries blend into the yogurt so seamlessly that each spoonful is perfectly balanced. “The fruit actually made the consistency more creamy and nice instead of watered down,” wrote one person.

Per one container: 100 calories, 0 g fat (0 g saturated), 14 g carbs, 11 g sugar, 12 g protein, 70 mg sodium

Suggested retail price: $1.99 for a 5.3-oz. container

Buy it: amazon.com