Who is shopping?

Adults buying a versatile plain pot

If the yoghurt needs to work with breakfast, toppings, dips or cooking, compare the per-100g label and choose a pot size you can use within its storage instructions.

Adults comparing fat and protein

Check both figures on the exact variant. For example, M&S lists 10g protein, 0.2g fat and 0.1g saturates per 100g for its Authentic Greek Yogurt 0% Fat; those figures do not describe its other yoghurts.

Parents starting solids

If this shop is for a baby, use the NHS guidance for weaning rather than an adult lower-fat preference. From around 6 months, when the baby is ready for solids, check for a pasteurised, full-fat, plain or unsweetened yoghurt.

What should you check?

Decide who will eat the yoghurt first, then compare like-for-like nutrition figures and the instructions on the particular pack.

PriorityWhat to checkYour needs
Fat level Compare fat and saturates per 100g on the exact variant. M&S lists 0.2g fat and 0.1g saturates for its 0% authentic Greek yoghurt, but 10g fat and 6.7g saturates for its Greek-style natural yoghurt. I’m choosing for an adult and want to compare a lower-fat pot with a richer one. If I’m buying for a baby starting solids, NHS guidance points instead to pasteurised, full-fat, plain or unsweetened yoghurt from around 6 months.
Protein Read protein alongside fat, saturates and sugars, using the same per-100g basis. Tesco lists 9g protein and 5g fat per 100g for FAGE Total 5%; M&S lists 10g protein and 0.2g fat for its 0% authentic Greek yoghurt. For an adult meal, I want to know how much protein the particular pot provides without choosing on that figure alone.
Plain or flavoured Check the product name, ingredients and total sugars per 100g. “Greek-style” does not tell you whether a product is plain or fruit-blended. I’d rather add my own fruit or toppings, so an unsweetened plain pot suits this shop better than a ready-flavoured pouch.
Storage and allergens Read the use-by date, refrigeration directions, opened-life instruction and milk allergen declaration on the pack. Tesco lists five days after opening for its FAGE Total 5% 950g pot; M&S lists three days for its Greek-style natural pot. A large pot only works for my household if we can refrigerate it and finish it within that product’s instructions.

Common buying mistakes

  • Judging nutrition by “Greek” on the front

    Fat and saturated-fat figures can differ sharply between products with similar-sounding names. NHS food-label guidance classifies more than 5g saturates per 100g as high; M&S lists 6.7g per 100g for its Greek-style natural yoghurt.

    Compare the per-100g panel for the actual pot, including sugars, protein and salt, before deciding which variant fits the eater and meal.

  • Applying an adult lower-fat preference to weaning

    A lower-fat adult yoghurt is not automatically the right starting point for a baby. NHS guidance identifies pasteurised, full-fat, plain or unsweetened yoghurt as suitable from around 6 months.

    Check that the baby is ready for solids and confirm the yoghurt’s pasteurisation, fat level and ingredients on its current pack.

  • Choosing a large pot without checking opened life

    Opened-life directions differ: M&S lists three days for its Greek-style natural pot, while Tesco lists five days for the FAGE Total 5% 950g pot.

    Choose a size your household can use in time, and follow the particular pack’s refrigeration and use-by instructions.

    An unfinished pot may mean food is wasted.

  • Treating live cultures as a health promise

    Yeo Valley names cultures used in its Greek-style yoghurts, but a culture listing does not establish a particular outcome for an individual.

    Use culture information to identify the product, not as a substitute for checking its ingredients, allergens and nutrition.

Brand and retailer references

These ranges illustrate why the exact yoghurt and variant matter more than a brand name alone.

FAGE Total

Its plain yoghurt range includes different fat levels, so check the variant rather than carrying one pot’s figures over to another.

  • FAGE UK lists 10.3g protein and 0g fat per 100g for Total 0%.
  • Tesco lists 5g fat and 3.6g saturates per 100g for Total 5%; check the current pack for ingredients and allergens.

Yeo Valley

Its Greek-style natural yoghurt is a separate option to compare with strained Greek yoghurts.

  • Yeo Valley identifies the live cultures used in its Greek-style natural and fruited yoghurts.
  • Culture information does not establish a particular health effect; check the exact product’s label for its nutrition and ingredients.

Tesco

Its listed range includes own-label Greek-style and 0% Greek-style pots as well as branded yoghurts.

  • The range gives shoppers both plain and flavoured products to compare.
  • Tesco advises reading the current product label because ingredients, allergens and nutrition can change.

M&S

Its listed products include authentic strained Greek yoghurt and Greek-style natural yoghurt at different fat levels.

  • M&S lists 0.1g saturates per 100g for its 0% authentic Greek yoghurt and 3.5g for its 5% authentic variant.
  • Its Greek-style natural yoghurt lists 6.7g saturates per 100g; read the specific pack rather than generalising across the range.

Müller

Tesco lists Müller Light Greek Style flavoured multipacks, which serve a different shopping purpose from a plain multi-use pot.

  • Check the individual flavour’s ingredients, allergens and per-100g nutrition before comparing it with a plain yoghurt.

Joybuy yoghurt products

These fruit-blended yoghurt pouches are options to examine if the first shop is for a baby starting solids. They are not plain yoghurt pots for an adult household shop; check the current pack against the NHS guidance for weaning before choosing one.

Ella's Kitchen Organic Mango Greek Style Yoghurt Pouch, 6+ months, 90g

Ella's Kitchen Organic Mango Greek Style Yoghurt Pouch, 6+ Months, 90g

This 90g mango yoghurt pouch is presented for babies aged 6 months and over, rather than as a plain yoghurt pot. If choosing yoghurt for weaning, check the current pack for pasteurisation, full-fat classification and milk allergens; serve according to its instructions rather than letting a child feed directly from the pouch, and keep the cap away from young children.

View on Joybuy
Ella's Kitchen Greek Yoghurt with Strawberry, 6+ months, 90g

Ella's Kitchen Greek Yoghurt with Strawberry, 6+ Months, 90g

This 90g strawberry yoghurt pouch is presented for babies aged 6 months and over; it is fruit-blended, not a plain yoghurt pot. Before choosing it for weaning, confirm pasteurisation, full-fat classification and milk allergens on the current pack. Follow its serving directions under adult supervision and keep the cap away from young children.

View on Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Is Greek yoghurt automatically different nutritionally from Greek-style yoghurt?

The names alone do not establish a pot’s nutrition. Compare fat, saturates, sugars and protein per 100g on the exact products: M&S lists 10g fat and 6.7g saturates for its Greek-style natural yoghurt, while its 0% authentic Greek yoghurt lists 0.2g fat and 0.1g saturates.

Can yoghurt be part of a baby’s first solids?

Yes, under the conditions in NHS weaning guidance: from around 6 months, when a baby is ready for solids, pasteurised, full-fat, plain or unsweetened yoghurt is suitable. Check the actual pack, including its milk allergen declaration; a fruit-blended pouch is not the same product as plain yoghurt.

Should I buy a large pot for a first food shop?

Choose a large pot only if you can keep it refrigerated and use it within that product’s opened-life instruction. M&S lists three days after opening for its Greek-style natural yoghurt, while Tesco lists five days for the FAGE Total 5% 950g pot; read the pack you buy.

What do use-by and best-before dates mean on a UK food pack?

GOV.UK distinguishes use-by dates, which relate to food safety, from best-before dates, which relate to quality. Follow the pack’s storage directions and do not treat its opened-life instruction as interchangeable with those of another yoghurt.