[kevin20422]

This seems kind of expensive as time goes on. I don't want to penny pinch over my child's Health but at $5.50 for an eight pack it adds up. (3.1 oz. each)

Is there some really special culture you can't find elsewhere if just the packaging and taste that make it fly.

We have some smoothies that give you double the volume for the price how would you compare them nutritionally.

On a related note I wish I could find some kind of rating of food based on the price per unit of vitamin and or mineral content.

 

[chicagoterry]

There's not really any proof that the culture in Danactive or other touted "probiotic" enhanced yogurt products provide superior health benefits over and above that of any regular cultured yogurt or kefir product. It is a different culture but most research seems to point to the fact that the benefits are equivalent among the various cultures. The key seems to be eating a cultured product daily.

I would be concerned about the amount of sugar in pre- flavored yogurts. Economically and healthfully speaking, you'd probably be further ahead buying 32 oz containers of plain yogurt with live cultures and controlling the amount of sugar you add to it along with some fruit to make something palatable to a child. Try a few different kinds of yogurt to find one that you like plain and flavor it yourself.

I'm a huge yogurt consumer. I go through 3 or 4 32 oz containers a week. Can't imagine going the single serving route. too pricey and I don't like how sweet the flavored varieties are.

 

[kevin20422]

Thank you for the time you took to provide me this information. It was very helpful and I appreciate the points.

 

[chefbuba]

One of the better plain yogurts that I have tried is Mountain High, don't know if it has all the extras that you are looking for, but it tastes good.

 

[french fries]

My kids love those individual size bottles (not the Danactive but another brand, can't remember which). They can't get enough of the smaller size colorful little containers that they can hold (proudly) in their hands. So we wash them and recycle them, filling them with yogurt that we buy in bigger containers.

My kids love the Stonyfield yogurt (I do too). We usually buy the plain, and sweeten it with either:

- Maple syrup,

- Orange blossom honey,

- Chestnut tree honey,

- Sea salt caramel.

The big one used to choose his favorite, but he never really had a favorite: he enjoys switching between all four. Lately he's asked to be surprised, leading to a blind taste test. He never failed the test, but what excites him the most is to try to cheat, meaning almost falling off his chair trying to peek through the crack of the door to the kitchen to see which one she's pouring over the yogurt.

Fun times. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif

 

[pete]

Have you thought about making your own yogurt? There are a number of great machines out there nowadays (one of which I just reviewed here on cheftalk:

[product="11981"]Cuisipro Donvier Electronic Yogurt Maker [/product]

Not only is it very cost effective, you know exactly what goes into it. You can sweeten it and flavor it as you like using ingredients you want. We make yogurt regularly. Start it in the morning before we go to work. It's finished by the time we get home and it goes into the fridge to be chilled for the following morning.

It may not be quite as convienient as store bought, but it's also not difficult or time consuming to make and basically costs you what your milk costs you. You will also need to purchase a yogurt culture for your first batch (only set you back a few bucks) but then all subsequent batches can be made using yogurt from your previous batch as your starter

 

[chicagoterry]

And I like a mix of half and half Fage Greek yogurt--either 0% or 2% (if I'm feeling decadent--or the store is out of 0%) and Dannon 1% low fat. I don't like the 0% Dannon's texture (it's set with gelatin since there isn't enough fat for it to set up properly on its own.) I've tried Chobani Greek, which is much runnier but I wasn't crazy about that texture either.The Fage is lovely but a bit too rich on its own for my taste to eat every day. And I do eat yogurt every day. I love it. 

I sweeten it with a little bit of sugar or honey and stir in some vanilla and I eat it by itself or over fruit. Sometimes I stir in stewed prunes and their juice or macerated berries or homemade preserves or, if I'm eating it with pears, a bit of ginger, cinnamon and a pinch of ground clove. Not for children, but I also like it with sugar and a bit of instant espresso powder, to make a coffee flavored yogurt.

If you're not watching calories, Stonyfield Farms whole milk yogurt is delicious with the cream stirred back in.

 

[kara]

First post here, but I had to jump in.

If you're buying Danactive because it's "better" or "healthier" for your kids, then you're getting seriously ripped off.

If you look at the ingredients in Danactive, it's (in order): milk, water, SUGAR, whey protein, and then a bunch of preservatives. The active cultures in it are l.bulgaricus, s.thermophilus, and l.casei Immunitas[emoji]174[/emoji] (a branded name for lactobactillius casei).

If you look at a plain Greek yogurt brand like Fage, the ingredients are: Grade A Pasteurized Skimmed Milk, Live Active Yogurt Cultures . The active cultures are: L. Bulgaricus, S. Thermophilus, L. Acidophilus, Bifidus, L. Casei.

Note: EXACT same cultures in Fage as in Danactive (actually more in Fage, but inclusive of the ones in the Dannon product). No sugar, no whey protein, no preservatives, no fake flavor or color.

I've compared the Fage product to the Kirkland (Costco brand) Greek yogurt and it has the exact same ingredients and active cultures. It's a little less tart and a little more runny than the Fage brand, and I like the Fage better, so that's what I buy. At Costco the Fage 32oz containers are pretty inexpensive. I mix in honey or sometimes a spoonful of preserves or jam, depending on my mood.

I'm sure there are other plain yogurts out there (both Greek and non-Greek style) that are just milk and with the same active cultures.

Honestly there is NOTHING in the Danactive that is special or better for your kid. It's all marketing hype.