My Name is Megan and I’m a Yogurt Snob

Posted July 20th 2010 at 5:51 pm by RunnersKitchen

I have a fun event right after work tonight, so the plan was to wake up early and run some speed intervals. How did that work out, you ask? FAIL. I didn’t end up getting out of bed till 8am – I guess I needed the sleep!

Since the morning workout was a no-go and a post-work gym visit wasn’t an option, that left me with one option…lunchtime! It’s not ideal for me to run during my lunch break because I always feel pressed for time, but a girl’s gotta do, what a girl’s gotta do. I had a snack (luna bar) around 1pm and then headed over to the gym around 1:30.

To keep things interesting I did 12 sets of 1 minute hard, 1 minute moderate. With a warm-up and cool-down I was able to squeeze in 5 miles in under 40 minutes. Phew!

  • 1 mile warm-up (9:00 pace)
  • 12 x 1 minute hard (6:58 pace/8.6mph), 1 minute moderate (7:53 pace/7.6mph)
  • 1 mile cool-down (8:00 pace)
  • 5 miles total

Since we’re on the subject of running, I came across this interesting NY Times article today….Rinse, Spit, and Run: Just the taste of carbs can make you run faster. Hmm.

In other news, I’m a full fledged yogurt snob. There. I said it. And it’s 100% true. I traveled quite a bit last week and as I navigated the food options at airports, train stations, and quick marts I saw more than my fair share of yogurt. Unfortunately most of it was crappy yogurt. I’ll be the first to admit that up until a few years ago, I used to eat a certain low calorie yogurt - 80 calories, fat-free, cool flavors…sounds good, right? On the surface yes, but once I started eating plain, Greek yogurt there was just no comparison. The pepto-bismal pink color, artificial taste, and runny consistency of those other yogurts just can’t hold a candle to the good stuff. But what about the new greek yogurt made by Dannon? Is it a good, lower-priced alternative to Chobani, Fage, and Oikos? Ehh, not so much. I tried some last week (strawberry flavor) and it was way too sweet. Plus it was barely thicker than regular yogurt. Not worth it if you ask me.

I try to choose organic whenever circumstances (and my budget!) allow. I just finished reading Nina Planck’s Real Food and that left more determined than ever to eat wholesome, organic food. Stonyfield recently sent me some coupons to try their new indulgent oikos – chocolate and caramel. While the portion sizes are a bit small (4 oz), these (organic!)sweet treats make a perfect lil dessert. And with 110 calories and 10 grams of protein, they’re certainly healthier than the ice cream and chocolate bars I’ve been gobbling up.

Stonyfield has generously offered to give one lucky reader a “chocolate indulgence” prize pack featuring the following:

-    1 coupon for a free Green & Black Organic Chocolate Bar
-    1 sample of Numi Organic Chocolate tea
-    1 Dagoba/Eco Lips Organic Chocolate chapstick
-    1 Skinnyskinny real cocoa organic soap bar
-    2 free coupons for Chocolate and Caramel Oikos multipacks
-    Recipe card set featuring Chocolate Cheesecake, as well Oikos spatula

To enter the give-away, watch any Stonyfield Farm video clip and comment on something you learned about organics, or organic farming, etc. I’ll pick a winner on Thursday morning!

Note: Contest open to U.S. residents only.

Posted in product reviews, running
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  • http://foodmakesfunfuel.com Evan Thomas

    I learned that if you eat food not treated with antibiotics, antibiotics are more effective for us to fight diseases. How good!

  • http://veggiegirlvegan.blogspot.com VeggieGirl

    Wait, which video clip? Any of the ones on that page?

  • maren

    learned that we make a choice regarding organics every time we shop at the grocery store!

  • kelsey

    stonyfield supports family farms!

  • http://runnersfuel.blogspot.com Michele

    Every grocery shoping trip is a choice of what we buy. I would love to try these sample. They look good…chocolate!!

  • http://www.twitter.com/rlk_117 Robin

    Stonyfield supports organic family farming! Good to know :)

    Peach trees are one of the most sensitive to pests.

  • Allie

    I wasn’t sure which video to watch; it’s a very informative site. i am a yogurt snob too. i’m okay with it.

    i was suprised to learn that the number of dairy farms in vermont had decreased so significantly since 1976.

  • http://ratliffe.blogspot.com Ellen

    The peaches that StonyField uses are of a variety that has been around since the 1880s (Elberta)! I find that really amazing and a little sad that they are so difficult to grow. Peach is one of my favorite flavors of anything, especially tea. Peach tea = love.

  • http://rainforestgurl.blogspot.com/ Melissa @ Tryingtoheal

    i have yet to try the chocolate and caramel, since i can never find them! i tried the dannon gy too, only the plain but wasn’t as good as fage or oikos. def my favs.

    and the video? we make big choices when we shop! it’s why i try to go organic!

  • http://thedailyoatmeal.wordpress.com Megan

    If you’re going to be a snob, I’m glad it’s one of the yogurt variety :)

    From the Stoneyfield video, I learned that peaches are definitely an item I am going to buy organic when possible, since they are one of the fruit trees most suseptible to pests!

  • Meghan

    I watched the video’s on raspberries because they are my fave :) Stonyfield is doing something out of the norm and farming berries in dry, arid land. They have been farming them for 4 years..definitely a fruit that I try to buy organic!

  • http://americangourmande.wordpress.com Maya

    I learned that dairy farmers are getting a far less percentage of money in their sales than in the past. Not fair for the farmers!

  • Elizabeth

    Interesting! I had honestly figured that organic farming was on the rise! I was surprised to see that the number of farms has actually decreased!

  • http://keepingitrealfood.wordpress.com Jess

    I’m with you on the yogurt snobbery. I’m only half-joking when I say I judge people by the kind of yogurt in their fridge…

  • Meagan

    Young children are more vulnerable to pestasides than adults! Scary!

  • Allison Rentmeester

    I learned that dairy farmers are not getting their share of money as did in the past. Very sad :( I would love to try chocolate oikos, though!!!

  • http://sarahcraft.blogspot.com/ Sarah

    Choose organic! I love me some Greek yogurt and I love that Stonyfield provides an organic option. I really dig the honey greek yogurt.

  • Kirstin

    I learned how stonyfield makes their yogurt and that they make more organic yogurt than any company in the world. The factory where they make yogurt receives 8-10 trucks of 5,000 gallons of milk per day. They also test all the milk they receive to make sure its up to their standards! Good to know!

  • courtney

    i learned that peaches are some of the most sensitive to pests. i swear, the more i learn, the more of an organic ‘snob’ i become!

  • http://alittlecatfur.blogspot.com/ Jordan Adsit

    I love Stonyfield Farm because of a recipe from an old Weight Watchers magazine for Lowfat Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Box Pie I still make years later (with their organic yogurt as an ingredient)….

    I watched the video about “Organic for your Baby” because my best friend is pregnant. It just reiterated the importance of knowing that your baby is literally made from what the mother is eating. Very important to consider everything you put inside of you during this time.

    I would love to try these Stonyfield products! :)

  • Jen

    I learned that since pesticides are stored in fat, babies tend to hold onto them more because of their higher body fat percentage. Yay organic!

  • Sara

    I lived in VT for four years while I attended college at Middlebury College and love stonyfield yogurt. I was spoiled by all of the amazing organic fare at school and sold at the local farmers market and converted to a complete locavore. Now I am living in Texas and find it hard to have an affordable organic diet, but I still eat stonyfield yogurt, especially on days like today when its almost 100.

  • Sara

    …and i watched the video on “gambling on organic” and learned about the forerunners of organic raspberry farming in washington state.

  • http://Sweetandsweat.com Me-Linh @ Sweet and Sweat

    I wasn’t sure which one to watch so I watched Yogurt as a First Food. I learned it’s important for babies to eat organic yogurt because non-organic yogurt chemicals can interfere with the growing cells in babies. Good to know!

  • CarolineR

    I was reminded (via the “yogurt on a mission” video) that organics lower fossil fuel consumption, lower climate footprint, and helps keep small farmers up and running! I really need to try harder to buy organic. Great giveaway.

  • Jessie C.

    I learned that they turned yogurt cups into toothbrushes, this is GREAT!

  • Kelly

    I learned about the power of the consumer and the ability we have to make real change by the choices we make about what to buy at the grocery store.

  • http://frontyardfoodie.com Diana @ frontyardfoodie

    You’re such a running trooper. I was just thinking this morning how you’re truly the only person I know about who literally runs hardcore all the time even when not training. I love it. It’s so inspiring and once I have this baby I will get back into it and try to be more like you.

  • http://www.cortneyaggie.blogspot.com Cortney

    I learned that babies can eat yogurt anytime after 6 months old and it’s a good choice for them because they like it and it has a similar consistency to mother’s milk and formula so it’s a good transition food.

  • Janine

    I learned that by choosing organic dairy which contain no antibiotics, we combat antibiotic resistance! That way, when we have infections, traditional antibiotics will work.

  • Maren

    Someday I long to run like you! You’re so fast! :) The most interesting thing I learned is that peaches are most susceptible to pests! YUCK! I’ll definitely be choosing organic!

  • http://gingerjul.blogspot.com Jul

    I learned that there are certain foods that are more important than others to buy organic (especially if you’re on a budget) – like strawberries.

  • Sarah

    Confirmed to make good, pesticide free choices for my child. Good to be reminded…at times it is easier to go with the flow rather than consider the options.
    Nice resource.

  • Kerri

    I learned how important choosing antibiotic diary is!

  • Kerri

    I’m sorry – antibiotic FREE dairy…

  • http://www.confessionsofachocoholic.com Bianca @ Confessions of a Chocoholic

    I’m a yogurt snob too! I can’t believe I used to choke down those runny, artificial, low-cal yogurts because now I can’t stand them anymore :p Greek yogurt all the way! Can’t wait to try the new Oikos chocolate.

  • Vanessa

    I learned that our hard working dairy farmers are not getting their share of money. This is sad. I will definitely be buying organic dairy products from now on!

  • http://www.thesweetslife.com Natalie (The Sweets Life)

    ooh I so want to try the caramel yogurt!

    What did I learn? I watched Yogurt on a Mission and am so inspired and impressed by Stonyfield. Love the quote “we view the supermarket as a voting booth”…will definitely remember that next time I food shop!

  • Connie

    Watched Dr Sears. It is so sad people don’t get the connection between healthy children and quality foods.

  • http://www.marcigilbert.com Marci

    Peaches==most prone to pesticides, yikes! And so popular in summertime.

    Totally agree on the yogurt comparison while traveling! I was so into Dannon Light n Fit too until i discovered Chobani and Oikos and eating the real thing vs. fake is so different. Someone needs to notify airports.

  • Cellabella

    I learned that there used to be over 5000 dairy farmers and now there’s only 1200, that’s scary and sad!

    Love this giveaway :)

  • http://www.gethealthywithheather.wordpress.com Heather @ Get Healthy with Heather

    I learned that at each shopping trip we make big choices when buying foods. This pack sounds awesome!

  • http://mealsformiles.wordpress.com/ Kelly

    without watching the video (might be a no-no at work. wait, so is blog reading…), I love Stonyfield for using local farmers – we actually watched a video about them in one of my classes a few semesters ago.

    I love being a yogurt snob :)

  • http://eating-for-england.blogspot.com/ Angharad

    I learned about different companies and their carbon footprints and how we can vote with our dollar!

    P.S. I am a yoghurt snob too. I also used to eat said low-cal/fat-free runny yoghurts but how can you go back after experiencing greek?!

  • Courtney

    I learned that the 80′s gave birth to another awesome thing (besides me and great music), STONYFIELD!

    …ooh, and they use solar energy :)

  • Charlene

    I’m frightened after watching the video about antibiotic resistance and the fact that there are so many pesticides in the air that they make orchards wither. Sad, really really sad.

    This is a great concept. Thanks so much for sharing the info. I’m going to pick up that book as soon as I can.

  • http://www.earlymorningrun.blogspot.com Lisa @ Early Morning Run

    I learned soccer star, Kristine Lilly, eats whole milk french vanilla yogurt!

    Also, I agree that we can vote for what we prefer in farming through our dollars. If we buy more natural, organic foods then those will become more prevalent and accessible.

  • Carissa

    Learning about how chemicals are stored in fat (chemicals in inorganic foods) and how they interfere in a baby’s growth is intuitive, but hearing it is definitely eye-opening. And the good feeling yogurt leaves in the tummy? I thought I was the only one!

  • Jennifer

    I didn’t know that the chemicals in conventional yogurt are stored in fat.

  • http://www.runnergut.wordpress.com Alyson

    Hi Megan!… your yogurt disucssion reminded me that I forgot to send you the name of that amazing fro yo place I went to on Bleeker Street! Its called Philio Yogurt, and they have tons of different flavours and amazing toppings.. you should check it out! Thanks again for meeting up with me.. and good luck training for New York :)

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