I’ve seen this item on the shelves of the dairy case during my last couple of visits, and each time before I was honestly skeptical about purchasing it.  Something about seeing it there for the third time during my weekly adventure to my local Trader Joe’s made me open to actually trying it – and reader, I’m glad that I did!

The Trader Joe’s Goat Milk Yogurt is the first goat milk yogurt I’ve personally tried, although I have seen it around as other brands in specialty stores before.  The taste is distinctly goat-y, which on the very first bite was a little alarming, but not so alarming that I wasn’t willing to go back for more.  I wasn’t expecting the yogurt to taste like goat cheese, so the flavor and texture combination was a new experience for me on first bite.  Once I adjusted to this new flavor, I really started enjoying this yogurt.  It has the distinctive flavor of goat cheese that I happen to love, with the texture of a loose yogurt.  The yogurt itself has a nice tang and is much more flavorful than traditional cow’s milk yogurt, which kept it fun and interesting to eat.  The yogurt is loosely set but has a delightfully creamy finish, so it’s light while feeling satisfying.  We’ve been enjoying this swirled with our favorite jam or topped with olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt, and it’s really good to eat on its own too!

Now, I’ll be totally transparent here – I’ve been a goat cheese lover since I was a kid, and that love has never faded.  I enjoy the strong tang and slightly animalic funk of goat cheese, so I found the flavor of this yogurt delicious once I got used to it.  I’ve even made goat cheese at home and I always have some in my fridge, so I’m definitely a fan.  If you are not a goat cheese enthusiast or have never tried it – you may not like this yogurt.  It has the exact same flavor as other goat milk products, so don’t expect this to be different.  But, if you’re open to stronger, funky flavors and willing to change up your normal yogurt routine, give this a try!

As for me, I’m pleased to report that the Trader Joe’s Goat Milk Yogurt has earned a place in my rotation of TJ’s dairy products, joining the ranks of classic staples like European Style Whole Milk Yogurt, the 4% Fat Whole Milk Cottage Cheese, and the Whole Milk Greek Yogurt (we go through a lot of dairy in this house!). I did a quick nutrition comparison to the European Style Yogurt, and learned that the Goat Milk Yogurt is actually slightly lower in calories (100 vs 120), slightly lower in fat (4.5g vs 5g), and just slightly lower in protein (6g vs 7g) and calcium (280mg vs 170mg) than it’s cow milk yogurt companion.  I personally don’t feel like these differences are significant enough to choose one over the other, but wanted to share in case people are interested.  I’ll post the nutrition fact and ingredient comparisons in the pictures below to serve as a reference if anyone is curious!

So, if you’re looking to switch up your normal yogurt routine and are a goat milk lover, I say absolutely give this a try.  Even if you are not sure about goat milk but at least curious, I do think the flavor would grow on you – try it and see if you like it!  I will definitely be buying this on the regular, and I already have a few culinary experiments in mind to see if I can expand this yogurt’s horizons (hello, goat yogurt tzatziki!).  Anyway, give this a try if you see it on the shelves during your next Trader Joe’s run, your boring yogurt routine will thank you!