Dannon® Offers Up Great Tasting Nutritional Greek Lowfat Yogurt Snacks Kids Will Love (Review)

Disclosure:  I was sent samples from the vendor in order to write up an honest review.  All views shared are mine and mine alone.

New Danimals® SuperStars Greek Lowfat Yogurt Combines Great Taste and Nutrients to Help Kids Power Up for Adventures

How goes it at your house feeding your children at mealtime?  For me, I started off with one picky eater and now I have two, thanks to monkey see, monkey do.  Savannah has always been a fussy eater, and will only eat a handful of foods, which I switch up.  But, now our youngest is seeing this and turning away foods she usually eats because her big sister is looking at it and saying, "Yuck!'  So, as you can imagine the kitchen at my house is crazy come mealtime, and now I get to add mealtime to another stressful time of day with the girls, next to them skipping their naps. Ugh.  But, one thing I don't have to worry about fighting with the girls about it their snacking.  

Being a health educator by trade, I am concscious about what I feed my girls and keep in the house.  The last thing I need is for them to have a sugar overload and be more hyper than they usually are without sugar, or asking for unhealthy snacks after turning away their lunch or dinner.  One snack I always make a point to have on hand, that is also great for on-the-go is Danimals greek lowfat yogurts.  Since my oldest starting eating solid foods, we have been buying and stocking up on Danimals products, and offering to the kids when they are looking to recharge their batteries, or just have a yummy treat.  Shh, don't tell them this Danimals is good for them.  :-)

So, when I heard about the folks at Dannon launching a new product to their already popular Danimals product line, I just had to reach out and see about reviewing the new Danimals® SuperStars Greek Lowfat Yogurt.  Within a few days of my request, a cooler filled with Danimals® SuperStars Greek Lowfat Yogurt, along with a sampling of other Danimals products arrived at my door.  I wish you could have seen the girls' faces as I unloaded the cooler and filled the refrigerator with the Danimals® SuperStars Greek Lowfat Yogurt, Danimals smoothies and Danimals Crunchers varieties.  

Savannah was the first to notice the new Danimals® SuperStars Greek Lowfat Yogurt cups and wanted to try them.  

With 10g of protein per 4oz cup, Danimals SuperStars contains twice as much protein as regular lowfat yogurts*. Danimals SuperStars Greek Lowfat Yogurts can help provide kids with the nutrition they need. Each cup is a good source of calcium and Vitamin D, which help build strong bones, along with an excellent source of protein (25 percent of the Daily Value)."

Luckily, the girls had cooperated for the day and had eaten their lunch, so I didn't hesitate in offering them one of these new Danimals® SuperStars Greek Lowfat Yogurt to try.  Both girls chose to sample the Danimals SuperStars cotton candy flavored cup.  And, as soon as the spoon hit their lips, in unison, they both said, "Yum, this is good stuff."  "Yes! we have another winner," I thought to myself, as I watched as the girls continued to spoon this delicious snack into their mouths.  

 The benefits of Danimals SuperStars:

While enjoying the cotton candy Danimals SuperStars cup, I heard them making a game plan on what flavor and product to try next.  Savannah was quick to tell Bella that she saw a cup with colored sprinkles that looked like it would taste good.  :-)

Over the course of the week, the girls helped me review the assorted Danimals products sent our way.  When it came time to give me the final verdict and let me know which of the Danimals SuperStars flavors of the two we were sent, they struggled to come up with an answer, as they both tasted so good and were their favorites!  I couldn't argue with this.  They also raved about the Danimals Smoothies, which have been a hit in our house for quite some time.  

"With fruity flavors packed into a nutritious drink, Danimals Smoothies will be a go-to favorite. Give 'em to your kids as they head out to play with friends! And look out for our seasonal varieties, including Orange Scream, Winter Brrr-berry, Mixed Berry Jelly Bean, and Striking Rainbow Sherbet!"

When it comes to drinking these smoothies, Savannah likes to use a straw and take slow sips, while Bella will pull a bottle from the fridge, peel back the cover and chug away.  So much for being lady like, right? :-)  Hey, I can't complain, as they are enjoying a nutritional snack, that has no artificial colors or flavors and no high fructose corn syrup.

Other fun Danimals products that kids will go crazy for include, and that make for great snacking at home or on-the-go include:

"Kids love the crunch, moms love the goodness! Danimals Crunchers with grahams combines delicious nonfat yogurt with crunchy grahams that kids will love to dunk, crunch, and munch. Pack ‘em in the cooler for a tasty afternoon snack at the family picnic!"

"Our New Danimals Crunchers varieties combine delicious nonfat yogurt with fun rainbow sprinkles and chocolate candies that kids will love to crunch, mix and munch! Give 'em to your kids for a fun playtime treat!"

"Danimals nonfat yogurt is a good source of Calcium and Vitamin D, and contains no high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, or artificial flavors. Your kids will love it! Take 'em on the go – remember to bring a spoon!"

"Danimals® Smoothie Max has more than twice the Danimals Smoothie goodness and twice the fun! Available in delicious flavors, it’s a great snack for your kids’ big time adventures! You’ll feel good about giving them to your kids because each Smoothie Max is an excellent source of calcium and vitamin D."

As you can see, Danimals has some great tasting snack options for kids.  And, with the summer months here and kids heading off to day camps, on field trips, participating in sports, or just traveling with family, Danimals products make for great on-the-go snacking.  Kids will love them, and parents will be happy knowing that they are offering a healthy and nutritional snack option to their children.

Visit Danimals.com for more information about the Danimals® SuperStars Greek Lowfat Yogurts, as well as other Danimals products made with kids in mind.  And, don't forge to  connect with them on Facebook at Facebook.com/Danimals to stay up-to-date on special offers, new products additions and more.

--BUY NOW--

Danimals® SuperStars is available in 4 oz 4-count packs in five delicious flavors made specifically for kids, including: Strawberry Slide, Strawberry Banana Sprint, Cotton Candy Thrill, Mixed Berry Half-Pipe and Cherry Rush.  They can be found, along with other Danimals® and Dannon® products in the yogurt aisle of your favorite grocery store.  

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About Danimals:

"In addition to playing outdoors on a regular basis, it’s important for kids to eat well and get the right balance of foods in their diet, such as dairy, which includes nutrients like calcium. Kids can get calcium from products such as Danimals® Greek lowfat yogurts, nonfat yogurts and dairy smoothies.

Danimals dairy products make snacking fun – they taste great and are available in a variety of delicious fruity flavors and fun formats. Kids will love Powering Up with Danimals SuperStars, experiencing the burst of fruity flavor in Danimals Smoothies, and mixing fun toppings from Crunchers into delicious nonfat yogurt. All Danimals products contain a good source of Calcium and Vitamin D, which help kids build strong bones and regulate muscle function. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans identify calcium as a nutrient of concern for American adults and children, and recommend increasing intake of foods that provide it.**"

*Contains 14% more of the DV of Protein (7g) than Regular Lowfat Yogurt

Danimals: 10g (20%DV) Protein; Regular Lowfat Yogurt: 3g (6%DV) Protein per 4 oz

Disclosure:  I was sent samples from the vendor in order to write up an honest review.  All views shared are mine and mine alone.

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Dannon's Danimals® Smoothies --- Now with 25% Less Sugar (Review)

Disclosure: I was sent a sample from the vendor in order to write up an honest review.  The views shared are mine and mine alone. 

The Dannon Company Reveals It Reformulated Danimals® Smoothies Resulting in 25 Percent Less Sugar

While maintaining the nutrients parents like & great taste kids enjoy

"True to their commitment to bring health through food to as many people as possible, The Dannon Company has improved the nutrition profile of its bestselling children’s product, Danimals® Smoothies. Using an innovative process, Dannon reformulated Danimals Smoothies to reduce the sugar content by 25 percent without sacrificing nutrients, taste, texture or convenience.

 

Over a period of two years, the research and development team at Dannon deconstructed then reconstructed its Danimals Smoothies to make it easier for parents to provide their children with the nutritional benefits of lowfat dairy. The people at Dannon believe eating yogurt every day is an important first step toward creating a more balanced diet, a healthier lifestyle and improving public health.

“As America’s largest maker of yogurt, we are committed to bring health through food to as many people as possible, and to encourage Americans to eat yogurt every day,” said Sergio Fuster, Senior Vice President of Marketing at The Dannon Company. “We make snack options that kids want to eat and that parents feel good about when feeding their children. We hear concerns from parents about the amount of sugar in their kids’ diets, and we worked for a long time to find a way to improve the total nutritional value of Danimals Smoothies while still making them taste great, which is what made them our bestselling kids’ product in the first place. We didn’t reveal this change until the new Danimals Smoothies had already replaced the previous version in stores because we wanted to make sure kids still love it, which they do.”

The path to the reformulated product required a multiyear, innovative process that involved reimagining the way Dannon makes Danimals Smoothies, without changing the great taste that kids love.

“Just like in cooking, every time you change an ingredient, you need to add something else to balance out the flavor,” said Thierry Saint-Denis, Director of Research and Development at The Dannon Company. “In our case, we had to balance the natural acidity with sugar. The more acidic a yogurt or smoothie is, the more sugar you need to add in order to make it taste better. Through experimenting with different yogurt cultures, we were able to reduce the acidity and, in turn, reduce the need for sugar to mask the tartness.”

Beginning in 2010, researchers at Dannon began experimenting with different yogurt cultures to reduce the acidity and therefore reduce the need for sugar to improve taste. After many trials and tasting sessions, the research and development team found the right combination of cultures.

From there, the team changed the recipe of natural flavors, leading to an opportunity to further reduce sugar. Other characteristics of the smoothies like texture and the specific flavor profiles for each smoothie flavor were then carefully refined to ensure that the new reduced-sugar smoothies didn’t taste different. After months of refinement, the new smoothies were ready for the most discerning customers—kids. And based on Dannon’s taste tests, kids haven’t noticed the change and still love Danimals Smoothies.

As part of Dannon’s mission to provide healthy and great-tasting food choices, the new Danimals Smoothies gives parents an easy and fun choice to offer their kids as part of a balanced diet.

For more information about the innovative process of reducing the sugar in Danimals Smoothies, check out the infographic, The Road to Less Sugar. "

For complete product information about Danimals Smoothies, visit the Danimals Facebook Page or Danimals.com.

 

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My Thoughts:
 
My girls go crazy for the Danimals Smoothies, how about your?  One of Savannah's first words besides Mommy and Daddy was yogurt. :-)  And, from the first time she tried the Strawberry Explosion Danimals Smoothie, she was hooked.  We have tried her with the other flavors, but she is set on the Strawberry Explosion, and will not drink any other.  While, Arabella, on the hand, is a fan of all the Danimals Smoothies flavor.  So, on any given day, you could walk into my house and open the refrigerator door to find the bottom two shelves filled with Savannah's Strawberry Explosion Danimals smoothies, and another shelve with a sampling of flavors for Arabella to enjoy.  Whether for an after breakfast or lunch snack, the girls can't get enough of this yogurt smoothie made especially for them.

So, when I recently read a press release and how the folks at Dannon were able to reduce the sugar in this popular snack for kids by 25%, I had to reach out and see if samples could be sent.  I wanted to do a fun taste test with the girls and see if they would be able to tell the difference between the older version and the new reduced sugar one, and to see for myself, if the flavor was altered by this sugar reduction. 

I have to say that after receiving a sample of the new reduced sugar Strawberry Explosion Danimals Smoothies pack, that the girls nor I could tell the difference.  I had poured a small cup of the old and the new smoothies and we took turns taking sips to spot the difference.  But, we couldn't spot any differences in the texture or taste of the smoothie.  The flavor was still the same.  And, you couldn't tell it had less sugar, as it was still sweet tasting.  But, as a Mom, I have to say that I am loving the new 25% less sugar version.  I am always look for ways to limit the number of sugary snacks the girls, and love the option of choosing the 25% less sugar version now when shopping for Danimals Smoothies in the dairy aisle.  Not only is too much sugar not good for kids (and adults), but it also gets my girls wired up, beyond their already energetic selves.   

So, if you have been serving up Danimals Smoothies to your children, keep an eye out for the new 25% less sugar version next time you go food shopping.  :-)

 --BUY NOW--

Danimals Smoothies from Dannon are available in 3.1 fl.oz. bottles in either a 6 pack, or 12 bottle value pack.  They have a suggested retail price of $2.89 for a 6-pack, and $4.99 for a 12-pack. Flavors include: Rockin’ Raspberry, Strawberry Explosion, Strikin’ Strawberry-Kiwi, Swingin’ Strawberry-Banana, Banana Split, Wild Watermelon, and Mixed Berry Jelly Bean.  The smoothies contain no high-fructose corn syrup or artificial colors or flavors.

You can find these yogurt smoothies in the dairy aisle at your favorite local grocery store.

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About Danimals Smoothies

Danimals Smoothies provide parents with easy, fun and nutritious choices that kids like. They are a good source of Calcium and Vitamin D to help build strong bones and regulate muscle function. Danimals Smoothies contain no artificial colors or flavors and no high fructose corn syrup, and they are great tasting snacks for kids. Danimals Smoothies can be found in the dairy aisle of food stores nationwide.

About The Dannon Company, Inc.

Headquartered in White Plains, New York, The Dannon Company, Inc. has plants in Minster, OH, Fort Worth, TX, West Jordan, UT, and Portland, OR, which make more than 200 different flavors, styles and sizes of cultured refrigerated and frozen dairy products to serve its retail and foodservice customers. Dannon brings health through food to as many people as possible via its diverse offering of delicious and wholesome fresh and frozen yogurts.

Dannon is a subsidiary of Danone, and Dannon is the top-selling brand of yogurt worldwide, sold under the names Dannon and Danone. Dannon’s commitment to health is also illustrated through the support of the Dannon Institute, a non-profit foundation dedicated to promoting research, education and communication about the links between nutrition, diet and health.

Danone is one of the fastest-growing food companies in the world. Its mission is to bring health through food to as many people as possible. The company, whose products are sold on five continents, has more than 180 production plants and around 100,000 employees. In 2011, Danone generated sales of €19 billion, of which more than half were in emerging markets. The company holds top positions in healthy food through four businesses: Fresh Dairy Products, Baby Nutrition, Bottled Water and Medical Nutrition. Listed on Euronext Paris, Danone is a component stock of leading social responsibility indexes including the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes, ASPI Eurozone and the Ethibel Sustainability Index.

Disclosure: I was sent a sample from the vendor in order to write up an honest review.  The views shared are mine and mine alone.

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New From Stonyfield , YoKids Greek Yogurt (Review and Giveaway)

Closed. Congrats to Ewarren8963!!!!

Today, I wanted to share a great new product from Stonyfield, the world’s leading organic yogurt maker, which recently launched called YoKids Greek yogurt. YoKids Greek is the first organic Greek yogurt specially crafted for kids’ choosy palates, eliminating the mouth puckering tang Greek can be known for.

With 6 grams of protein and an excellent source of calcium made with low-fat organic milk, YoKids Greek is perfect for meal or snack time. And, as the only organic Greek yogurt available for kids, YoKids Greek provides families a quality product produced without the use of toxic persistent pesticides, antibiotics, growth hormones, genetically engineered ingredients, or artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners.

In honor of this new product, Stonyfield has also announced its collaboration with the highly anticipated 3D CG feature Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax which has a great message of caring for our environment. A Lorax-themed game, coupons, and a sweepstakes are now featured on the new YoKids website at www.yokidsyogurt.com.

   

My Thoughts:

Now that Savannah is eating table foods, I was excited when I tried her with yogurt, and found that she liked it.  This is another item I can add to the weekly shopping list, for her to enjoy.  And, it helps to keep her regular, which is great on those days when she only wants to eat mac n' cheese or her raviolis.  So, when I was contacted recently regarding trying out Stonyfield's new like on line of YoKids Greek organic yogurt, I jumped at the opportunity to review these, as I was eager to see if Savannah would like Greek yogurt.  Up until this point, I had only been buying her the regular yogurt, and had narrowed it down to a few brands she would eat.  

I was sent coupons to try Stonyfield's 4-pack of YoKids Greek yogurt, as well as their popular 6-pack Yogurt Squeezers, to try with Savannah.  I have found that Savannah likes strawberry, strawberry and banana and mixed berry when it comes to yogurt flavors, so when I went to the market to redeem these coupons, these were the flavors I was looking for.  For the 2 free 4-packs of YoKids Greek yogurt, I picked up their strawberry and raspberry flavors.  And, for the Squeezers, I got her strawberry banana to try.  Even though Savannah likes eating yogurt, she usually never requests it -- until now.  Since trying her with the Greek yogurt, she is hooked on the strawberry flavor.  Now, when I open the refrigerator door to ask her which treat she want (I have a section on the door, where I keep her apple sauces, juices, yogurts, etc.), she points to the Stonyfield YoKids Greek yogurt and says, "Yum Yum."  I love offering her this healthy snack, and knowing that is not only tasty, but good for her.  She did like the raspberry flavored Greek yogurt, but when given the option, she continues to choose strawberry.  I haven't tried it myself, but it smells and looks delicious.  My husband told me the other day, he took one to work, as he thought it was his yogurts, and couldn't believe how good it tasted.  He is a huge fan of Greek yogurts, but usually doesn't like flavored ones, as he says they have too much sugar or leave him thirsty.  But, he, too, was loving the strawberry yogurt.  And, over the weekend, I caught my husband and daughter sitting on the back porch, eating their yogurts, while enjoying the unexpected warm weather.

As for the YoKids Squeezers, I found after giving Savannah to try by herself, that I need to squeeze it into a bowl and feed it to her.  Her first Squeezers ended up all over the floor, as she wasn't used it it coming out so fast, compared to her other pouched treats, where she has to suck it out.  But, after I put it in a bowl and gave it to her, she practically licked the bowl clean -- well, she took the bowl, and continued to wipe her finger around it to get up every last drop.  

I am so glad I was able to try Stonyfield's new YoKids Greek yogurt with my daughter, and continue to be impressed with the quality of product that Stonyfield offers.  And, when I head to the market this week, I have this yogurt top on my list to pick up, as Savannah just finished her last cup of strawberry Greek yogurt tonight, as an after dinner snack.

---BUY NOW---

You can buy Stonyfield yogurt at your local grocery store.  Or, if you are having trouble finding Stonyfield products in your area, click here to use their online store locator, to find a retailer near you, who carries their products.

---GIVEAWAY---

One lucky reader will win 4 coupons to try YoKids Organic Yogurt with your children, thanks to the folks at Stonyfield. You will get:

(2) 1 FREE 4-pack of Stonyfield YoKids Greek organic yogurt

(2) 1 FREE Yogurt 6-pack or Squeezers 8-pack of Stonyfield YoKids Organic Yogurt

To enter, please complete the mandatory entry first, and then as many extra extries as you like.  Make sure you include your email address with each comment, so that I can contact you if you win.  Good luck!

MANDATORY ENTRY:

Head on over to the Stonyfield website and find an interesting fact about them or their products.  Then, head back here and share what you found in the comments section below.

EXTRA ENTRIES:

(Please leave separate entries for each, along with your email address)

1) Subscribe to my blog via email (1 entry)

2) Follow me on Facebook (1 entry)

3) Vote for Inspired by Savannah on Startup Nations 2012 Leading Moms Competition --You can vote one time per day (2 entries)

4) Enter any of my other giveaways, leaving a comment with the name of the giveaway (1entry per giveaway entered)

5) Blog about this giveaway. It must include a link to this specific post, as well as a link to my blog, http://www.inspiredbysavannah.com/. (In your comment, please leave a link directly to your post – 3 Entries)

6) Follow me on Twitter (1entry)

7) Tweet about this giveaway (1 entry per tweet, per day; please include link to tweet in comment below)

Enter to #win Stonyfield YoKids Yogurt Coupons (4 in total) @stonyfield @rmccoy1234 http://www.inspiredbysavannah.com #giveaway (Ends 4/2)

8) Vote for me on picket fence blogs (See button on right side of blog -- One entry per vote, per day; Note: You can only your one vote per day on ONE giveaway; duplicate comments on other giveaways on the same day with be void)

9) Add to a Giveaway Linky site (5 entries)

10) Follow Stonyfield on Twitter (1 entry)

11) Follow Stonyfield on Facebook (1 entry)

Open to US residents only -- NO PO BOXES. Giveaway ends on April 2, 2012 at 11:59PM EST. I will then use Random.org to choose a winner. Winner will have 48 hrs. to respond to my email to claim prize. If I don't hear back from selected winner, I will draw another winner. 

About Stonyfield 

Stonyfield, celebrating its 28th year, is the world's leading organic yogurt company. Its certified organic yogurt, smoothies, milk, cultured soy, frozen yogurt and ice cream are distributed nationally. The company advocates that healthy food can only come from a healthy planet. Its use of organic ingredients helps keep over 200,000 farm acres free of toxic, persistent pesticides and chemical fertilizers known to contaminate soil, drinking water and food. To help reduce climate change, Stonyfield offsets all of the CO2 emissions generated from its facility energy use. The company also started a nonprofit called Climate Counts (climatecounts.org) which shows people how they can help fight climate change by the way they shop and invest. Stonyfield also donates 10% of its profits to efforts that help protect and restore the Earth. For more information about Stonyfield Farm, its products and initiatives, visit www.stonyfield.com or follow Stonyfield on Twitter @Stonyfield and @StonyfieldBiz, and on Facebook www.facebook.com/StonyfieldFarm.

Disclosures:  I was sent samples from the vendor in order to write up an honest review.  The views above are mine and mine alone.

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