Friendly Farms Skyr Icelandic Style Blueberry Blended Yogurt (Aldi)

Oooh, a little too much bokeh on this here image. Still, you get the point.

I like the national brand skyr, but have to be in the mood for it, because it's much less sweet than the yogurts we typically tend to eat. So when I saw Aldi was offering some as a special buy, I was eager to give it a shot to see how it stacks up with that brand. So let's get down to business then, shall we?

Aaah, here we go: I think this one hits the nail on the head a little bit more in terms of the flavor being as…”dry” as the original (for lack of a better term). It does still hit the “sweet” part of the palate a little bit harder than the national brand... yep, the more and more I eat it, the sweeter it seems to get, like it slowly builds up through added bites. I still wouldn’t really describe it as “sweet”--it's not much at all like a traditional yogurt--and I don’t think it’s a strong as the strawberry was (which, to be fair, is a sweeter fruit overall), but I’d say this strikes a decent compromise between skyr and yogurt, coming closer to the former category, but with a sweet enough essence that it might appeal to yogurt fans who are turned off by the muted taste profile of regular skyr.

There is also some tartness that occasionally shines through, giving the whole combination a more “sour” taste than the strawberry which, again, isn't really a tart fruit. The tartness also became more and more pronounced the farther into the cup I got, with the accumulated tartness almost making me pucker a couple of times...that's how sour it can get. Personally, I'm not a fan of sour fruits, so it didn't quite appeal to me all that much, but for those (like my wife) who are, this will no doubt be a bigger win for you.

In terms of texture, this one is pretty darn close to the rich creaminess of the national brand skyr, with with the added benefit of having some decent-sized blueberry chunks stationed throughout. They don’t really add much to the flavor (which is already heavy on blueberry), but it’s a nice change of texture from the neverending smoothness of the skyr base.

Really, whether or not you like this will all come down to your willingness to “break away” from the “dry” flavor of the national brand skyr, as well as your fondness for tart things. It didn't really do much for me, but it's not a bad product, and coming in at $.99 it certainly provides some decent value over other brands.

Overall: 6/10. If you like the muted flavor of name brand skyr, then you probably won't like this; ditto if you aren't a fan of tart things. This has a slight sweetness that gets stronger and stronger with each accumulated bite, along with a tartness that just as gradually does the same—by the end of the cup, I nearly puckered a couple of times from the sour taste. That being said, this is all just a matter of personal preference: if you think regular skyr is too bland and boring, this offers a slightly sweeter flavor that might appeal to you, while still retaining the rich creamy texture. Either way, the $.99 price tag makes it a much cheaper option than the national brands, so it's affordable enough to give it a shot without breaking the bank. (And if you really don't like it, you can always take Aldi up on their money back guarantee!)