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There’s a pretty standard pattern I follow whenever I start to see a new food trend popping up on social media. First, it just seems like a coincidence. Then, I start to wonder if maybe this is something I really should be paying attention to. But then, inevitably, I begin to question if this food trend has any merit at all—if this was truly the greatest health secret of all time, wouldn’t we have already known this for years? That’s exactly the pattern I find myself in with the latest cottage cheese craze.
Cottage cheese has been touted as a healthy food for decades, and is practically synonymous with weight loss or low-calorie diets. But lately cottage cheese has been all over my Instagram feed, getting incorporated into everything from pasta sauce to egg bites and even cinnamon rolls. This time, it’s being praised for it’s protein content and as an easy way to add more of the macro to your diet, but does it really live up to the hype? Or, is this just a case of cottage cheese having particularly good PR?
Well, according to the experts, if you’re looking to make some healthy changes to your diet, cottage cheese ain’t a bad place to start. But if upping your protein intake is your number one goal, you may be surprised to learn it’s not necessarily the best dairy pick—even compared to other cheeses. Here’s everything you need to know before you start spooning out more curds.
Meet the experts:Skylar Weir, RD, is a dietitian and creator of Sky’s Rooted Nutrition. Leslie Bonci, RD, is a dietitian who has worked with professional sports teams including the Kansas City Chiefs and the WNBA. Charissa Lim, RD, is a dietitian and creator of the Roasted Veggie.
Why Cottage Cheese Gets So Much Credit
While it may feel like it’s reaching another level of popularity lately, cottage cheese has had a healthy reputation for a very long time. “Growing up in the ‘90s, I have vivid memories of my mom adding non-fat cottage cheese to salads,” says Skylar Weir, RD, “or observing my grandma enjoying it with peaches as a soft food option.” Leslie Bonci, RD, has similar memories of ‘diet plate’ menu items with cottage cheese, tomato, and a burger being very popular with the women of her family.
There are good reasons why cottage cheese has so long been considered a healthy cheese option. First, it’s a source of high-quality protein, particularly casein protein, which digests slowly and helps satiety, Weir says. Relatedly, it’s also particularly rich in leucine, an amino acid that is critical for muscle-building and repair. Second, there are vitamins and minerals found in cottage cheese like calcium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, and vitamin B12. “These vitamins and minerals play important roles in bone health, red blood cell formation, and energy metabolism,” Weir says. It also may help support blood sugar stability, Charissa Lim, RD, adds.
Basically, cottage cheese does deserve *a little* credit. It’s got some actual nutritional value—and that’s clear when you take a look at the macros. It’s high in protein, low in calories, and typically low in saturated fat and added sugars, depending on the variety you choose, Lim says.
What’s behind cottage cheese’s popularity today?
Cottage cheese’s popularity is part of the protein craze, our experts says. “Part of the cottage cheese resurgence is definitely tied to the current interest in higher-protein eating patterns,” Weir says. With seven grams of protein per quarter cup (or about 3.5 grams per ounce), cottage cheese is a higher protein cheese option, but also has the added benefit of being fairly low in calories, fat, and sugar compared to others.
The ratio of protein, fat, and calories is not the only thing that makes cottage cheese so appealing—it’s also incredibly easy to incorporate into a wide range of recipes. That’s because it’s a culinary “blank slate,” as Bonci describes it.
All our experts agree: the limits of cottage cheese’s versatility are seemingly endless. “It can be eaten on its own or incorporated into both sweet and savory meals, making it an easy way to add protein without much preparation,” Weir says.
You can go simple and pair it with fruit, nuts, or whole-grain crackers to get a combination of protein, fiber, and carbs, she says, or you can mix it into scrambled eggs, egg bites, Swedish pancakes, or a smoothie for breakfast. Bonci blends it and mixes it with black beans, salsa, and taco seasoning for a high protein dip, and Lim’s favorite creative way to eat cottage cheese is in a high-protein Peruvian green sauce that can be used as a dressing or vegetable dip.
So, should we all start eating cottage cheese?
“Let’s not let cottage cheese steal the show here,” Weir says. “Cottage cheese deserves some of the hype, but it’s best viewed as one helpful tool in the toolbox, not a magic food.” Bonci and Lim agree. “Is cottage cheese a ‘miracle food’? Of course not,” says Lim. “So if you are one of those people that cannot get behind the taste and texture, you'll be fine to go about your days without it.”
You certainly don’t need to be adding cottage cheese to everything you eat. “I do not think we should be eating cottage cheese ice cream,” Bonci says. “We shouldn’t be using cottage cheese as the base of a wrap, either. There’s no need to carb bash.”
It’s important to remember that cottage cheese is not the be-all end-all of healthy eating. As Weir explains, “I always encourage people not to treat any single food as a ‘superfood.’ Cottage cheese can absolutely be part of a healthy diet, but it’s most beneficial when it’s one component of a varied, balanced approach to nutrition that includes plenty of whole foods, fiber, healthy fats, and carbohydrates for energy.”
Other Ways to Use Cheese to Get a Protein Boost
To that note, cottage cheese is absolutely not the only high-protein cheese we should be considering. If you like the idea of sneaking protein into sauces, eggs, or baked goods, ricotta, labneh, and skyr are all great options according to our experts.
Or, if you’re looking to up the protein of your midday grazing board, Weir recommends parmesan or Manchego (about 7 grams per ounce). “While typically eaten in smaller amounts, these harder cheeses are surprisingly protein-dense and add a lot of flavor, which can help make nutrient-rich meals more satisfying,” she says. As an added bonus, Manchego is made from sheep’s milk, which might make it more tolerable to those who are sensitive to dairy.
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Lim is also a fan of parmesan. Those delicious parm crisps at the store? They can be surprisingly high in protein, she says. “They can make a salty, crunchy snack option with roughly 13 grams of protein per ounce—about 19 crisps.” If you’re looking for something a bit easier to digest, Romano, a sheep’s milk cheese, has around 9 grams per ounce, while Gruyère has about 8.5 grams per ounce, she adds.
Bottom line, cottage cheese has definitely earned its status as a healthy addition to any diet, including those that prioritize protein intake. But as Weir wisely puts it, “Ultimately, the goal isn’t to force a specific food into your diet, but to use foods like cottage cheese as flexible building blocks that help create satisfying, nourishing meals.”
