Flourish with Food: Cottage Cheese is Making a Comeback!

Ever think of cottage cheese as vintage or retro?

Funny enough, it was once promoted as a cheaper substitute for meat during World War I. Back in 1918, the USDA even put out a pamphlet, “Cottage Cheese Dishes”. Who remembers the ‘70s diet plate? Cottage cheese on a lettuce leaf was a menu staple.

Thereafter, yogurt’s popularity surged as a healthy food, overshadowing cottage cheese. Now cottage cheese is cool again, thanks to social influencers on TikTok and Instagram.

This growing resurgence is driven by a growing emphasis on protein, versatility, easy availability, relatively mild flavor, and its eat-from-the-carton advantage.

How is it made? It starts with pasteurized dairy milk. Adding acid, enzymes or active cultures convert the milk’s sugar (that’s lactose) into lactic acid, which makes the milk curdle.

This process leaves you with solid curds (which has protein and fat) and whey (which has protein, lactose, liquid). Cottage cheese is sold with small or large curds – it’s a personal preference.

The lactic acid gives it a slightly tangy flavor. To make it creamier, they often add cream, and sometimes preservatives and thickeners to help with texture and stability.

The nutritional star is protein – a half cup serving has a solid 14 grams. The amount of fat and calories depend on whether the type of milk used was nonfat, nonfat, 1%, 2%, or 4% milkfat. A half cup of 2% milk cottage cheese has about 80 calories.

Heads up: most cottage cheese brands have added salt. If you’re watching your sodium, it’s worth checking the nutrition labels to find one with less.

There are SO many ways to enjoy cottage cheese. Martha Stewart has a ton of ideas: https://www.marthastewart.com/how-to-eat-cottage-cheese-8718977

It you want a review of different cottage cheese brands: https://www.thekitchn.com/best-cottage-cheese-brands-23706737.

Personally, I’m a fan of Good Culture 2% Low Fat. I like its simple ingredients, good taste, small soft curds, and gut-friendly active cultures. Plus, it doesn’t have any preservatives or thickeners.

I fondly remember my mother’s favorite lunches: cottage cheese with black pepper sandwiches and cottage cheese with fresh pineapple and crunchy oyster crackers.