What once was old is new again — at least in the world of dairy foods, as cottage cheese is making a comeback. Once popular as a “diet” food, cottage cheese faded into the background of grocery stores for a while until it started to go viral on TikTok last year.

Now, influencers rave about its relatively low calorie-to-protein ratio and use it in everything from pizza dough to cookies. In fact, the brand Good Culture experienced a 63.2% increase in sales for a 12-week period that ended February 2025 (compared to the same period in 2024) while Daisy saw a 32% growth, according to the data platform Statista.

But is the cottage cheese craze based on real nutrition claims? To find out, we consulted a nutritionist and crunched some numbers. Keep reading to find out if cottage cheese is really healthy — and how to add more of it to your diet if you’re a fan.

What exactly is cottage cheese?

It’s a dairy product that’s made when either a food-grade acid (like vinegar) or a strain of bacteria that produces lactic acid is mixed into milk, according to the California Milk Advisory Board. The acid causes milk solids to separate from the whey, so you end up with milk curds, which salt is then added to. The result? A tangy, kind of lumpy substance that’s eaten similarly to yogurt.

“People tend to either love cottage cheese or are repulsed by it,” says Tiffany Ricci, R.D.N., C.S.S.D., L.D., a sports and performance dietitian with Fueling Life Nutrition. The lumpy texture and slightly sour taste turn off some folks, while the versatility, yogurt-like flavor and rich nutrition profile are favored by others.

Is cottage cheese healthy?

To answer that question, you need a little nutrition data. According to the USDA, one 2/3 cup serving of 2% milk fat cottage cheese contains:

• 120 calories
• 16g protein
• 2.7g fat
• 6g sugar
• 470mg sodium
• 151mg calcium (15% of the RDA)

In December, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) changed its criteria for food products that can be labeled as “healthy” and, technically, the sodium in cottage cheese is too high for it to receive a “healthy” label. However, it’s important to remember that nutrition is personal and each of us has different needs. “I would consider this to be a food that supports health because it is a good source of calcium and protein — two nutrients we need in our diet,” says Ricci.

How to choose a cottage cheese

If you want to eat more cottage cheese and make the healthiest choice possible, consider these tips:

• Reach for 2% milk fat: “Most people do not need to add fat to their diet, so I encourage people to start with the 2% cottage cheese option,” says Ricci. “It’s the same protein content, but half the fat and saturated fat.”
• Look at the ingredients: “Read the ingredients label to make sure it’s just cultured milk, cream and salt — avoiding extra additives,” says Ricci. If you see flavored cottage cheese (like strawberry or pineapple), that’s often a red flag that there’s added sugar or a sugar-free substitute in the product.
• Don’t go overboard: “Buy a smaller container at first to make sure you like the flavor and texture,” says Ricci. “Not all cottage cheese tastes the same. Some brands are tangier than others (similar to yogurt) so it’s best to start small to make sure you like it.”

How to add cottage cheese to your diet

“Cottage cheese is versatile so there are many ways to incorporate this food into our diet,” says Ricci. She recommends adding your own fruit, nuts or seeds for a scoopable snack or stirring in some seasonings and using it as a dip for veggies or a topping for whole-grain crackers.

“If people do not like cottage cheese, I encourage them to have string cheese or low-fat plain Greek yogurt to get in protein and calcium.” Or, you can look for recipes that incorporate cottage cheese while hiding the texture and/or flavor, like this creamy kale pasta.