My Primary Care Provider and I have a witty script we exchange every time I see her: I detail her my diet, she chides that I am not getting enough protein, I laugh and promise to do better, and we move on with the appointment, only to repeat this banter the next visit. So us.
When I relayed this to my buddy Ineke, a registered dietitian with a lot of professional letters after her name, she suggested I eat cottage cheese to fulfill my body’s protein requirements. Without any decorum, I promptly gagged. All of her expertise and know-how were waved away when I adamantly declared I hated even the thought of it. There was nothing redeeming about chunky, curdled, cultured cottage cheese.
But when Jillian Gottlieb, an actress and skincare influencer, shocked her Instagram followers by declaring cottage cheese to be her favorite snack, I was influenced. (It is important to note that I did not listen to my best friend, someone I trust and adore who is also a medical professional, and I have since apologized to her. I think.) Starting with a daily breakfast of avocado toast with cottage cheese and sprinkled with Tajín, I have slowly increased my protein intake. Earlier this summer for a girls’ night, when everyone else was bringing chips and dips, I brought high-end Ranch cottage cheese —ahem, cottage cheese with a Ranch packet— and vegetables. I had to pull Ineke aside to quietly ask how much cottage cheese I could eat before it began to negate the benefits. Jillian’s job as an influencer has been quite effective.
Knowing Jillian to be kind, down to earth, and friendly, I asked her to discuss how she created a new fan base for cottage cheese.
“I’ve always hated cottage cheese. The texture, the flavor, the smell. I would eat it only under protest when I felt like I needed to be ‘healthier.’ All that changed when a girlfriend of mine texted, ‘put it on toast with avocado and Tajín, or dip a Dorito in it. Your life will change,’” Jillian said. “I did both of those things, and I have never looked back. On bread with any topping, or any chip dipped into it — cottage cheese becomes a masterpiece. I now share cottage cheese recipes often on my social media and nothing makes me happier than when [my followers] write to me saying they follow me for skincare AND cottage cheese!”
Jillian went on to declare that brand is important when choosing which cottage cheese to snack on. Her recommendation is Good Culture, so I can only speak to the deliciousness of that label. Beyond taste, though, I wanted to explore the additional health benefits of cottage cheese, even though Ineke has detailed its perks beyond protein to me many times, including phosphorus and calcium. I reached out to yet another registered dietitian, Brittany Hampton, RD, LDN, for her insight.
“While cottage cheese is a great source of protein, it also contains all nine essential amino acids as well as loads of phosphorus, making it a great choice for weight maintenance and muscle building,” Brittany said. Offering yet another way for me to incorporate cottage cheese in my life, she added, “I like to add it to my smoothies!”
Do yourself, your tastebuds, and your gut a favor by trying cottage cheese. No longer known only as a warm side served on cafeteria trays, it has now been elevated with a new title: snack masterpiece.