Gen Z’s latest viral food craze is cottage cheese – as sales surge to highest levels in 40 years despite spiking dairy prices
Make way for avocados – Gen Z’s latest obsession with healthy eating is the return of an unlikely old favorite: cottage cheese.
The low-fat, low-calorie dairy product appears to be popular again, now appearing in 138 million posts on TikTok, despite rising dairy prices.
In the 1970s, the cheese was a popular dish at dinner parties, but its irregular texture and mixed flavor meant that many people left it off their weekly shopping lists.
And now, in 2024, supermarkets are reporting sales growth again, with sales having risen to their highest level in 40 years.
Influencers share their best cottage cheese recipes on social media. They often use these recipes to make healthier dishes.
One influencer – @cookingwithnoa from Melbourne – tried hot honey curd and even called it the “new avocado”.
Gen Z’s latest health food obsession is the return of an unlikely old favorite: cottage cheese. One TikToker @cookingwithnoa even called it the “new avocado” (pictured)
And Olivia Jarvis (@oliviajarviss) from the UK even used cottage cheese as a base for her pizza. She said it added protein to one of her favourite treats.
Emily Engels (@emthenutritionist), a nutritionist who studied at King’s College London, went viral with her version of warm honey curd, with her recipe using the M&S dairy product being viewed 4.3 million times.
It looks like many will follow in her footsteps as fans told her they tried it and it was both healthy and delicious.
They said, “I made this and can confirm it was delicious!”;
“It’s actually insanely good.”
Cottage cheese is considered a “complete protein” because it contains all nine essential amino acids that the body cannot make on its own. It is also high in calcium and B vitamins.
Milk and dairy products, such as cheese and yogurt, are sources of protein and calcium.
In addition, cottage cheese contains a lot of protein and little fat, making it an ideal choice for people who want to build muscle mass.
Emily English, a nutritionist who studied at King’s College London, went viral with her version of warm honey cottage cheese toast, which has been viewed more than 4 million times
Cottage cheese’s uneven texture and mixed flavors have kept many from including it on their weekly grocery list, but now it’s back in fashion
Olivia Jarvis from the UK even used cottage cheese as a base for her pizza, saying it added protein to one of her favourite treats
It’s a much healthier choice than butter, the typical binding ingredient in cookie dough, as it contains just 3 grams of fat per 100 grams, according to the NHS.
Research from The Knowledge Bank shows that cottage cheese sales have risen to their highest level in 40 years.
Anne-Laure Farrar, UK Market Insight Manager at The Knowledge Bank, explains: ‘The importance of viral trends cannot be denied. It’s great to see some of these trends skyrocket in popularity thanks to TikTok and Instagram, as they can breathe new life into long-established products that have reached new audiences.’
Since May last year, Stirlingshire-based Graham’s Family Dairy has seen a 40 per cent increase in cottage cheese sales – levels not seen since the 1980s – and attributed the rise to increased demand for high-protein products, retro trends and viral social media posts.
Its popularity is also reflected in supermarket statistics, with M&S seeing sales increase by 50 percent year-on-year and Ocado seeing searches increase by 59 percent.
Sarah MacKay, a fitness TikToker from Scotland who posts under the username @liftwsarahfilmed her reaction when she added cottage cheese to her scrambled eggs for the first time.
Sarah, 21, began her video by exclaiming, “I hate cottage cheese. I hate everything about it — the taste, the texture, the smell, the thought.
‘It just gives me the creeps, why are there bumps in there? It’s disgusting and I don’t get it!’
Sarah MacKay from Scotland said she hated cottage cheese but was impressed when she tried it in her scrambled eggs (right)
Sarah then tried it with Greek yoghurt, almond butter and fruit for a healthy breakfast, and said: ‘maturing is realising that cottage cheese is actually good’
TikToker @_cookwithmi, who lives in London, made cottage cheese lasagna and said she ‘jumped on the cottage cheese bandwagon and it did NOT disappoint’
“I’m not going to lie, it didn’t look promising. I looked at the pan and thought, are you serious, I’m going to eat this?”
Things weren’t looking too good when water started leaking from the eggs and Sarah considered putting a clothespin on her nose to eat them.
But after she took a bite, she was blown away. “I tried it and girls! I was so surprised,” she said.
“I will eat this every day until I die. It was so good. It tastes like cheesy eggs. It was so good, I really recommend you to try it.”
In another video, she added cottage cheese to her yogurt bowl with almond butter, fruit, Greek yogurt and cocoa.
She said, “Growing up is realizing that cottage cheese is actually good. I know, I know, listen up! I used to really hate cottage cheese.
“I literally threw up in my mouth every time I put it in my mouth. But then I realized that at some point I had to stop being such a baby. I’m 21 guys, we have to grow up.
“And I realized that maybe I was just eating it wrong. Who eats cottage cheese straight from the container?”
Others have used it to make delicious snacks by baking it in the oven and adding spices to make chips
Emily English used cottage cheese from M&S to make a delicious warm honey toast
TikTokers also use cottage cheese in sweeter dishes, such as pancakes
It seems there are no limits to the uses of cottage cheese: from making classic meals healthier to using it in desserts.
Some even use it as an ingredient in cookie dough, as evidenced by a recipe shared by Jake Cohen, chef and New York Times bestselling author, in May.
Others use it to make delicious snacks by baking it in the oven and add spices to make chips.
TikToker @_cookwithmiwho lives in London, made lasagna with cottage cheese. She said she ‘jumped on the cottage cheese bandwagon and it did NOT disappoint’.
As she cut into her delicious dinner, she added, “I like cheese sauce, but this is a little healthier.”
An M&S spokesperson said of the recent boom in cottage cheese sales: ‘It’s part of our Eat Well range, which helps customers make healthy choices. It’s a great source of protein and is made in the UK using British milk.
‘With a range of options from full fat to fat free, it’s an increasingly popular ingredient for many meals, from a topping on toast, a great addition to salmon or prawn salad or to make a delicious frittata!’