How cottage cheese shook off its dated ’70s dinner party’ image as TikTok chefs tout health benefits and use it as a high-protein alternative

As the TikTok generation continues to put their health above all else, eschewing alcohol in favor of slightly less harmful vices, one particular item has seen a resurgence in popularity: cottage cheese.

Once associated with 1970s dinner parties as an ingredient served alongside a trifle and shrimp cocktail, the low-fat, low-calorie dairy product is back in vogue, according to Gen Z.

TikTok is flooded with foodies sharing their recipes using cottage cheese, which are often designed as healthier versions of classic treats.

And in Britain in particular, retailers are reporting a huge increase in demand for the product as it develops a fan base among an unlikely generation.

A particular cooking craze that uses cottage cheese as the main ingredient is cookie dough made with the product.

The bizarre recipe was first shared in May by Jake Cohen, a chef and New York Times bestselling author.

Early this year, videos for the protein-packed recipe with the hashtag #cottagecheesecookiedough have been viewed more than 21 million times on TikTok.

Fitness influencers say you can cut your fat by eating this strange mix every day, even though it can pack in as many as 300 calories – similar to burgers sold at McDonald’s.

The secret, say proponents, is due to the abundance of protein in the cottage cheese, which keeps you full longer.

The dough is made from a mixture of protein powder, syrup, chocolate chips and cottage cheese.

A video posted to TikTok by fitness influencer @shredathletics, who has 244.3k followers, states that you can eat this “cookie dough every day and still lose body fat.”

The recipe is described as a “low-calorie, high-volume snack alternative” that contains 378 calories and 35 grams of protein.

Other videos, like those from @anna.antonje, who has 6.9 million followers, show her surprise that the mix tastes good when she spoons it out of a bowl.

Another video, posted by @mattboxall_, who has 633,000 followers, experiments with the recipe and adds yogurt instead of cottage cheese.

At the beginning of the video, he sells the 280-calorie recipe as a weight-loss option, saying, “If you want to lose weight, this is the cookie dough for you.”

Milk and dairy products, such as cheese and yogurt, are sources of protein and calcium.

But cottage cheese also contains a lot of protein and little fat, making it recommended for people who want to build muscle mass.

It’s a much healthier choice than butter – the typical binding ingredient in cookie dough – because it contains just 3 grams of fat per 100 grams, according to the NHS.

Other recipes that have taken TikTok by storm include different ingredient combinations in cottage cheese toast.

The hashtag #cottagecheesetoast has more than 32 million clips on the video platform, as people make both sweet and savory meals using the ingredient on bread.

While some add fruit and syrup to their cottage cheese on toast, others combine it with tomatoes, basil and balsamic vinegar in a healthier version of a bruschetta or caprese.

Elsewhere, a food influencer Eliya has used the dairy product to create a Mars bar cheesecake, which she claims tastes just like a Mars bar.

She uses cottage cheese as the fat in the dessert and makes a date caramel to add some sweetness, and of course a little bit of chocolate.

Eliya claims that each of her jars of the dessert contains 23 grams of protein.

Meanwhile, as TikTok goes crazy for the dairy alternative, retailers are reporting a rise in cottage cheese sales.

According to the Guardian, M&S reports a 30% year-on-year increase in sales of the product, and Waitrose reports a 22% increase.

Robert Graham, director of Graham’s Family Dairy, told the newspaper that the craze has come out of nowhere as demand for cottage cheese skyrockets.

He said, “Since May last year when there was a TikTok craze, our cottage cheese sales have increased by 40%.”

As demand for the protein-rich dairy product continues to rise, TikTok chefs are finding more uses for it as they appreciate its health benefits.

Em the nutritionista British dietician who often posts TikTok clips sharing her best recipes, has posted several clips where cottage cheese was the star of the show.

One such recipe is a hot honey curd toast, in which she uses these two ingredients plus some smashed avocado to create a sweet and savory snack that contains just over 300 calories.

Elsewhere, a fitness account Australian fitnesshas shared his recipe for a healthy macaroni cheese with the dairy product as the main ingredient.