Cottage Cheese Substitute?
 

Hey guys! So I know how wonderful cottage cheese is and how great of a friend it can be to a healthy diet. Problem is, I hate it with a passion. I have tried to like it many times and I just can't do it. Any suggestions for alternatives that have similar nutritional stats, but are yummier?? Thanks!

yes i'm interested to know too. dh hates it too. he could gain a few, but we all need healthy food. edit to add: oh this is funny to me. our kids love it. kinda disapointing when i buy 'diet' food and they want to eat it all lol. same for yogurt.

are you on a plan that calls for it? I don't think you NEED to eat anything you don't like, otherwise it will be hard to stick to your plan. cottage cheese is just mentioned because it's high in protein.

greek yogurt is also high in protein...

Maybe it's the way you are eating it?

I first got into it by putting a tiny amount of splenda on top with some cinnamon and eating it with chopped up strawberries and blueberries. It got me liking it and more open to eating it with other stuff.

I'm weird with cottage cheese though, I like to put it in my eggs, melt it on top of steamed veggies with some soy sauce, I'll put it on anything! (even pasta once haha)

On a side note, I love your sig! Storm was always my favourite :) I don't know why I don't join the 20's BL challenges.

my dh hates the texture/look of cottage cheese. he likes yogurt. we haven't tried greek yet.

Thanks for the advice guys!

ringmaster - No, I don't think of cottage cheese as a "requirement" but it just seems like such a superfood that I wanted to have something similar in my diet plan. Greek yogurt sounds interesting. I'll have to try it when I'm back in the states and have access to beautifully stocked groceries!!

stephanie - I've tried sweetening it up and I still can't stand it!! Thanks - our team leader made the banner and I love it! I'm new to the challenge, but very excited to see what I can do.

I like cottage cheese hot (as in lasagna filling), but hate it cold/plain. In flavored jello it's not bad (sort of cheesecakey in flavor), but the texture can still be (to me) unpleasant.

I like yogurt, greek yogurt, cream cheeses, and marscapone - but in all of them you have to read levels for sugar and fat content.

I also buy whey protein powder to make breakfast smoothies occasionally. In the past, I've bought the vanilla flavor, but the other day, I bought some unflavored at a local cheese factory. I haven't had a chance to use it yet, but it's almost pure protein (with no fat, and only 2-3g of carbs per ounce/28g serving)

I hated it for years, and felt much the same as you--it seemed like such a perfect food! I've since grown to love it. A couple things really helped--one, try the full-fat version. I always automatically reached for the low-fat, but full fat is so much richer, and not that many more calories. Once I got used to it, I was able to switch to lower fat versions. Next, flavor the crap out of it. I don't use a "little" splenda, I use a crap-ton of equal + cinnamon or cocoa powder. Last, do something to change the texture. I find mixing in a packet of dry oatmeal or some bran--oat is smoother and better, wheat is lower calorie--really changes the mouth feel, and gives me a high-fiber, high protein meal.

For people that don't get it about why it's good to like cottage cheese: people talk about peanut butter and beans and eggs as high protein, but those are all 25% or less protein. Skim milk and regular NF yogurt are under 40% protein. Cottage cheese and greek yogurt are more like chicken breast--over 70% protein.

I second the full-fat version. The difference in calories is like 40-50 per serving anyway.

I tried the low-fat kind and I could barely eat it, but I love the full-fat kind. I eat it with fruit (peaches, strawberries, apples, etc.) and I find the salty/sweet flavors match really well.

wow i never knew that about the protein. i learn so much on this forum!

I eat it with 16 gm almond butter, 114 gm cottage cheese 1%, 70 gm mixed berries. 224 cal I am full for hours. I hadn't thought about it before, but with all of the fruit and a tad of nut butter, I do not feel like I am eating straight cottage cheese at all, but something quite delicious and satisfying. Mouth feel, fiber & sweetness from the berries, great post, great insight shmead.