It can be used with various foods such as yogurt, fruit, toast, and granola, in salads, as a dip, and as a replacement for mayonnaise.

[2] The enzyme rennin from the stomachs of nursing animals induces a coagulation process separating the curds from the milk.

[2] Evidence of cheese can be found in a band of carvings on the walls of an ancient Mesopotamian temple that dates back to 3,000 BC.

[3] Cottage cheese was widely promoted in America during the First World War, along with other dairy products, to save meat for infantry rations.

[8] In 2016, a Wall Street Journal article speculated that cottage cheese might be ready for a resurgence following the popularity of Greek yogurt due to its high protein and low sugar levels.

[9] In 2023, a TikTok trend for making ice creams, cookie dough and other foods with cottage cheese led to a 15.9% rise in sales of the product in the United States.

[10] Stores in the United Kingdom reported a 22-30% increase in sales by May 2024, compared to a year previously.

[12] A bacterial culture that produces lactic acid (Lactococcus lactis ssp.

[2][8][13] Some smaller modern luxury creameries omit the first heating step but allow the milk to curdle much longer with bacteria to produce the curds or use crème fraîche as dressing.

In the United States, the FDA allows the additive in many dairy products (not whole milk) up to 1% of total volume by weight.

Cottage cheese is also popular with fruit, such as pineapple, pears, peaches, or mandarin oranges.