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, shunning alcohol and choosing somewhat less damaging vices, one particular item has had a resurgence in popularity - cottage cheese.

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

TikTok is awash with foodies sharing their recipes using cottage cheese which are often designed to be healthier versions of classic treats.

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

One particular cooking fad which uses cottage cheese as its star ingredient is a cookie dough made with the item.

Cottage cheese is taking TikTok by storm as UK retailers have reported a rise in demand for the dairy product

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

At the beginning of this year, videos for the protein-packed recipe with the hashtag #cottagecheesecookiedough have amassed more than 21million views on TikTok.  

Fitness influencers say you can trim your fat by eating the strange mix every day, even though it can contain up to 300 calories — similar to burgers sold at McDonald's.

The secret, advocates say, is down to the abundance of protein in the cottage cheese, which helps you stay fuller for longer.

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

One video posted on TikTok by fitness influencer @shredathletics, who has 244.3K followers, states that you can eat this 'cookie dough every single day and still lose body fat'.

Eliya, a food influencer, has shared her recipe for a cottage cheese-based cheesecake designed to resemble the flavours of a Mars bar

The recipe is described as a 'high-volume low-calorie snack alternative' containing 378 calories and 35g of protein.

Other videos, such as one by @anna.antonje, who has 6.9million followers, shows her surprise that the mix tastes good as she spoons it out of a bowl.

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

At the start of the video he sells the 280 calorie recipe as a slimming option and says: 'If you want to lose weight this is the cookie dough for you.'

Elsewhere, health and fitness TikTok accounts are using cottage cheese as a low-fat, high protein alternative to other fats

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

But cottage cheese is also high in protein and low in fat, making it a go-to for people seeking to build muscle mass.

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

Other recipes that have taken TikTok by storm include various 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 savoury meals using the ingredient on bread.

While some add fruit and syrup to their cottage cheese on toast, others layer it up 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 make 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, as well as a little bit of chocolate, of course.

Eliya claims each of her pots of the dessert contains 23g of protein.

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

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

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

He said: 'Since May of last year, when there was a TikTok craze that went on, cottage cheese sales for us are up 40%.'

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

Em the Nutritionist, a UK-based dietician who often posts TikTok clips sharing her top recipes, has posted several clips in which cottage cheese was the star of the show. 

One such recipe is a hot honey cottage cheese toast, in which she uses those two ingredients plus some smashed avocado, to create a sweet and savoury snack that is just over 300 calories.

Elsewhere, a fitness account Aussie Fitness, has shared its recipe for a healthy macaroni cheese using the dairy product as its star ingredient.