It's Time to Re-think Cottage Cheese as a Lower Cost Protein Source than Meat (2024)

I found this sign in the general domain of the internet put out some time ago by the USDA. I assume it is from the 40s, 50s or 60s. Now I don’t necessarily agree with the comparisons above to other meats after researching the protein content of 100 grams of the foods, from Handbook No. 8 (also put out by the USDA), but it makes a quite valid point. If the price of meat is too high for many Americans and they are looking for less costly alternatives, cottage cheese fits in as a meat substitute quite nicely. Let’s go through the comparisons. The protein values listed in this article are from Agricultural Handbook No. 8, also known as “The Composition of Foods,” published by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture from 1963.

Protein Values of Various Sources of Meats vs. Cottage Cheese

Beef (Choice Grade)14.9 grams of protein per 100 grams of the food or 14.9% protein

Beef 14.9%

Pork (med. fat) 10.2%

Lamb 16.5%

Veal (med. fat) 18.8%

Chicken (raw) 20.8%

Cottage Cheese (creamed)13.6%

Cottage Cheese (dry curd)17.0%

Dry curd cottage cheese contains more protein per lb. than either beef, pork, or lamb. Only chicken and veal have a higher protein content. So, Americans should consider using cottage cheese as a high protein ingredient in cooking. It tastes great when mixed with buttered noodles, used in cheese blintzes, or used as a filling in manicotti or lasagna.

Now most people don’t consume cottage cheese in a dry curd form (and that is hard to find anyway). It is consumed as-is in a ready to eat form with a creamed dressing added. From the table above you can see thatcreamed cottage cheese still is higher in protein than pork and almost as good as beef. Full fat cottage cheese contains 4% total fat……think 96% fat free, and low-fat cottage cheese is either 1% or 2% total fat. I like the full fat version best (who wouldn’t?). People like to eat cottage cheese as a dollop placed on top of a salad, mixed with cut up peaches, pears, or pineapple, or even mixed with savory spices such as chives, or vegetables (carrot, celery and cucumbers) and garlic. I knew of one German restaurant out in Las Vegas that would serve it as an appetizer spread with crackers mixed with their own savory spices containing pepper, garlic powder, onion salt, caraway seeds, etc. I like to put freshly ground pepper on mine and eat it as is. Americans need to make it a habit of placing a container or two in their shopping carts and trying it at various meals or as a snack. Single serve containers are now available mixed with fruits to satisfy a sweet tooth and get yourself a good level of protein as well.

Let’s get into costing now. Last time I was at the supermarket a 1# piece of ribeye steak was $15.95 per lb. A piece of pork cutlet was $3.78 per lb. Lamb is about $8-9 per lb. no matter the cut. The average price of boneless chicken breast is $3.72 per lb. The average cost of a pound of creamed cottage cheese was between $1.17 per lb. at the club stores to $1.77 lb. retail. So, you can see, that makes the protein source from cottage cheese very economical in these times.

Worried about lactose from eating cottage cheese? Cottage cheese is essentially precipitated casein protein. Lactose intolerant? Almost half of the milk sugar lactose that causes this problem is rinsed out with the whey in the manufacture of cottage cheese. 2.7% carbohydrate remains in the dry curd, and 2.9% total in the creamed cottage cheese. Whole milk contains 4.9% total carbohydrate (or milk sugar) and skim milk contains 5.1% total carbohydrate or milk sugar. Therefore, creamed cottage cheese contains 43% less lactose than skim milk. And yes, you can have your choice between animal protein, vegetable protein, dairy protein and egg protein. But why not include some more dairy protein in the form of cottage cheese? It’s economical (perhaps not quite as economical as egg protein), tasty, and a great meat substitute if you are not inclined to consume meat protein.