Cottage cheese has its haters, but it's also touted as a good-for-you (high in protein) and good-for-your-gut dairy product. In the 1970s, the average American ate five pounds of it per year, but then its popularity dwindled a bit, although it may be gaining love once again.

While it’s not a hard cheese like Swiss or parmesan, cottage cheese is considered "fresh cheese,” and is known for its small, medium, or large curds, lumpy yet creamy texture, and slightly acidic taste. It consists of milk, acid, and live cultures which cause the milk and whey to separate, eventually forming rinsed and salted curds.

Two new companies, Muuna and Good Culture, have given bland cottage cheese a hip new look and vibe on store shelves, with brightly colored and various flavors. TikTok is even making cottage cheese cool, with a video by @ryankassim showing how to add Everything But the Bagel seasoning and avocado to it for a tasty pairing.