The Cottage Cheese Brand We'll Always Put In Our Shopping Carts

These days, cottage cheese is having a moment. Once, it was a sad side dish served next to a lump of canned pineapple in a circa-1950s diner. But for months now, the retro-turned-trendy ingredient has been sneaking its way into scrambled eggs, avocado toast, and high-protein ice cream.

Countless brands now offer the creamy, curdy wonder ingredient. And it can be difficult to land on a product that's not a little smelly or watery — after all, we're talking about a curdled milk product here. But if you're looking for an option that truly delivers, we've placed Breakstone's live active 2% cottage cheese at the top of our list of best brands.

Brands ranging from Target to Cabot are also riding the cottage cheese train, but Breakstone's wins in two categories: Flavor and health benefits. Its small-curd texture is smooth, rather than unpleasantly chunky, and aside from the high protein content, it boasts one additional plus that other brands don't necessarily offer: It is made from cultured milk, which contains probiotics. But how can this serve as an advantage?

Live cultures are a type of live bacteria — the good kind, that is. Also known as probiotics, these are found in foods ranging from kimchi to miso to certain strains of yogurt. What do all these foods have in common? They help aid digestion and gut health while strengthening your immune system.

Breakstone's live active cottage cheese already offers 13 grams of protein in a small ½-cup serving. Protein, a vital daily ingredient, packs energy, helps repair muscle and bone, and fights off infections, along with a slew of other functions. But there's also something to be said for Breakstone's addition of probiotics, which tips the scale from "pretty healthy" to "packed with benefits."

What's more, due to Breakstone's generally creamy texture and lack of added sugar, the product lends itself to versatility. You can stir it with some fruit preserves for a sweet snack, or get flat-out decadent and mix it into a batch of dark chocolate-tahini ice cream. Or, go savory, spreading a spoonful onto toast with sliced tomatoes and flaky salt. Fold in some radishes, dill, and chives for a herby Polish dip, known as gzik. And there's always that internet-famous flatbread you may have been meaning to try out.