Cottage Cheese During Pregnancy: Labels, Storage, and Protein

The short answer: Yes, you can eat cottage cheese while pregnant when it is made with pasteurized milk. CDC's pregnancy food-safety chart names cottage cheese, along with cream cheese, string cheese, feta, and mozzarella, as a safer choice when made with pasteurized milk. Cheese made from unpasteurized (raw) milk is on CDC's riskier list.

Is cottage cheese a soft cheese to avoid?

No, not when it is pasteurized. Cottage cheese is a fresh, soft cheese, which is why it shows up on some "avoid soft cheese" lists. CDC's riskier column is about soft cheese made from unpasteurized milk and queso fresco-type cheeses, while CDC's Listeria prevention page lists pasteurized cottage cheese among the choices to make instead. Queso fresco, queso blanco, and requesón are different: CDC lists them as riskier unless heated, even when pasteurized; see our queso fresco guide.

What cottage cheese can I eat while pregnant?

Choose cottage cheese whose label says made with pasteurized milk or lists pasteurized milk in the ingredients. The FDA notes that milk sold across state lines is pasteurized, but some dairy products are not, especially those made and sold locally on dairy farms or at local cheese stores. PregNut does not verify brands, so check the tub you buy.

How should I store cottage cheese?

The FDA advises keeping milk and milk products refrigerated at 40°F or below and following "use-by" dates. FDA also notes that Listeria can grow at refrigerator temperatures and advises using ready-to-eat perishable foods, including dairy, as soon as possible. Put the tub back in the fridge after serving rather than leaving it out; FDA's rule is within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F).

Is cottage cheese good to eat during pregnancy?

It is a high-protein dairy food. PregNut's historical USDA-based data lists creamed cottage cheese at 11.12 g protein, 83 mg calcium, and 0.43 mcg vitamin B12 per 100 g, at 98 calories. For calcium, other dairy foods list more: the NIH calcium fact sheet lists 415 mg in 8 ounces of plain low-fat yogurt and 333 mg in 1.5 ounces of part-skim mozzarella, against a pregnancy RDA of 1,000 mg a day for ages 19 to 50. Our yogurt guide and vegetarian protein guide compare more options.

What about mozzarella and string cheese?

The same rule applies. CDC names mozzarella and string cheese on its safer list when made with pasteurized milk. Fresh mozzarella from a specialty shop or farm deserves the same label question as any local cheese. Melted on a pizza or baked in lasagna, pasteurized soft cheese heated to 165°F or until steaming hot is also on CDC's safer list. PregNut lists part-skim mozzarella at 782 mg calcium and 24.26 g protein per 100 g.

Common questions

Is cottage cheese safe in the first trimester?

CDC's chart does not set different cheese rules by trimester. Pasteurized cottage cheese is on its safer list in the first, second, and third trimesters.

Can I eat cottage cheese in cooked dishes?

Yes. Pasteurized cottage cheese baked into lasagna, pancakes, or a casserole fits CDC's safer list, and heating soft cheese until steaming hot adds a margin.

What if I ate unpasteurized cottage cheese?

An exposure does not mean you have an infection. Tell your prenatal care team what you ate. For Listeria, CDC says pregnant women should call the doctor right away if they have a fever and feel more tired and achy than usual.

Related: cream cheese, feta, and soft cheese.

Sources: CDC safer food choices for pregnant women, CDC preventing Listeria, FDA dairy and eggs for moms-to-be, FDA ready-to-eat foods for moms-to-be, NIH calcium fact sheet, and CDC food-poisoning symptoms. This guide is educational and does not replace prenatal care.