Cottage Cheese

Cottage cheese is completely safe during pregnancy and is often confused with the soft mould-ripened cheeses (like Brie or Camembert) or soft blue cheeses that should be avoided. Cottage cheese is an entirely different product. It is made from pasteurised milk and is heat-treated during production, which means it does not carry the Listeria risk associated with unpasteurised or mould-ripened soft cheeses. The NHS specifically lists cottage cheese alongside cream cheese and ricotta as safe pregnancy cheeses. Cottage cheese is a nutritionally excellent food during pregnancy: it is high in protein, a good source of calcium, low in fat, and contains B vitamins including B12. It can be eaten on its own, spread on wholegrain crackers, used as a topping for baked potatoes, stirred into pasta, or blended into smoothies for a protein boost. It is also mild enough in flavour to be palatable during the first trimester when strong tastes can be off-putting. All varieties of cottage cheese — plain, low-fat, with pineapple or other fruit additions — are safe. As with any chilled dairy product, keep it refrigerated and observe the use-by date.