5 Healthy Substitutions for Cottage Cheese

Cottage cheese provides high-quality vegetarian protein, calcium and vitamin B-12, and you can consume it on its own or in a variety of recipes.

However, you might need substitutions for cottage cheese if you get tired of eating it, don't like its taste or texture or are unable to consume dairy products. Plenty of healthy substitutions are available. Try one of these:

A 1/2-cup serving of part-skim ricotta cheese contains 171 calories and 14.1 grams of protein, according to USDA. While a 1/2-cup portion of nonfat cottage cheese has 52 calories and only 7 grams of protein.

Besides being higher in protein than cottage cheese, ricotta cheese is also higher in calcium and lower in sodium. Use ricotta cheese as a substitute for cottage cheese in lasagna or spinach pie.

A 100-gram portion (about 1/2 cup) of plain non-fat Greek yogurt contains 59 calories and 10.3 grams of protein, according to USDA, making it a comparable source of protein to cottage cheese. Greek yogurt is also higher in calcium and vitamin B-12 than cottage cheese.

Take yogurt for your snack instead of cottage cheese or mix granola and fruit into yogurt instead of cottage cheese for breakfast. You can also use plain yogurt instead of cottage cheese as a base for healthy dips, like tzatziki or ranch dip.

Choose low-fat or fat-free cheese instead of cottage cheese as a topping for your morning bagel or English muffin. A 1/4-cup portion of shredded fat-free cheddar cheese contains only 45 calories but provides 9 grams of protein and 250 milligrams of calcium, according to Kraft.

Select low-fat or fat-free instead of full-fat cheeses to limit your consumption of saturated fats. Have a sandwich with fat-free cheddar cheese and apple slices or have grapes with a low-fat cheese stick instead of cottage cheese for a snack.

If you're looking for a protein source other than cottage cheese, egg whites are lactose-free, making them a great alternative for individuals who are lactose intolerant.

A 4-ounce portion (measured by weight) of egg white provides the same amount of protein (about 12 grams) as a 4-ounce serving of cottage cheese, according to USDA.

Have hard-boiled egg whites for a snack instead of cottage cheese or make a breakfast consisting of fruit with an egg white omelet instead of cottage cheese.

Ready-to-eat lean meat, poultry or fish can be a convenient, high-protein snack alternative to cottage cheese. Slice grilled chicken breast to take with you to work for an afternoon snack or store low-sodium turkey breast or lean ham in the refrigerator as an alternative to cottage cheese.

Canned tuna is another convenient option. For lunch, instead of cottage cheese with your green salad, try tuna salad made with fat-free yogurt.