Some cottage cheese products have carrageenan while others do not. In other words, it is essential to read the ingredients printed on the cottage cheese container to determine whether or not it has carrageenan if you desire to avoid it.
Here are 13 brands that make cottage cheese products without carrageenan. We speculate that they will remain carrageenan-free going forward but quickly check their ingredients at the store to verify.
Cottage Cheese Without Carrageenan
Before we get into the cottage cheese products without carrageenan, let’s go over a few tips to generally help you avoid this ingredient:
- Be cautious of store brands. You’ll commonly find carrageenan as an ingredient in many store brand cottage cheese products. Brands like Great Value (Walmart), Publix, and Kroger have carrageenan.
- It is more common for fat-free cottage cheese to have carrageenan over higher fat options. The lack of fat impacts the texture which many manufacturers remedy by adding stabilizer or thickeners.
- Organic cottage cheese typically is carrageenan-free.
- If a brand makes one cottage cheese product that is carrageenan-free, this does not mean that all cottage cheeses made by the brand are also free of carrageenan.
These brands make carrageenan-free cottage cheese as described below:
365 By Whole Foods
The Whole Foods brand of organic cottage cheese called 365 by Whole Foods Market does contain stabilizers such as locust bean gum and agar but it is free of carrageenan.
Ingredients:
Organic 1.5 Milkfat Cottage Cheese – Cultured Organic Nonfat Milk, Organic Milk, Organic Cream, Stabilizers (Sea Salt, Organic Locust Bean Gum, Agar), Vitamin A Palmitate, Carbon Dioxide (To Maintain Freshness).
Organic 4% Milkfat Cottage Cheese – Cultured Organic Nonfat Milk, Organic Milk, Organic Cream, Stabilizers (Sea Salt, Organic Locust Bean Gum, Agar), Carbon Dioxide (To Maintain Freshness)
Breakstone’s
Breakstone’s is a popular brand of cottage cheese that was recently sold by Kraft Heinz to Lactalis Group, a French dairy company. Instead of carrageenan, it contains tapioca starch which is commonly used in foods as a thickener, stabilizer, or emulsifier. It is derived from the cassava plant making it vegan and gluten-free.
Ingredients:
4% Milkfat Cottage Cheese – Cultured Pasteurized Skim Milk, Cream, Tapioca Starch, Salt.
2% Milkfat Cottage Cheese – Cultured Pasteurized Skim Milk, Cream, Tapioca Starch, Salt, Vitamin A Palmitate.
2% Milkfat Low Sodium Cottage Cheese – Cultured Pasteurized Skim Milk, Cream, Tapioca Starch, Salt, Vitamin A Palmitate.
Fat Free Cottage Cheese – Cultured Pasteurized Grade A Skim Milk, Whey, Contains Less Than 2% Of Modified Food Starch, Salt, Calcium Phosphate, Artificial Color, Xanthan Gum, Mono- And Diglycerides, Guar Gum, Cream, Natural Flavor, Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin D3.
Clover Sonoma
Clover Sonoma makes regular and organic cottage cheese. The regular kind has carrageenan whereas the organic variety is carrageenan-free. The milk used to make the organic cottage cheese comes from independent family farms located in Northern California. The company places an enormous focus on treating its animals with respect and care to help create its high-quality dairy products.
Ingredients:
Organic Low Fat Cottage Cheese – Organic Nonfat Milk, Organic Milk, Organic Cream, Contains Less Than 2% Of: Salt, Tri-calcium Phosphate, Organic Guar Gum, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Organic Locust Bean Gum, Vitamin A Palmitate, Microbial Rennet, Carbon Dioxide (To Maintain Freshness), Contains Live Cultures: L. Acidophilus And Bifidobacterium Bifidum.
Daisy
This is one of the favorite cottage cheese brands here at The Dairy Dish. It only contains simple ingredients without carrageenan and it’s typically sold at a reasonable price. As a bonus, it’s made with cultured milk to provide the potential benefits of live and active cultures.
Ingredients:
4% Milkfat – cultured Skim Milk, Cream, Salt.
2% Milkfat – Cultured Skim Milk, Cream, Salt.
Friendship Dairies
Most Friendship Dairies cottage cheese products do not contain carrageenan. However, be careful of the variety of cottage cheese you purchase. Friendship Dairies nonfat cottage has carrageenan but the higher fat options do not.
Green Valley Creamery
Green Valley specializes in producing lactose-free dairy products, including cottage cheese. A quick scan of the ingredient list confirms that its lactose-free cottage cheese is indeed carrageenan-free. The cottage cheese is crafted from a few carefully chosen organic ingredients including lactase, an enzyme that breaks down lactose to make it easily digestible for people sensitive to dairy.
Ingredients:
Organic Skim Milk, Organic Whole Milk, Organic Cream, Lactase Enzyme, Celtic Sea Salt, Live And Active Cultures.
Good Culture
Good Culture also makes carrageenan-free cottage cheese products. The company takes pride in avoiding not just carrageenan, but also other artificial additives, chemical preservatives, and added hormones. This dedication to transparency and health is further highlighted by the use of milk from cows not treated with rBST, as validated by the FDA.
Good Culture offers a range of cottage cheese options to cater to different preferences and dietary needs. Whether you opt for the 2%, 4%, or 6% milkfat varieties, or even the lactose-free options, you can enjoy the benefits of high protein, live and active cultures, and the delightful texture of soft, small curds.
Kalona Super Natural
Kalona Super Natural offers two varieties of minimally processed cottage cheese, both made with a commitment to quality and sustainability. This organic cottage cheese is produced from grass-fed cows on small family farms in America.
Ingredients:
Organic Whole Milk Cottage Cheese – Organic Nonfat Milk, Organic Whole Milk, Organic Cream, Celtic Sea Salt, Live & Active Cultures (Mucor Miehei Protease).
Organic Lowfat Cottage Cheese – Organic Nonfat Milk, Organic Whole Milk, Organic Cream, Celtic Sea Salt, Live & Active Cultures, (Mucor Miehei Protease)
Knudsen
Knudsen offers a variety of cottage cheese options, each with its own unique features and ingredients. Upon examining the ingredient lists, it’s clear that carrageenan is not a part of these cottage cheese products.
With different fat percentages and flavors available, these cottage cheeses provide protein-rich and flavorful options for your culinary creations or as a snack. Enjoy the goodness of Knudsen cottage cheese without the worry of carrageenan.
Ingredients:
4% Milkfat Cottage Cheese – Cultured Pasteurized Grade A Nonfat Milk, Milk And Cream, Whey, Contains Less Than 2% Of Modified Food Starch, Salt, Calcium Phosphate, Xanthan Gum, Guar Gum, Acetic Acid, Vitamin D3.
2% Milkfat Cottage Cheese – Cultured Pasteurized Grade A Nonfat Milk, Milk And Cream, Whey, Contains Less Than 2% Of Modified Food Starch, Salt, Calcium Phosphate, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Guar Gum, Natural Flavor, Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin D3.
Nonfat Cottage Cheese – Cultured Pasteurized Grade A Nonfat Milk, Whey, Contains Less Than 2% Of Modified Food Starch, Salt, Artificial Color, Calcium Phosphate, Mono- And Diglycerides, Cream, Xanthan Gum, Guar Gum, Sodium Phosphate, Potassium Sorbate, Acetic Acid, Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin D3. Adds A Trivial Amount Of Fat.
Lactaid
Lactaid is a popular lactose-free dairy brand. Its cottage cheese is made with real milk with an enzyme known as lactase added to it to remove its lactose. While this cottage cheese has thickeners and stabilizers such as xanthan gum and guar gum, it contains no carrageenan.
Ingredients:
4% Milkfat Cottage Cheese – Cultured Pasteurized Skim Milk and Cream, Whey Protein Concentrate, Whey, Salt, Natural Flavor, Lactase Enzyme, Xanthan Gum, Locust Bean Gum, Guar Gum, Lactic Acid, Sorbic Acid, Carbon Dioxide (to maintain freshness), Phosphoric Acid, and Enzymes.
Nancy’s
Nancy’s makes organic and natural cottage cheese. It contains no thickeners, carrageenan, gluten, or artificial ingredients. Similar to Daisy, it has live cultures that are beneficial to the body. Some of these potential benefits include gut and immune health.
Ingredients:
Organic Whole Milk Cottage Cheese: Organic Pasteurized Whole Milk, Organic Pasteurized Cream, Organic Pasteurized Nonfat Milk, Salt. 4 Strains of Lactic Cultures. Live Probiotic Cultures.
Organic Lowfat Cottage Cheese: Organic Pasteurized Nonfat Milk, Organic Pasteurized Cream, Salt. 4 Strains of Lactic Cultures. Live Probiotic Cultures.
Natural Lowfat Cottage Cheese: Pasteurized Nonfat Milk, Pasteurized Cream, Salt. 4 Strains of Lactic Cultures. Live Probiotic Cultures.
Organic Valley
If you’re considering Organic Valley cottage cheese and are concerned about the presence of carrageenan, rest assured that their products do not contain this ingredient. Its cottage cheese can be a healthy addition to your diet due to its natural ingredients and quality nutritional profile.
Ingredients:
2% Milkfat Cottage Cheese – Organic Cultured Pasteurized Skim Milk, Organic Pasteurized Cream, Organic Nonfat Milk, Salt, Citric Acid, Organic Guar Gum, Organic Locust Bean Gum, Acidophilus And Bifidus Cultures, Vitamin A Palmitate.
4% Milkfat Cottage Cheese – Organic Cultured Pasteurized Skim Milk, Organic Pasteurized Cream, Organic Nonfat Milk, Salt, Citric Acid, Organic Guar Gum, Organic Locust Bean Gum, Acidophilus And Bifidus Cultures.
Trader Joe’s
You should be extremely careful about buying store brand cottage cheese products if you wish to avoid carrageenan because they are notorious for having it. However, Trader Joe’s 4% milkfat cottage cheese is an exception.
Ingredients:
4% Milkfat Cottage Cheese – Cultured Pasteurized Nonfat Milk, Pasteurized Milk, Pasteurized Cream, Sea Salt, Stabilizer (Nonfat Milk, Locust Bean Gum, Agar), Carbon Dioxide (To Maintain Freshness).