Published October 2, 2026 03:34PM<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Reporting Note:<\/strong> Outside<\/em> contributor Marisa McMillan is a health journalist and Outside\u2019<\/em>s former health history columnist. She previously did a deep dive into the history of cottage cheese and its return to health and performance foods. Cottage cheese chips are trending, so we asked Johannah Katz, RDN<\/a>, a registered dietitian, for their thoughts on three simple cottage cheese\u2013based snacks and why they\u2019re good for fueling your next hike.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Cottage cheese has been having a real moment. Once relegated to diet plates and 1950s kitchens, it\u2019s become one of the internet\u2019s go-to protein sources. Its rise says less about its flavor than its versatility: It\u2019s a food that disappears into almost anything while\u00a0padding your protein count.<\/p>\n Most recently, cottage cheese chips<\/a>\u00a0are trending. They\u2019re baked clumps of cottage cheese, and something that you could easily take with you while you\u2019re on the go. But I wondered if they could make for solid trail fuel. So, I reached out to a dietitian for answers.<\/p>\n \u201cCottage cheese packs a lot of protein for a relatively modest number of calories,\u201d Johannah Katz, RDN<\/a>, a registered dietitian specializing in weight management, preventive care, and performance nutrition, told Outside<\/i>. It helps with satiety and muscle recovery. The catch, she noted, is that protein alone isn\u2019t ideal trail fuel. You still want to pair it with carbohydrates, especially on longer or more strenuous adventures.<\/p>\n With that in mind, here are the best cottage cheese recipes to power your next trail adventure.<\/p>\n If you want a savory option on the trail, cottage cheese chips are it. TikTok creator @the.brittney<\/a> shared the recipe on\u00a0her page. Here\u2019s how to make it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n To make them, place lumps of cottage cheese on a parchment-lined baking sheet. (Make sure to space them out so you don\u2019t end up with one giant baked clump!) Sprinkle them with salt, pepper, and everything bagel seasoning. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for about 40 minutes, or until they\u2019re as crisp as you want.<\/p>\n Katz calls these the most protein-forward option, but on their own they won\u2019t get you far on the trail. To make them real fuel, she suggests pairing them with fruit to boost satiety<\/a>. Bananas, apples, and blueberries are good options.<\/p>\n For a sweeter option, you can bake a batch of blueberry cottage cheese bars<\/a>, a recipe by Eating with Zion<\/a>, which are super easy to make.<\/p>\n Whisk together the eggs, cottage cheese, avocado oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Then fold in the flour, baking powder, and blueberries. Pour into a lined pan and bake at 350 degrees until a toothpick comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Then cut it into bars.<\/p>\n Katz likes this recipe because the blueberries round out the protein with something your body can burn as your hiking effort picks up. The blueberries also add anthocyanins (plant-based chemicals associated with<\/a> lower blood pressure and reduced risk of heart disease), fiber (which is good for digestive health<\/a>), and vitamins. Research also links blueberry consumption to lower inflammation and a faster bounce-back<\/a> after a hard effort.<\/p>\n \u201cExactly how much quick energy the bars provide will depend on how much fruit and whether any other carbohydrate ingredients are in the recipe, since blueberries themselves aren\u2019t an especially concentrated carbohydrate source,\u201d Katz said.<\/p>\n This recipe yields ten bars, and after some math, each bar provides about 11 grams of carbs. For casual hiking, the endurance guideline is usually about 30 to 50 grams of carbs per hour<\/a>. Two of these bars plus something like a banana, which contains about 27 grams of carbs, can get you in that range to give you enough energy to sustain your trek.<\/p>\n For something to help sustain your hike and give you energy on the trail, try this peanut butter cottage cheese ball<\/a> recipe by Bored of Lunch<\/a>.<\/p>\n Combine all ingredients in a blender and roll into balls. Refrigerate or freeze until firm enough not to break apart. Then, coat each one in melted chocolate and add a pinch of flaky sea salt on top.<\/p>\n Each ball packs about 11 grams of protein for roughly 237 calories. Of the three snacks, Katz calls this the most complete: oats bring carbohydrate and fiber, peanut butter adds fat and calorie density, while honey adds a fast-acting energy boost. \u201cThat mix of nutrients can be particularly useful on a long, steady hike because you\u2019re getting both fuel for activity and enough protein, fat and fiber to make the snack satisfying,\u201d Katz said.<\/p>\n The fat from the peanut butter packs more calories into less food, which is useful for longer treks. But Katz said that since fat and fiber digest slowly, if you\u2019re someone prone to stomach trouble, you wouldn\u2019t want to eat a huge serving of this directly before a hike.<\/p>\n Whether you blend or bake it, fresh cottage cheese is perishable. According to the United States Department of Agriculture<\/a>, food shouldn\u2019t sit above 40 degrees Fahrenheit for more than two hours, or more than one hour if it\u2019s above 90 degrees Fahrenheit outside. Bacteria can multiply quickly if you don\u2019t store food in cooler temps promptly.<\/p>\n Katz suggests packing any of the three in an insulated container with a frozen ice pack to be safe. If you\u2019re going on a shorter hike, two hours or less, and it\u2019s not too hot outside, you can likely get away with tossing them in a bag and hitting the trails.<\/p>\n Want more\u00a0<\/b>Outside<\/i><\/b>\u00a0health stories?\u00a0<\/b>Sign up for the Bodywork newsletter<\/b><\/a>. And for tips on how to train, fuel, and recover better,\u00a0<\/b>sign up for the Sweat Science 101 newsletter<\/b>.<\/b><\/p>\n <\/div>\n1. Cottage Cheese Chips<\/h2>\n
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2. Blueberry Cottage Cheese Bars<\/h2>\n
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3. Peanut Butter Cottage Cheese Balls<\/h2>\n
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How to Pack Cottage Cheese on a Hike<\/h2>\n