The $3.99 Trader Joe’s Find I Can’t Get Enough Of

I turned 40 this month, and in 2025, that comes with an expectation to worry about protein and fall hard for cottage cheese. It's no surprise that cottage cheese-forward recipes flood my feed. Food makers are adding it to ice cream, cookie dough, lunch bowls, and even pasta.

While I love cheese, cottage is not a variety I pine for. It’s not something I despise, but I certainly don’t seek it out, either. 

However, that all changed during a recent trip to Trader Joe’s. One thing that will always make me do a double-take is anything ranch-flavored. Their organic ranch dressing is a family favorite, and I swear by their seasoning to liven up weeknight dinners. Trader Joe’s knows how to do ranch.

I love the slightly nostalgic flavor of ranch and find it to be an olive branch to extend to my kids who ask, ‘What is that green thing in my food?’ They will happily eat almost anything green as long as it’s slathered in or sprinkled with ranch flavoring. So when I spotted TJ’s new Ranch Cottage Cheese Dip for $3.99, it went straight into the cart.

Why I Love Trader Joe’s Ranch Cottage Cheese Dip

It’s the perfect way to enjoy cottage cheese’s tang. Instead of covering up that slightly sour flavor, the geniuses in the TJ’s flavor lab leaned into it. Greek yogurt, buttermilk, dried herbs, and savory garlic and onion powder combine to pack this dip with vibrant flavor and zest.

One of my chief complaints with cottage cheese is the texture. I may come off more like a four-year-old than a 40-year-old, but I can’t handle the chunks. This dip fixes that. It’s whipped into a texture somewhere between cream cheese and thick Greek yogurt.

It’s perfect for dipping or layering on sandwiches, wraps, or toast. I love it on a quick egg sandwich, or mixed with a bit of leftover cooked chicken for a shortcut chicken salad. It would be delicious on top of a baked potato. It’s the kind of thing you start using everywhere once it’s in the fridge.

At $3.99 for eight ounces, it goes quickly. This dip has changed the way I think about cottage cheese. It’s easy to keep on hand, endlessly versatile, and checks the protein box. Once I start snacking on it, it’s hard to stop. I guess that’s one tasty way to meet my daily protein goal!

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