It depends on the cheese, and the spread is wide. Low-fat cottage cheese, quark and low-fat mozzarella were on my Phase 1 list. Cheddar, feta, brie and parmesan came back in Phase 2, in weighed portions. Blue cheese: Phase 2, small amounts.
I weigh cheese. I didn’t before, and that’s partly why I’m writing this site.
The fat math
Per 30 g, roughly the slice you’d put on bread:
Cheddar about 10 g. Brie about 8 or 9 g. Feta and full-fat mozzarella about 6 or 7 g. Low-fat mozzarella about 4 or 5 g.
Then the Phase 1 group: 100 g of low-fat cottage cheese is about 2 g at 2% fat, and the 1% tubs halve that. Quark is about 0.3 g per 100 g. 10 g of grated parmesan is about 3 g, which is small because the portion is small.
Against my budget (20 to 30 g a day while I’m strict, 40 to 50 g once things have settled), 1 slice of cheddar is a third of a strict day. 3 slices on a pizza and the day is gone.
Which phase
Phase 1: cottage cheese, quark, low-fat mozzarella. Phase 2: everything else on my sheet, portioned, with blue cheese at the careful end.
Personal, as ever. Confirm with your team, and own a kitchen scale.
How I actually eat it
Breakfast: 100 g low-fat cottage cheese with mandarin segments. That was my Phase 1 morning for weeks.
In Phase 2: 10 g of parmesan grated over pasta, or 1 slice of cheddar (20 g, weighed) on sourdough. I know exactly what it costs, so I enjoy it instead of worrying about it.
Questions people ask me
Can I eat cottage cheese with pancreatitis?
Yes, and early. Low-fat cottage cheese was a Phase 1 food for me at about 2 g of fat per 100 g, half that for the 1% tubs. I ate it most mornings with mandarin.
Which cheese is lowest in fat for pancreatitis?
Low-fat quark at about 0.3 g per 100 g, then low-fat cottage cheese at about 2 g. Low-fat mozzarella is next at about 4 or 5 g per 30 g. Cheddar and brie sit at 8 to 10 g per 30 g.
Can I eat pizza with pancreatitis?
The crust is fine. 3 slices of cheddar or full-fat mozzarella on top is 20 to 30 g of fat, a whole strict day. I make a Phase 2 version with low-fat mozzarella, weighed.
Read on
The full phase lists and the fat budget are in the book. For a plate that uses this: the healing chicken and vegetable soup. More answers like this one: all food questions.
Not medical advice. This page reflects one patient’s low-fat approach grounded in published guidance. Fat tolerance is individual. Check with your own healthcare team before changing your diet.