Regular cheese is flagged
GallDiet treats cheese as a high trigger. Cheddar is about a third fat by weight, so a small amount adds a lot.
The scores
How GallDiet scores cheese, from highest to lowest.
Each number is the average GallDiet score, out of 100, for that kind of food or meal among people who have gallstones and still have their gallbladder.
Cottage cheese
mid 80sLow-fat or fat-free cheese
mid 80sString cheese and snack portions
mid 70sCheese on its own
high 60sCream cheese
high 50sGrilled cheese
around 50Mac and cheese
around 50The labels describe the score, not your health: 85 and up is a high score, 71 to 84 is Caution, 31 to 70 is Moderate risk and 30 or less is High risk. Cheese pizza, cheeseburgers and cheesecake are not listed because fewer than 10 people have scanned each one so far.
Why the scores differ
Fat varies a lot from one cheese to the next.
Low-fat cheeses score higher
Cottage cheese, part-skim mozzarella and reduced-fat cheeses have much less fat. They average about 15 points higher than regular cheese on its own.
Melted into a meal, it stacks
Grilled cheese usually adds butter, and mac and cheese adds butter, milk or cream. Each is counted on top of the cheese, and both meals average around 50.
Raises the score
Cottage cheese Reduced-fat or part-skim cheese String cheese or another snack-size cheese
Lowers the score
Butter in the pan for grilled cheese Cream sauces Cream cheese Cheese on a burger or pizza
No gallbladder
Cheese after gallbladder removal.
GallDiet scores meals differently for people who have had their gallbladder removed. Fewer people in that group have scanned cheese, so treat these numbers as a rough guide.
Grilled cheese
high 50sFoods with cheese, all kinds
mid 40sCheeseburgers
low 40sMore on eating after gallbladder removal.
Your own answer
An average can't tell you how your body will react.
The same food is fine for some people with gallstones and a trigger for others. These scores show the pattern across many people, not what will happen on your plate.
GallDiet scores your own meal from a photo, a barcode or a typed name, checks it against the triggers you have saved, and keeps a record of what you ate before each bad day.
About these numbers
Where the scores come from.
The scores on this page are averages of what GallDiet gave to meals its users scanned or typed in, up to October 13, 2026. A group of meals is shown only when at least 10 different people scanned it, and every number is rounded.
A GallDiet score starts at 100 and loses points for common gallstone triggers in the meal, mostly fat. It does not know your portion size, your medical history or how your body reacts.
GallDiet does not diagnose, treat, prevent or cure gallbladder disease or any medical condition. Use these scores alongside advice from your doctor or dietitian, not in place of it.
Medical context: public guidance from the NIDDK covers eating, diet and nutrition for gallstones. If you have severe pain, fever, vomiting, jaundice or chest pain, seek medical care immediately.
FAQ
Common questions about cheese and gallstones.
Can I eat cottage cheese with gallstones?
Cottage cheese is the highest-scoring cheese in GallDiet, averaging in the mid 80s out of 100 across 25 people with gallstones. It has far less fat than hard cheeses such as cheddar.
Which cheese scores highest for gallstones?
Cottage cheese and low-fat or fat-free cheeses, which both average in the mid 80s out of 100 in GallDiet. String cheese and other snack portions average in the mid 70s, and regular cheese on its own in the high 60s.
Is cream cheese bad for gallstones?
Cream cheese averages in the high 50s out of 100 in GallDiet, across 17 people. It is about a third fat by weight, and GallDiet takes points off for it.
Can I eat grilled cheese with gallstones?
Grilled cheese and other cheese sandwiches average around 50 out of 100 in GallDiet, across 15 people. The cheese and the butter in the pan are each counted as triggers.
Does cheese cause gallbladder attacks?
Some people with gallstones find that cheese sets off their symptoms and others eat it without any trouble. An average score cannot tell you which group you are in. Keeping a record of what you ate before each bad day is the practical way to find out. If you have severe pain, fever, vomiting or yellowing skin or eyes, seek medical care.
Can I eat cheese after gallbladder removal?
Among GallDiet users who have had their gallbladder removed, foods with cheese average in the mid 40s out of 100, across 85 people. Grilled cheese averages in the high 50s across 11 people and cheeseburgers in the low 40s across 10. Follow the advice your surgeon or dietitian gave you.
Where do these numbers come from?
They are averages of the scores GallDiet gave to 434 scans from 209 people who have gallstones and still have their gallbladder. A group is shown only when at least 10 different people scanned it. The scores are estimates based on common gallstone triggers, mainly fat, and they do not change with portion size. They are not medical advice.
Scan your own plate before you eat it.
Start with one meal photo, one barcode or one typed meal name. GallDiet is free to try.
Not a medical device. If you have severe pain, fever, jaundice, vomiting, or symptoms that concern you, seek medical care.