How to Store Cheese and Make it Last Longer

How to store cheese and make it last longer

Cheese is a wonderful thing. It tastes great on its own, there are many different types of cheeses, and cheese is used in so many different delicious recipes. What’s not so great is opening your fridge to a moldy block of cheese.

Although with some cheeses you can simply cut around the mold and eat the rest of the cheese, it’s still not a pretty sight to see! It’s also difficult to know whether it’s still safe or not to eat the cheese, so a lot of people just end up throwing it out. This means money going in the trash!

In order to help you save some money, we’re going to share with you some tips on how to store cheese so that it lasts longer.

How Long Does Cheese Last?

Before we get into the tips, it’s useful to know how long you have before your cheese starts to go bad.

In the Fridge

According to EatByDate.com:

  • Hard cheese (unopened): 2-4 months past best before date
  • Shredded hard cheese (unopened): 1-2 months past best before date
  • Hard cheese (opened): 3-6 weeks past best before date
  • Shredded hard cheese (opened): 3-4 weeks past best before date
  • Semi-hard cheese (unopened): 1-2 months past best before date
  • Sliced semi-hard cheese (unopened): 1 month past best before date
  • Semi-hard cheese (opened): 3-6 weeks
  • Sliced semi-hard cheese (opened): 2 weeks

In the Freezer

According to EatByDate.com all types of cheese (opened or unopened) should last 6-8 months past the best before date if stored in the freezer.

These dates all depend on how well you’re storing your cheese, so let’s get into the best way!

How to Store Cheese

How to store cheese

There’s no real best way to store cheese, but here are some storage tips that will definitely make your cheese last longer:

  • Tip #1: It’s important to know that block cheese will go bad faster if you touch it with your fingers. Try to always hold the cheese with the plastic covering instead of grabbing it bare.
  • Tip #2: With hard blocks of cheese, it will last longer if you wrap it in cheese paper or wax paper. Just remember not to touch the cheese with your hands when you transfer it to the paper. You’ll also want to replace the paper every so often to keep it fresh.
  • Tip #3: For shredded cheese, make sure to store it in an airtight container.
  • Tip #4: If you can, store your cheese in your refrigerator drawer as they usually have the most consistent temperature.
  • Tip #5: If you’re dealing with a brined cheese, you’ll want to replace the brine if it gets dirty (eg. if you touch it with your fingers or a dirty knife). Learn how to make brine.

Conclusion

With the proper storage techniques, you should be able to eat all your cheese up before it even has a chance to go moldy. If you’re still having problems, try buying smaller blocks of cheese or less at a time.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure to check out our other money-saving tips:

Find more money tips here!

Best way to store cheese

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