Cheeses come in diverse flavors and are super nutritious. They contain calcium, a crucial nutrient beneficial for wound healing, healthy teeth, bones, and blood clotting.
You can add cheese to a range of foods. You can add it to soups, salads, snacks, and more. But keep in mind that storage is crucial when handling cheese. You have to store cheese properly to extend its shelf-life.
Freezing has always been a much better way to store food items for an extended period. But the question is can frozen cheese go bad? How long can frozen cheese last in the freezer?
We’ll be answering several questions on cheese storage in this post. Just keep reading for more details.
Can Frozen Cheese Go Bad?
Firstly, remember that you can freeze cheese to extend its shelf life. There’s nothing wrong with that.
Will cheese go bad when stored in the freezer? Your frozen cheese won’t go bad immediately. It would stay fresh in the freezer for months.
Keeping leftover cheeses frozen is a much better and healthier way to extend their shelf life. When stored in the freezer, your cheese would stay fresh and eatable for many months.
A Handy Tip: Cheese’s response to freezing depends on the type of cheese. Some cheese freeze better than others. Examples include halloumi, cheddar, and red Leicester cheese.
How Long Can Cheese Last in The Freezer?
The freezer is the perfect place to store cheese for an extended period. It doesn’t matter if it’s a leftover cheese or not.
Now, how long can cheese stay fresh and eatable in the freezer?
Well, the truth is you can store cheese in the freezer indefinitely at zero degrees. It won’t go bad once frozen, but make sure you prepare the cheese well before putting it in the freezer.
However, it’s not advisable to store cheese indefinitely. Get ready to use it within 6 to 9 months.
Remember that you can’t store all types of cheese in the freezer. You can store cheddar cheese in the freezer since it’s hard and will retain its original texture when thawed.
Unfortunately, the texture of soft cheeses such as a cottage or creamed cheese might change when stored in the freezer and thawed.
A Handy Tip: Soft cheeses’ texture can become grainy when frozen. But keep in mind that this problem isn’t particular to soft cheeses alone. Even hard cheeses such as cheddar can become crumbly when you don’t store them properly.
How Long Does Frozen Cheese Last After The Expiration Date?
Understand that cheese (hard and semi-hard) can last for 6 to 8 months past its noted expiration date. It doesn’t matter whether the cheese has been opened or not.
Your cheese’s appearance and odor can help you determine its quality than the expiration date. By the way, you can store cheese in the freezer past its expiration date.
But keep this in mind. Mold buildup is possible on cheese. You may likely find mold growing on hard and soft cheese that is about to go bad.
Now, here’s the thing. A hard cheese that has mold growing on it is salvageable. Just cut off the area below the mold, and you can use the remaining portion. Is such cheese safe? Yes, it is.
On the contrary, discard the entire cheese if you find mold growing on soft cheese. Even if you cut off the mold, the cheese is still unsafe. Why? There’s a chance the mold has spread to other areas.
A Handy Tip: It’s advisable to discard cheese with mold growing on it. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a hard or soft cheese.
Does Cheese Expire If Unopened?
Yes, it does. Understand that an unopened cheese would last for approximately 6 months even after it has passed its best before date. Just store the cheese in the refrigerator safely.
You also have to observe your cheese for any visible sign of spoilage once it has past the expiration date.
A Handy Tip: You can indefinitely store unopened cheddar cheese at zero degrees Fahrenheit in the freezer.
Can You Eat 2-Year-Old Frozen Cheese?
Freezing foods help to extend their shelf lives. Why? The cold environment created by the appliance helps inhibit bacterial growth, preventing the spoilage of foods.
So, your frozen cheese can last for months when stored properly. But like every other food, the frozen cheese’s quality will deteriorate over time.
When you thaw and use frozen cheese that has deteriorated, you won’t enjoy it. So it’s advisable to consume cheese a few months after storage. Please avoid storing freezing cheese for 2 years.
You can decipher when your hard cheese has spoilt when it starts giving off a sour taste or odor. We also suggest you don’t consume such cheese, as it could mess up your stomach and health. Just discard the cheese and get a fresh one from the market.
However, if you discover mold growing on the hard cheese, cut off the portion where the mold is and use it. It is safe to consume, as we earlier discussed. Why? The reason is simple. The firm cheese isn’t porous. Thus, spores can’t get past it and spread all over the cheese.
But then, don’t assume the same thing for soft cheese. Why? The reason is that they’re porous, and thus, the spores can easily travel to other parts of the cheese.
How Long Does Shredded Cheese Last in The Freezer?
Shredded cheese freezes well. Just ensure you put the cheese into an airtight container before freezing.
Shredded cheese can last in the freezer for 8 months when appropriately prepared before freezing.
The cheese would remain at best quality for 8 months but would last much longer in the freezer. When stored at zero degrees Fahrenheit, shredded cheddar cheese can last indefinitely.
A Handy Tip: If your cheese has an off odor, appearance, or flavor, chances are it has spoilt. Mold growth is also another reason to consider discarding the cheese.
How Do You Store Cheese in The Freezer?
Cheeses are a bit tricky to store in the freezer. You have to prepare and store your cheese appropriately to retain its quality for months.
Additionally, remember the type of cheese plays a crucial role in helping you decide whether to store the cheese or not.
If you’re dealing with firm cheeses, you can consider freezing them. Why? Hard cheese generally freezes well.
However, if you’re dealing with soft cheeses, you’re better off not freezing them. Why? They don’t freeze well. The sooner you consume the entire cheese, the better.
If you’re dealing with a firmer cheese, follow the steps below to freeze it.
1: Get cheese prepared
How do you plan to store your cheeses in the freezer? Do you prefer the cheeses sliced and grated, or would you rather keep them in blocks?
Whatever your decision is, remember to store your cheeses in smaller portions. Why? This will help you ensure you don’t thaw a larger amount of cheese that you might not finish at once.
It’s advisable to freeze 500g per portion, as it’s the most convenient. And remember to put parchment paper between sliced cheeses to ensure they don’t stick together once frozen.
2: Wrap your cheese
It’s time to start wrapping your cheese since you know the size of each portion. Wrap with foil or cheese paper before putting them in the airtight container or bag.
Remember to squeeze out the air in the bag before placing the cheese in the freezer.
3: Label the package
Remember to label each package before freezing. Note the type of the cheese, date of storage, and other vital information you feel are valuable to you.
Can You Freeze Cheese in Its Original Packaging?
Yes, you can. If the cheese in question is a tiny portion, go ahead and freeze it. There’s no point opening the original package since the one left is a small portion. Just ensure the package is well-sealed.
Finally, remember to store it in an airtight container or freezer bag, as it’s the best way to keep the cheese for an extended period.
How Do You Defrost Cheese?
You can defrost cheese with ease. Just remove the quantity of cheese you want from the freezer and put the cheese on a plate.
Leave the cheese in the fridge to defrost overnight. A 500g cheese would defrost in 8 hours. But keep in mind that sliced cheese would take a bit longer to defrost than grated ones.
Conclusion
Does frozen cheese go bad? You can store frozen cheese indefinitely at zero degrees Fahrenheit. But remember, the quality would deteriorate over time.
Furthermore, you can store cheese in the freezer for more than 6 months, and it would retain its best quality.
You have to also remember that you can’t freeze all types of cheeses. Hard cheeses freeze well, but softer ones don’t. You’re better off finishing your leftover soft cheese than freezing it.
