How to store cheese, and which kinds you can freeze
Quick answer
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Fridge
Keeps for 3-4 weeks once opened
Hard cheese keeps 6 months unopened and 3 to 4 weeks once opened, while soft cheese keeps 1 to 2 weeks.
Watch out Refrigerator times count from the date you buy the cheese.
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Freezer
Keeps for 3-6 months
Hard cheese and soft cheese such as Brie or goat cheese keep 6 months, and shredded cheddar or mozzarella keeps 3 to 4 months.
Watch out Freezing isn't recommended for cream cheese, cottage cheese, processed slices, or shredded Parmesan.
Hard cheese keeps 3 to 4 weeks in the refrigerator once opened and 6 months in the freezer. Shredded cheddar or mozzarella freezes for 3 to 4 months. Freezing isn't recommended for cream cheese, cottage cheese, processed slices, or shredded Parmesan.
Buying cheese this week?
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Cheese freezes well or badly depending on the kind. Hard cheese keeps 6 months in the freezer and shredded cheddar or mozzarella keeps 3 to 4 months, but cream cheese and cottage cheese aren’t recommended for freezing.
This guide gives freezer and refrigerator times for each kind, then covers how to store cheese and what to do when it grows mold.
Can you freeze cheese?
Yes, some kinds. Hard cheese such as cheddar, Swiss, or block Parmesan keeps 6 months in the freezer, and so does soft cheese such as Brie, Bel Paese, or goat cheese. Shredded cheddar or mozzarella keeps 3 to 4 months.
Freezing isn’t recommended for cream cheese, cottage cheese, processed cheese slices, or shredded or grated Parmesan.
Can you freeze shredded cheese?
Yes, shredded cheese such as cheddar or mozzarella keeps 3 to 4 months in the freezer. Shredded or grated Parmesan is the exception, because freezing isn’t recommended. It keeps 12 months in the refrigerator instead.
Can you freeze cream cheese?
No, freezing isn’t recommended for cream cheese. It keeps 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
Can you freeze cottage cheese?
No, freezing isn’t recommended for cottage cheese. It keeps 2 weeks in the refrigerator, or 1 week once opened.
Can you freeze ricotta cheese?
No, USDA FoodKeeper doesn’t recommend freezing ricotta. It keeps 2 weeks in the refrigerator from the date you buy it, and 1 week once opened.
Ricotta has its own FoodKeeper line, separate from the Brie, Bel Paese, and goat cheese line that freezes for 6 months.
Can you freeze nacho cheese or pimento cheese?
You can freeze store-bought nacho cheese for 3 months, but USDA FoodKeeper doesn’t recommend it because freezing may hurt the texture. FoodKeeper gives no freezer time for packaged pimento cheese. The table shows how long each one keeps before and after you open it.
| Cheese | Unopened | Opened | Freezer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Store-bought nacho cheese | 2 years in the pantry | 2 weeks in the refrigerator | 3 months, but not recommended |
| Packaged pimento cheese | Until the package use-by date, in the refrigerator | 4 weeks in the refrigerator | Not specified |
How long does cheese last in the fridge?
It ranges from 1 week to 12 months, depending on the kind. Hard cheese lasts longest, 6 months unopened and 3 to 4 weeks once opened.
Refrigerator times count from the date you buy the cheese, so it helps to remember when that was.
| Cheese | Refrigerator | Freezer |
|---|---|---|
| Hard cheese (cheddar, Swiss, block Parmesan) | 6 months unopened, 3 to 4 weeks once opened | 6 months |
| Shredded or grated Parmesan | 12 months | Not recommended |
| Shredded cheese (cheddar, mozzarella) | 1 month | 3 to 4 months |
| Processed cheese slices | 3 to 4 weeks | Not recommended |
| Soft cheese (Brie, Bel Paese, goat cheese) | 1 to 2 weeks | 6 months |
| Cottage cheese | 2 weeks, 1 week once opened | Not recommended |
| Cream cheese | 2 weeks | Not recommended |
| String cheese | 5 months | Not specified |
How long is cream cheese good for?
Cream cheese keeps 2 weeks in the refrigerator, counted from the date you buy it. If it grows mold, throw it out.
How long is cream cheese good for after opening?
Cream cheese keeps 2 weeks in the refrigerator, counted from the date you buy it. USDA FoodKeeper gives no separate time for opened cream cheese.
Ricotta and cottage cheese are different. Each keeps 2 weeks from the date you buy it and 1 week once opened.
How to store cheese
Keep cheese cold, at or below 40°F (4°C). Don’t leave it out of refrigeration for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C).
Unopened hard cheese keeps 6 months in the refrigerator but only 3 to 4 weeks once opened. After cutting away mold, re-cover the cheese in fresh wrap.
How long can cream cheese sit out?
Cream cheese can sit out for no more than 2 hours, or 1 hour when the temperature is above 90°F (32°C). So don’t leave it on the counter overnight.
The same limit applies to cottage cheese and other soft, perishable cheese. Bacteria grow most rapidly between 40°F (4°C) and 140°F (60°C), doubling in number in as little as 20 minutes. The USDA explains why in its guide to the Danger Zone.
Can you cut mold off cheese?
Only off hard cheese. Soft, shredded, crumbled, and sliced cheese goes in the trash.
Hard cheese
Cut off at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) around and below the mold spot. Keep the knife out of the mold so it doesn’t spread, then re-cover the cheese in fresh wrap.
Mold generally can’t penetrate deep into hard cheese. This applies to cheese where mold isn’t part of how it’s made.
Blue cheese, Brie, and Camembert
Roquefort, blue cheese, Gorgonzola, Stilton, Brie, and Camembert are made with mold. Discard soft ones such as Brie and Camembert if they have mold that isn’t part of how they are made.
On hard ones such as Gorgonzola and Stilton, cut off at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) around and below the spot and treat them like hard cheese.
Soft, shredded, and sliced cheese
Throw out moldy soft cheese such as cottage cheese, cream cheese, Neufchatel, chevre, and Bel Paese. Do the same with moldy crumbled, shredded, or sliced cheese of any type.
High-moisture food can be contaminated below the surface, and cut cheese can be contaminated by the knife. Moldy soft cheese can also have bacteria growing along with the mold.
Frequently asked questions
How long does shredded cheese last?
Shredded cheese such as cheddar or mozzarella keeps 1 month in the refrigerator and 3 to 4 months in the freezer. Shredded or grated Parmesan keeps 12 months in the refrigerator.
Can you freeze Brie or goat cheese?
Yes. Soft cheese such as Brie, Bel Paese, or goat cheese keeps 6 months in the freezer and 1 to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
How long does string cheese last in the fridge?
String cheese keeps 5 months in the refrigerator, counted from the date you buy it.
Can you freeze processed cheese slices?
Freezing isn't recommended for processed cheese slices. They keep 3 to 4 weeks in the refrigerator.
Why should you throw out moldy soft cheese?
High-moisture food can be contaminated below the surface, and moldy soft cheese can have bacteria growing along with the mold. That's why soft cheese goes in the trash instead of being trimmed.
How long does hard cheese last in the fridge?
Hard cheese such as cheddar, Swiss, or block Parmesan keeps 6 months in the refrigerator unopened and 3 to 4 weeks once opened.
How long does ricotta last in the fridge?
Ricotta keeps 2 weeks in the refrigerator from the date you buy it, and 1 week once opened. Freezing isn't recommended.
How long does cottage cheese last after opening?
Cottage cheese keeps 1 week once opened. Before opening, it keeps 2 weeks in the refrigerator from the date you buy it.
