How long can you really keep cheese?
How do you know whether your cheese is still good, or whether you’d better throw it away? Best-before dates aren’t always accurate, so we’ve put together the ultimate mini-guide to storing cheese.
That small leftover piece of Parmesan or the brie you bought for drinks the other day—how long do they stay good? Experts from the culinary website Tasting Table reveal the shelf life of different cheeses, and it’s longer than you probably think.
Hard cheese
According to Tasting Table, hard cheeses have the longest shelf life. You can keep Parmesan in the fridge for six weeks after opening the package. Unopened, hard cheeses such as pecorino and cheddar can be kept for no less than six months.
Semi-hard cheese
If you see mold on semi-hard cheeses such as Emmental and our Dutch Edam, there’s no need to worry—you can simply cut it off and eat the rest. You can keep Emmental and Edam in the fridge for three weeks once opened. You can also put them in the freezer, where they will keep for two months.
Soft cheese
Soft cheeses, such as Camembert and brie, have the shortest shelf life. It’s best to throw soft cheese away as soon as there is mold on it. You can freeze these cheeses too, but it isn’t recommended: the flavor and texture won’t improve as a result.
