How to Store Cheese So It Lasts
Store cheese properly by wrapping hard cheeses in paper, keeping soft cheeses in boxes, and placing everything in the salad drawer away from strong odours.
Quick answer
Wrap hard cheeses in wax paper or cheese paper, not cling film. Store them in the salad drawer or a dedicated box. Keep blue cheeses separate so their mould spores and strong flavours do not contaminate other cheese. Bring hard cheeses to room temperature 30–60 minutes before serving.
Cheese is a living food that needs to breathe. Wrap it wrong and it sweats, grows mould, or absorbs fridge odours. The right storage keeps flavour intact and extends shelf life by days or weeks.
What you’ll need
- cheese paper or wax paper
- loose plastic bag or cheese box
- refrigerator salad drawer
Step by step
- 1
Wrap hard cheeses in paper
Cheddar, parmesan, and other hard cheeses need airflow. Wrap them in cheese paper or wax paper. Avoid cling film — it traps moisture, speeds up mould, and can taint flavour. If you only have cling film, wrap loosely and leave a small gap for air.
- 2
Store soft cheeses carefully
Brie, camembert, and similar soft cheeses are best kept in their original wrapper or a small lidded box. They need humidity but not direct contact with pooling liquid. Turn them every few days so one side does not become soggy.
- 3
Keep blue cheeses separate
Blue cheeses carry active mould spores and strong aromas. Store them in a separate container or wrapped tightly in foil so they do not flavour milder cheeses. Do not store blue and soft white cheeses together.
- 4
Choose the right fridge spot
The salad drawer or a dedicated cheese box is ideal — cool but not freezing. Avoid the fridge door, where temperature swings are highest, and the coldest shelf, which can freeze the surface and damage texture.
- 5
Serve at room temperature
Cold cheese has muted flavour and firm texture. Take hard cheeses out 30–60 minutes before serving. Soft cheeses need 20–30 minutes. Return leftovers to the fridge promptly after the meal.
Surface mould on hard cheese can usually be cut away with a 1 cm margin; the interior is generally safe to eat. On soft, cream, or blue cheeses, any unexpected mould, sliminess, or ammonia smell means the cheese is spoiled — discard it completely. When in doubt, throw it out. Pregnant people, older adults, and those with weakened immune systems should avoid unpasteurised cheeses entirely.
Common mistakes
- Wrapping in airtight cling film — smothers cheese and encourages surface moisture that leads to mould or rind breakdown.
- Storing all cheeses together without separation — strong blues can transfer flavour and contaminate milder cheeses.
- Keeping cheese in the warmest part of the fridge door — temperature fluctuations degrade texture fastest there.
Frequently asked
Can you freeze cheese, and which types freeze well?
Hard cheeses such as cheddar and parmesan freeze reasonably well for up to three months, though texture becomes more crumbly. Soft cheeses and blue cheeses do not freeze well — they separate and become grainy. Grate hard cheese before freezing for easier use.
How long does an opened block of cheddar last in the fridge?
A well-wrapped block of cheddar lasts 3–4 weeks in the fridge. If surface mould appears, cut it away with a 1 cm margin. If the cheese smells strongly of ammonia or feels slimy, discard it.
What is the white coating on some cheeses — is it mould or rind?
Brie and camembert have a white bloomy rind made of harmless edible mould. It is meant to be there and is safe to eat. If you see fuzzy mould in colours other than white, or the cheese smells bad underneath, it has spoiled.
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