Opened hard cheese like cheddar keeps for 3 to 4 weeks in the fridge. Soft cheese like brie keeps for 1 to 2 weeks.
Storage times
| Cheese | Fridge | Freezer |
|---|---|---|
| Hard (cheddar, Swiss, block Parmesan), unopened | 6 months | 6 months |
| Hard, opened | 3 to 4 weeks | 6 months |
| Soft (brie, Bel Paese, goat) | 1 to 2 weeks | 6 months |
| Shredded (cheddar, mozzarella) | 1 month | 3 to 4 months |
| Parmesan, shredded or grated | 12 months | Not recommended |
| Processed slices | 3 to 4 weeks | Not recommended |
Fridge at 40°F (4°C) or below, freezer at 0°F (−18°C) or below. Freezer times are for best quality only: food kept frozen at 0°F (−18°C) or below stays safe indefinitely. A dash means the source gives no time.
Storage tips
- Keep cheese wrapped so it doesn't dry out or pick up smells.
- After trimming mold off hard cheese, wrap it again in fresh wrap.
- Don't leave it out of the fridge for more than 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F / 32°C). USDA advises throwing out perishable food left out longer than that.
Signs it's gone off
- Hard cheese with a mold spot: cut off at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) around and below the spot, keeping the knife out of the mold. The rest is fine to use.
- Soft cheese (cottage, cream cheese, chèvre and similar) with mold: throw it out.
- Shredded, crumbled or sliced cheese of any type with mold: throw it out.
- Brie or Camembert with mold that isn't part of the cheese: throw it out. The mold in blue cheeses like Roquefort and Stilton is part of how they're made and is safe.
Common questions
How long does cheddar last once opened?
Opened hard cheese like cheddar keeps for 3 to 4 weeks in the fridge, according to USDA FoodKeeper. Unopened, it keeps for 6 months.
Can you cut mold off cheese?
Off hard cheese, yes: cut at least 1 inch around and below the spot. Throw out soft cheese and any shredded, crumbled or sliced cheese with mold.
Can you freeze cheese?
Hard and soft cheese keep their best quality for about 6 months in the freezer, and shredded cheese for 3 to 4 months. FoodKeeper doesn't recommend freezing processed slices.
Sources
- USDA FoodKeeper (FSIS, Cornell University and the Food Marketing Institute)
- USDA FSIS, Molds on Food: Are They Dangerous?
Guidance, not a guarantee. These times come from US government food safety sources and assume food was handled and stored safely. Always follow the date and instructions on the package, check food before you eat it, and when in doubt, throw it out. This page isn't medical advice.
