We Have a Very Important Question: Can You Freeze Cheese?

You know that the best way to store a slice of heaven cheese is to wrap it in parchment paper and place it in the warmest part of your fridge. But what should you do on those rare occasions when you have too much cheese and too little time? (Hey, maybe you’re going away on vacation or perhaps there was a sale on your favorite Manchego and you went a little crazy.) We'd heard you could freeze cheese, but we had some questions about it, so we did some digging. Here are fast answers. 

Great news: You can freeze cheese, with a few caveats. Some cheeses fare better in the freezer than others, and you’ll have to make sure the cheese is wrapped airtight to prevent freezer burn, but it’s still a great way to extend the life of your cheese.

Freezing works best with hard or semi-hard cheeses (think cheddar, Parmesan, Swiss and gouda). Soft cheeses (like mozzarella or anything ooey-gooey), on the other hand, can become grainy or watery when frozen, so you’re better off eating that triple cream Brie right away.

Cut your cheese into ½ pound blocks or smaller, says the National Dairy Council (grating it works, too). Next, fold cheese tightly in plastic wrap, then seal it in a freezer bag to prevent freezer burn and any weird flavor transfers. Alternatively, you can wrap it in a double layer of parchment paper and aluminum foil. For best results, keep cheese in the freezer for no more than six months and make sure to thaw it in the fridge for 24 to 48 hours before using. 

As long as you wrap the cheese extremely well (that is, wrapped in a layer of parchment followed by a layer of aluminum foil, or better yet, vacuum-sealed), your frozen fromage should stay fresh for two to six months. After that, it’s still safe to eat but the texture and flavor might not be as delicious.

Freezing can change the texture of the cheese, making it slightly crumbly (but still delicious). That’s why it’s best to freeze cheese for cooking purposes (like in this roasted cauliflower macaroni and cheese or these savory cheese waffles) and not for a cheese board. Got it? Gouda luck.