You can freeze cheese, but it could lead to a drier and crumblier texture. High fat, industrial cheeses like cheddar are better for freezing than softer or artisanal options.
Cheese is best enjoyed fresh to maximize its flavor and texture, but sometimes it’s not feasible to use large amounts of it within the use-by date.
It’s an effective way to increase the shelf life of foods, reduce waste, and save money.
Cheeses with a higher water content freeze at higher temperatures than those with a lower water content. For example, cottage cheese freezes at 29.8℉ (-1.2℃), but cheddar freezes at 8.8℉ (-12.9℃) (1).
Though freezing doesn’t destroy the nutrients in cheese, it affects its texture and quality (2, 3, 4).
When cheese is frozen, small ice crystals form on the inside, disrupting the internal structure of the cheese. When it’s thawed, water is released, causing the product to dry out, become crumbly, and potentially develop a mealy texture (1, 5).
Frozen cheeses may also be less meltable when they’re stored for a longer time. For example, mozzarella that has been frozen for 4 weeks melts to a lesser extent than mozzarella that has been frozen for 1 week (5, 6, 7).
Moreover, freezing inactivates microbes in cheese, such as bacteria, yeasts, and mold. This helps extend the shelf life, preventing it from going bad (1, 2).
However, freezing doesn’t kill these microbes — it only damages them. Thus, they may become active again when the cheese thaws (2, 8, 9).
In cases of ripened cheeses like blue cheese and Camembert, live mold and bacteria populations are deliberately added to give these varieties distinctive textures and flavors.
As freezing damages these microbes, it can stop these cheeses from ripening properly when thawed, potentially decreasing their overall sensory quality.
Here are some of the best and worst cheeses to freeze (1):
Best cheeses to freeze
As a general rule, it’s best to freeze cheeses that are designed to be used in cooked dishes rather than eaten fresh.
Hard and semi-hard cheeses like cheddar, Swiss, brick cheese, and blue cheese can be frozen, but their texture will often become crumbly and mealy. They will also be harder to slice.
Mozzarella and pizza cheese are generally suitable for freezing as well, particularly shredded pizza cheese. Still, its texture and melting properties may be negatively affected (6).
Some semi-soft cheeses like Stilton or soft goat cheese are well suited to freezing, too (10).
Plus, cream cheese can be frozen but may separate upon thawing. However, you can then whip it to improve its texture (10).
To safely thaw, just leave your frozen cream cheese in the fridge for a couple hours or even overnight. Once you have thawed it, youll find that the cream cheese now has a drastically different texture, making it unsuitable for spreading. Because the water in the cream cheese separates from the fats during the freezing process your new cheese curds will need to be whisked together to get back to the normal consistency, per AllRecipes. Healthline also suggests microwaving your thawed cream cheese for 10 to 15 seconds then stirring well to achieve a smooth consistency.
The main issue with frozen then thawed cream cheese is its grainy texture. Healthline and AllRecipes recommend using thawed cream cheese for baking or in other dishes where its new texture will not be noticeable. Some Tasting Table favorites include thick fudge-like Cream Cheese Brownies, creamy Banana Pudding Brownies, or sweet and simple Gooey Butter Bars.
Freezer technology is a wonderful convenience of our modern age. Dont want to eat something right away? No problem. Just get it really, really, cold, and then when you feel like eating it, pop it right out, warm it right up, and youre good to go. On a basic level, freezing foods does preserve them for quite a while, but the preservation is not forever and more often than not, your food will not be the same as it was when you first put it into your freezer.
According to Healthline, you can safely store cream cheese in the freezer for up to two months. Anything more (two years for instance) and the cream cheese will no longer be assuredly safe to consume. If you are planning on freezing cream cheese, make sure that it is placed in some sort of airtight container and there is no moisture touching the cream cheese.
Can you eat 2 year old frozen meat?
How long can you eat frozen cheese?
So if the cheese has been frozen at a constant temperature and has not been exposed to air or other elements, you can eat cheese that has been frozen for 2 years. It may even last longer but I have not tested that nor read anything about storing cheese for say 3, 5, or 10 years in the freezer.
Will cheese affect our body system if we ONLY eat it everyday? If yes, why? how? What cheese is very highly recommended for kids?
The general recommendation is to have a varied diet that includes different foods. Eating only one food every day is not recommended. The consumption of cheese every day must be accompanied by other food groups. These should include fruits, vegetables, seeds, legumes, cereals, etc. Cheese provides calcium and vitamin D, among other nutrients, but its consumption must be controlled due to its saturated fat content. As for children, it will depend on their age and underlying pathologies, but the consumption of fresh cheese could be recommended.
Can a toddler Eat Cheese?
Make sure you grate or crumble the cheese into pieces that will not cause choking rather than cutting it into large square chunks. Melting cheese onto toast or a tortilla and then cutting it up is also a toddler favorite. Avoid cheese sticks, because babies can gum off chunks that become choking hazards.
Can cheese be frozen?
In general, soft, ripened, and hand-crafted cheeses don’t freeze well because they have a high moisture content. These include cottage cheese, brie, Camembert, ricotta, and Romano. It’s best to eat them fresh and buy them in small quantities to avoid spoilage. Some exceptions are soft goat cheese and cream cheese.