The short answer: Opened hard cheese such as cheddar keeps about 3 to 4 weeks in the fridge. Soft cheese such as ricotta or cottage cheese keeps about 1 week once opened.
How long cheese lasts
- Hard cheese, opened (fridge): About 3 to 4 weeks
- Soft cheese, opened (fridge): About 1 week
- Freezer: Hard cheese about 6 months; texture turns crumbly, so use it for cooking
How to tell cheese has gone off
- Mold on soft, sliced or shredded cheese: throw it away
- A sour or ammonia smell
- A slimy surface
How to make it last longer
- On hard cheese, you can cut off at least an inch around and below a mold spot and keep the rest. Do not do this with soft cheese.
- Wrap in parchment, then loosely in a bag, so it can breathe.
- Grate cheese before freezing.
Common questions
Can you eat cheese with mold on it?
For hard cheeses, cut away at least an inch around the mold and the rest is fine. For soft, shredded or sliced cheese, throw it all away.
General guidance only. These times are for food bought fresh and kept at 40°F (4°C) in the fridge or 0°F (-18°C) in the freezer. Your own fridge, the packaging and the state of the food always come first, and when in doubt, throw it out. The official US chart is on FoodSafety.gov.
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