The best way to store cheese

Oh the challenges of storing your cherished cheese! There are many conflicting reports on the best way to preserve cheese, however one piece of invaluable advice reigns above all: cheese needs to breath and needs to be protected from drying out.

If you can keep this in mind when storing your cheese, you'll do ok no matter what method of storage you choose.

So what are your options?

---

​Plastic Wrap

By far the easiest, but not the best option. If resources are thin and you feel compelled to wrap your cheese in plastic, know that it needs some air so unless you eat it right away, you need to open it up and let it breath every other day or so.

​Wax paper

Is wax paper that thing in your cabinet that you've always wondered what it’s used for? Well, here’s a way to use it. Wrap your cheese in wax paper and then put it in a loose-fitting plastic bag to prevent it from drying out or put it in a cheese tub.

​Aluminum Foil

Aluminum foil always makes some folks cringe, but if you have a rindless blue cheese, this is a great option. Aluminum foil works great for many semi firm to hard cheeses.

​Cheese Paper

While cheese paper is the most expensive option, it is undoubtedly the best. Formaticum is considered to be he industry leader by many and can keep found in Bed Bath Beyond, Amazon, Formaticum.com, Sur La Table, and other online and brick and mortar retail outlets. Cheese paper lets the cheese breath and protects it from drying out.

Once the cheese is wrapped, there are a couple of other things you can do to make it last longer:
1. Put all your cheeses in a resealable tub to protect from drafts and other fridge odors
2. Store in the area of the your fridge that stays the warmest
3. Eat cheese at room temperature and avoiding eating directly from the fridge
4. Opt to buy cheese often and in small quantities rather than big blocks

​For the adventuresome, hard cheeses don’t need the fridge and can be kept on the counter. Soon you’ll be speaking French and drinking your coffee out of a bowl!