Can You Eat Expired Cheese?
Cheese can be eaten for up to a month past its expiration date as long as the cheese smells normal and does not show any signs of spoilage. However, this also depends on the type of cheese. Hard cheese can be eaten for a long time after expiration compared to the soft cheese.
We also will answer questions about eating 2 year-old frozen cheese, expiration dates for cheeses, and whether or not they will expire if not opened. To answer that, we are going to have to say yes, all types of cheese eventually expire, even if they are not opened. Many people claim you can still eat certain types of cheese after the expiration date, and that doing so is safe.
Opened or unopened American cheeses will last for approximately two or three weeks after the best-by date. Hard and semi-hard cheeses, regardless of whether they are opened or unopened, and if you have cut them or shredded them, last 6 to 8 months beyond the printed expiration dates if stored correctly in a freezer.
For harder cheeses, like Cheddar or Romano, shelf life is anywhere from three to six months after their sold-by dates, when stored correctly. Cheeses that are harder, like cheddar, can last for up to eight months; soft cheeses, like mozzarella, lose their soft-cheese texture, though, and are best consumed right away.
By the way if you are interested in How Long Can Unrefrigerated Eggs Last, then check out this article.
Because softer cheeses deteriorate more quickly than harder ones because of their water content, it is only a matter of time until your cheese goes bad. Softer cheeses spoil more quickly than their harder counterparts, such as popular Cheddar, because of their moisture content. Soft cheeses such as Brie, Feta, and Cottage Cheese are shelf-stable for a very short time, and do not fare very well in the fridge. Goat cheese, for instance, might be fairly soft when purchased, but wrapped up and stored for too long, the texture will be much firmer, and the flavor stronger.
| Type of Cheese | Shelf Life |
| American Cheese | 2-3 weeks |
| Hard and Semi-hard Cheese | 6-8 months |
| Cheddar Cheese | 3-6 months |
| Cream Cheese (unopened) | 2-3 weeks |
You can expect a texture shift that may leave cheese less than appealing to eat after thawing. The cheese will keep and will still taste good, Freier notes, and every cheese, once frozen, tastes slightly different. In general, you can tell your firm cheese has gone bad if it has a sour smell or taste.
If you taste your cheese after it has passed its best-by date, and it tastes acidic or causes your tongue to irritation, then it is almost certainly bad. If even the slightest bit of cheese makes your tongue, lips, or cheeks tingle or burn, then that cheese is rotten (even if it passes the Look & Taste Test). Even if a tiny bit of mold has grown, eating cheese that is expired may still be safe — if you remove the mold, and if it still smells good.
It is safe to eat surface-grown surface-grown cheese, so long as the mold is removed before eating the cheese. For soft cheeses, however, the surface mold is not as easily removed, so it is not worth the risk. If you do get some mold in your hard cheese, you can simply remove the mouldy parts, and the remaining cheese is still safe to eat. If you find molds in your hard cheese, you are usually safe to remove the moldy part and eat the rest, as the spores probably will not spread through the entire cheese.
With soft cheeses, the mold may have sent threads through the cheese–contaminating more than what you see. Hard cheeses can, and will, get a little moldy over time (especially when not wrapped and stored correctly), and the above colors are what you want to look for.
As with ultra-hard cheeses, you can certainly trim off molds and still enjoy a cheese, provided that they are not fully covered – Freier means that the mold is totally natural. The point is, if you are unsure about what to do with a moldy cheese, you are better off throwing it out. In fact, even if a cheese has developed a mould, that does not necessarily mean that it is going to make you sick, since the human gut has been designed to handle the myriad of moulds that occur naturally.
To learn about How Long After A Best Before Date Can You Eat Something, then check out my another article where I cover things in detail.
When looking at the production and maturation process of cheese, one might get the impression that this is the type of product which does not usually go bad after the date it is supposed to be used. If you consider the way that cheese is manufactured and aged, you might be more inclined to believe that it is the type of food that does not always go bad beyond its expiration date. Generally, unopened cream cheese lasts for around 2-3 weeks after the expiration date, provided that you store it in the fridge, of course. Properly stored, a package of unopened grated mozzarella will last for about 1 week after the sell-by or best-by dates on the package.
Milk should be stored 5 to 7 days after its best-by date, and cheeses may be stored for two weeks past their best-by date, with the exception of soft cheeses like cream cheese or brie. Once used, cream cheeses of any kind, be they wrapped in foil or any kind of cheese that is packed in a plastic container, should last for seven to 14 days in the refrigerator. If kept refrigerated, string cheese (or just about any hard cheese) can last months, and if not refrigerated, is usually fine for a couple days to a couple weeks. If string cheese is close to it is best-by date, and you are not planning on using it anytime soon, just throw it in the freezer.
While freezing is the best food preservation technique, it is understandable to worry about how low temperatures can change cream cheeses flavor and texture. Like any food, hard and semi-hard cheeses deteriorate in quality over time, even when kept cold. Cheeses that will always develop mold, whether prior to or past the Package Lifetime. Cheeses that will always develop mold will be bloomy-rind cheeses such as Brie and Camembert. Keep in mind, strong-flavored cheeses always smell strongly, and their flavors will increase the longer they are aged/ripened and living in your refrigerator.
In todays post, I am going to discuss the history of cream cheese, teach you how to store it properly, and also share some recipe ideas for cream cheese leftovers, so let us get started.
Can you die from eating Expired Cheese?
If you consider how cheese is produced and preserved, you might be more inclined to think of it as a meal that doesn’t always spoil after its best-by date. Consuming “expired” cheese is safe even if a little amount of mould is growing as long as the mould is removed and the cheese smells okay.
Does cheese expire in the fridge?
Most soft cheeses may be kept in a refrigerator for at least a week after opening, and perhaps most hard cheeses for three to four weeks. Analyze hard cheeses for rust and chop off any areas, but discard soft cheeses and broken, chopped, or sliced cheeses.
How long can you use it after the expiration date?
This date is used by retailers to determine when to remove merchandise off shelves. Food can be consumed after the expiration date. Dairy goods are good for about seven days beyond the sell-by date. After the sell-by date, eggs are acceptable for about five weeks.