It can be frustrating to throw out a block of cheese if it has gone crusty or hard, especially since it can be one of the most expensive products on a shopping list. Cheese will lose moisture when exposed to air and cold temperatures, which is why it will quickly become flavourless if someone opens up the packaging and forgets to cover it. One popular storage hack is to wrap cheese in clingfilm to keep it fresh but this will likely not work as it will trap moisture and result in the cheese becoming mouldy.
Cheese needs air to keep fresh, so wrapping it up tightly can not only cause mould but cause discolouration, a slimy texture or even make it taste like plastic. However, there is a very easy way to store cheese and stop it from drying out according to Nanna Bea, a popular cooking content creator online, who has shared that cheese should be stored in its original supermarket packaging.
In a video online, Bea said: “When you’re opening a block of cheese in a wrapper, cut off the end, take out your cheese and then pop [the cut of wrap] back on the block.” All you have to do is use a sharp knife to cut a portion of the cheese you wish to eat and make sure to cut through the packaging. Then save the cut-off packaging and place it over the exposed end of your cheese to make a hat-like cover, which will stop the cheese from being exposed.
It may seem obvious but cheese is sold in its packaging for a reason so rather than ripping it open, make sure your cheese is covered; it helps it last much longer.
Covering up this way protects it from the harsh environment in the fridge and bacteria while also giving it enough air to keep it moist so it does not become dry, hard and inedible. This is one of the best ways to store supermarket cheese, however, deli cheeses need to be stored depending on its type as they will have different moisture levels.
If cheese does become mouldy, then you can use a simple white vinegar storage hack to help kill the bacteria to prolong the cheese for an extra six weeks.
In Nanna Bea’s comment section, many people were amazed by the obvious storage hack and stated they had no idea this was the proper way to open cheese. One user said: “I had no idea to store cheese this way… no wonder it goes bad quickly.” Another person wrote: “I did not know this – this is an amazing hack thank you!” Someone else commented: “Mind blown! I was this many days old before I knew this!”
