How Long Does Swiss Cheese Last?
Swiss cheese can make your dishes taste better thanks to its sweet, mild, and buttery notes. Undoubtedly, eating Swiss cheese as soon as you purchase it is the best way to enjoy its freshness.
As you need to plan your dinners, it is understandable that you may buy cheese in large quantities. Yet, in these circumstances, you should know how to store it and figure out how long does Swiss cheese last under different conditions.
How Long Does Swiss Cheese Last?
How long does Swiss cheese last? It’s based on some factors such as storage environment, preserving methods, or original status. Below are specific answers to certain conditions:
1. How Long Does Sliced Swiss Cheese Last In The Fridge?
How long does cheese last in the fridge once opened? In general, sliced Swiss cheese can stay in the fridge for around 3 or 4 weeks. You should not open its package until it’s ready to add to dishes.
Thus, “how long does sliced swiss cheese last?” is quite hard to answer this question directly, as sliced Swiss deli cheese shelf life depends a lot on storage conditions. Still, it is always highly recommended that you keep the food in the refrigerator after buying from the market!
Is there any way to prolong the expiry date of sliced Swiss cheese? Can you freeze sliced swiss cheese? Yes, you can refrigerate it. The advice is to wrap it tightly in aluminum foil or freezer bags and place it in the freezer. How long is sliced swiss cheese good for by this method? Your cheese can last about 8 months and is still safe to use, exceeding that time.
2. How Long Does Chunked Swiss Cheese Last In The Fridge?
How long does cheese last in the fridge? The answer to this question varies depending on the situation of the chunked Swiss cheese before you preserve it. In particular, if you haven’t opened the cheese packaging, it can last about 1 or 2 months in the fridge and 6 or 8 months when frozen.
How long does cheese last after opening? Once you open the cheese bag, its shelf life will shorten, only about 3 to 6 weeks, even with proper storage in the refrigerator.
3. How Long Does Sliced Swiss Cheese Last After Being Frozen And Thawed?
In case you do not consume all the defrosting cheese, you can still take it back to the fridge. How long does opened cheese last if defrosted? The thawed Swiss cheese can remain for approximately 2 or 3 weeks for the next use.
Once you slice the cheese, it starts to lose moisture. Hence, you need to wrap the leftover cheese blocks tightly, or else they become dry out, crumbly, and have a bad taste.
We suggest you consume Swiss cheese thawed in the cold water or microwave as fast as possible. Otherwise, you can add it to cooked foods like soups, sauces, or casseroles.
How To Tell If Swiss Cheese Is Bad?
How to tell if Swiss cheese is bad? It isn’t complicated to detect rotten signs of denatured cheese via intuition or smell. Below are some useful tips for detecting spoiled cheese you can apply:
- Appearance: Cheese becomes hard and sweats profusely. At that point, its color will turn green instead of shiny yellow like the original.
- Mold growth: If you don’t store cheese properly, the food will face big moisture issues that lead to mold.
- Smell: It loses the original smell and begins to emit a sour smell of spoiled milk.
Note: When you see one of these signs, this means that your Swiss cheese is completely rotten! Do not try to use it as it may be harmful to your health.
How To Store Swiss Cheese To Extend Its Shelf Life?
To enhance and extend the shelf life of Swiss cheese, you should consider one of the ways below to store it properly:
In The Counter
As shared earlier, it’s better to keep Swiss cheese at a cool temperature. Otherwise, it will certainly dry out and become crumbly after one night. If it’s unopened cheese, you can preserve it by placing it on the counter. Once you open the food packet, try to consume it in a short period!
In The Fridge
This is the best storing method for Swiss cheese. Place it in the fridge at about 5°C right after buying from the deli. How long will cheese last in the fridge? Cool temperatures create the perfect environment for cheeses to stay fresh and healthy for up to three to four weeks.
Before putting it in the fridge, you need to prepare cheese paper to wrap it. Alternatively, you can replace it with wax or parchment paper and create some holes so the cheese can breathe.
Storage cheese at a cooling temperature will slow down the metabolic activities of the microorganisms, thereby extending the shelf life.
In The Freezer
Can swiss cheese be frozen? Absolutely yes! Before freezing Swiss cheese, remember that cheese blocks are the best in the freezer as long as they are not less than half a pound per slice. Ideally, you should leave them in the original packaging.
Once opening, use a vacuum sealer to pack cheese blocks up. In this way, you can remove excess air to prevent them from oxidizing, spoiling texture and taste, and getting freezer burn phenomenon.
Wrap the cheese pieces properly and carefully if you don’t have a vacuum sealer. Cover them tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap, and put them in the freezer. How long does cheese last in the freezer? – Around 8 months.
Can you freeze Swiss cheese if shredded? Yes, you can likewise freeze Swiss cheese once shredded, sliced, and grated, but it’s quite hard to wrap them up. You may need the help of zipper-seal bags, clear wrap bags, vacuum-sealed boxes, or freezer-friendly containers to store them.
FAQs
What Happens If You Eat Old, Moldy Swiss Cheese?
When Swiss cheese gets old and rotten, some people may cut the moldy parts and consume the rest section. However, it’s absolutely not advisable!
If you eat moldy cheese, you can face Listeria, E.coli, Brucella, and Salmonella, leading to food poisoning. Some symptoms include stomach pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. In severe circumstances, it can even lead to death!
Is Swiss Cheese Ok To Eat If Left Out Overnight?
The good news is yes. You can leave Swiss cheese out for about one night. Does swiss cheese go bad in this case? It’s safe to consume, but it may become sweating and hard on every edge. That’s why you should store the food in the fridge as soon as you purchase it.
Is Swiss Cheese Bad For You?
No, it’s not bad at all. On the contrary, moderate Swiss cheese can also bring several good benefits to your health. It’s low in sodium and fat-free, like many other kinds of cheese.
Yet, we suggest you not eat too much as cheese essentially contains cholesterol, which can cause several health issues.
