Fridge storage
How long does cheddar cheese last in the fridge?
About 30 days for cheddar cheese. That’s what Well Stockd plans on; the table below has the sources’ own times.
Times are for a fridge at 40°F (4°C) or below. They’re a guide, not a safety guarantee.
How we checked this: the storage times here come from USDA FoodKeeper and USDA FSIS, plus any other source named on the page, and each one is checked against its source before the page goes live. Editorial policy
The cut-away rule is for a solid block. If shredded or sliced cheddar grows mold, throw out the whole package: FSIS says cheese cut that way can be contaminated by the blade that cut it. Source: USDA FSIS: molds on food (opens in a new tab)
How long it keeps
- Unopened
- About 6 months refrigerated, or the printed date Source: USDA FoodKeeper: Hard cheese (opens in a new tab)
- Opened or cut
- 3 to 4 weeks once opened Source: USDA FoodKeeper: Hard cheese (opens in a new tab)
- Freezer
- About 6 months (180 days) at best quality. Frozen food stays safe indefinitely at 0°F; the time is about texture and flavor. Source: USDA FoodKeeper: Hard cheese (opens in a new tab)Compare freezer times for other foods on the printable freezer storage chart.
- How to store it
- Cheese paper or parchment then a loose bag. Hard cheese needs to breathe; airtight plastic sweats it. On firm cheese, cutting 1 inch around and below a mold spot is USDA-acceptable.
How to tell if cheddar cheese has gone bad
Dates are estimates; these are the checks that actually decide it. Don’t taste food to check whether it has gone bad.
Throw it out at once if you see:
- Mold other than on the rind
- Ammonia smell
- Slimy or sticky surface
Also a sign it has gone bad:
- Dried, cracked edges
Sources and limits
Even a longer time like this depends on the packaging, the temperature, how ripe the food is and whether it’s been opened.
Well Stockd doesn’t know when this food was harvested, packed, bought, opened or cooked. Write down the date you opened, cooked or refrigerated it, follow the package directions, keep your fridge at 40°F or below, and check the official listing when food safety is in question.
The times in the table come from USDA FoodKeeper, USDA FSIS guidance on refrigerated storage, and any source named beside a row. The number at the top is Well Stockd’s own estimate. It’s a guide, not a safety guarantee: FoodKeeper says storage times are guidelines, and quality varies with how food is grown, handled, shipped and stored. This page was last updated .