Nothing beats freshly grated cheese, but odds are you probably have a bag of shredded cheese in the back of your refrigerator. Whether you're topping chili or baking sheet pan nachos, shredded cheese makes for easy meals—but you've likely wondered just how long that bag lasts.
First and foremost, there are no laws requiring food manufacturers to put date labels on foods, so the labels you see on your bag of shredded cheese are put there voluntarily and are "merely the manufacturer's estimate of when food will taste its best," according to Janilyn Hutchings, food scientist at State Food Safety. "All foods, including shredded cheese, can usually still be used or eaten after their expiration dates—as long as they've been stored properly," she added.
Once opened, the type of shredded cheese will determine how long it lasts. Hutchings said that hard cheeses like parmesan and Swiss should be eaten within a month of purchase. Soft cheese like cheddar and mozzarella will only be good for one to two weeks after purchase. If you freeze your bag of shredded cheese, she recommends eating it within six months from when it was bought.
But regardless of dates, you should always use your best judgment before diving in.
"If you notice any off odors, discoloring, or spots of mold on your shredded cheese, don't eat it!" said Hutchings. "These signs mean the cheese has likely spoiled."
If you're looking for more ways to use up shredded cheese, you can always whip up mac and cheese, chicken parmesan, or a classic grilled cheese.
Associate Editor
As the Associate Editor at Delish, Allie is a writer, reporter, and producer of features at the intersection of food and culture. Before Delish, Allie worked for publications including Apartment Therapy and Insider. She even spent time working in restaurants and breweries. Allie has dumpster-dived in NYC to expose food waste, reported on the invasive lionfish you can eat, and wrote about the growing trend of weed weddings. Her health and nutrition stories on hydration culture, bananas, and coffee have generated nearly 2M combined views. She loves traveling, running, and eating her way through new places and even has a thorough Google Maps ranking system for her favorite restaurants and bars! When not writing about food, she's planning her next trip, lifting weights, or training for a race.
Expertise: food & culture (Sustainability, Health, Travel)
Education: M.S. in Journalism from Columbia University, B.S. in Information Science (User Experience Design) from the University of Michigan
