Ditch the Plastic Wrap and Store Your Cheese a Better Way

Don't suffocate your cheese with plastic wrap. This simple trick will keep it fresh for days.

Jan. 29, 2026 at 12:07pm

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Storing cheese in plastic wrap can ruin its texture, dull the taste, and shorten its shelf life. Instead, experts recommend wrapping cheese in wax paper or parchment followed by a loose layer of foil or a container to allow the cheese to breathe and stay fresh for weeks.

Why it matters

Proper cheese storage is important to prevent waste and ensure you can enjoy the full flavor of your cheese. Treating cheese as a living, breathing product and storing it in a way that allows airflow can make a big difference in how long it stays fresh and delicious.

The details

Cheese is a preserved product high in acid and salt, with much of the moisture removed. Wrapping it in plastic suffocates the cheese, ruining its texture and taste. Instead, experts recommend wrapping cheese in wax paper or parchment followed by a loose layer of foil or a container. This allows the cheese to breathe and stay fresh for weeks. Minimizing the surface area exposed to air by cutting the cheese just before use also helps prevent drying and mold. Using the right tools like a chef's knife, skeleton knife, or cheese harp can make clean cuts that preserve the cheese's rind.

  • The article was published on January 29, 2026.

The players

John Montez

A certified cheese professional lead at Murray's Cheese in New York.

Murray's Cheese

A cheese shop in New York that Montez works for.

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What they’re saying

“Cheese is a preserved product. It's high in acid and salt, with much of the moisture removed. It's rare you'd need to throw out a properly stored piece.”

— John Montez, Certified cheese professional lead

“If you see it molds up a little bit, generally you can scrape off that mold and it's no problem. Look out if it's black mold or something like that, but the thing is, it's rare that a piece of cheese becomes unsafe to eat. It's going to become unpalatable to you long before it's unsafe.”

— John Montez, Certified cheese professional lead

The takeaway

Properly storing cheese by wrapping it in breathable materials like wax paper or parchment can help preserve its flavor and texture for weeks, reducing waste and allowing you to enjoy the full taste of your favorite cheeses.