Does cheddar really have to be used within 3 days of opening?

LameWolf

We buy cheese once a month, from the farmers market. One kg of "extra, extra mature" cheddar plus a half-kilo each of four or five of the flavoured Warwickshire Truckle cheeses. We also get a half-round of Warwickshire Soft Bard, which is a bit like Brie. (We eat a lot of cheese!) They are all made with vegetarian rennet, and are cut off the block and wrapped in a thin poly bag with a paper bag outside by the cheesemonger.
The Bard is the only one that won't keep long, as it's a soft cheese, so is used up within a week. The others all last the whole month with no problem. (Other than when we start to run short towards the end of the month);)
On the few occasions we get a bit of mould growth, we just remove that bit and use the rest as normal - it is though, very rare that we get any mould at all.

Ladyshopper

What cheese are you buying that says this? I checked the big block of cheese I opened today, and all it said for storage was keep refrigerated. There was a best before date on the front but that's ages away, and as I'm a cheeseaholic it doesn't last long in this house anyway!

CupOfChai

Hard cheese has a use by date on it?

esuhl wrote: »

What gets me is when you buy "extra mature" cheddar that says to use within three days.

What?! You matured it for months to improve the flavour... and flog it to me three days before it becomes inedible?! :mad:

Parmesan... Matured for 24 months... Will apparently strike me down if I use it after it's been open 3 days...


Piffle. The whole reason cheese was ever invented was so extra milk could be kept for longer.

catkins

I didn't know cheddar had that written on the packaging. Mind you I often buy it at the market and it just has "cheddar cheese" written on the label.


I have kept cheddar far far longer than 3 days, more like a couple of months sometimes! I only really tend to use cheese in cooking as not a cheese lover (can't stand cheese sandwiches) so a block can last ages. I used to cut it up and freeze some but that makes it very crumbly. I guess I could grate it first.


It can be weeks before it gets any mould on it but if it does I just cut it off. Being doing that for years and never been ill

twiglet98

Mine can be in the fridge for a month or more after opening, depends if I'm here on my own or if my daughters are eating here. If I do see any green bits I scrape them off. Occasionally grate and freeze if I'm obviously not going to make much of a dent in the block.

I don't get why anyone buys grated cheese? Along with bottled water, whoever dreamed that one up is laughing all the way to the bank.

twiglet98

...and scraping the green bits off cheddar is only to placate the girls, who forget that they eat blue cheese with enthusiasm (when you WANT mould)!!!

Penny-Pincher!!

We use the cheese until its finished. Never knew you had to consume within 3 days?

marmiterulesok

Of course it's fine to eat.Please don't worry about this.Honestly-three days,that's a lot of nonsense!

AliBee16 wrote: »

I keep cheese for ages, only throwing it away when it gets hard, or has green bits on it

I also do this,but rarely have cheese that develops mould,as I only ever have one cheese 'on the go'.The others (which are 'reduced to clear/half price usually) are all kept in the freezer.

A frozen cheese like cheddar will be crumblier on being defrosted,but the taste and quality will be unaffected.

Sue14

I've never noticed that before, I usually just wrap in foil once opened and use until it's used up or gone manky, which can be weeks later, but I've just checked what I have in the fridge, and it says to use within 7 days of opening. However I shall continue eating it as I have so far, it's not done me any harm yet, and my dad never bothered with best before or use by dates (I don't think he even knew they existed), and he got to the grand age of 89.

geri1965_2

According to this, mould on Cheddar is generally OK to cut off and the rest of the cheese can be eaten, but mould on some other types means they should be thrown away.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/food-and-nutrition/faq-20058492