If you have a larger than usual amount of cheese, either leftovers from a special event or a special, hard-to-get cheese bought in quantity, you’ll want to store it properly either in the refrigerator or the freezer. Hard cheeses will keep well in the refrigerator for a month or more and in the freezer for about six months. Read on to learn how to store cheese.

Wrap cheese securely in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Be generous with the amount of wrap and tuck in the sides.

Place in refrigerator, where it will keep for about four to six weeks without losing much weight or moisture.

Cut cheese destined for the freezer into 1/2 or 1 lb. portions.

Place unwrapped slabs of cheese in the back of the freezer overnight.

Remove them from the freezer the next day. Wrap them in plastic wrap and place in freezer bags. Squeeze or suck the air out of the bag before sealing it. Return to the freezer immediately, until needed.

Defrost frozen cheese overnight in the refrigerator before serving. Use promptly.