Storing cheese without plastic: how to keep it fresher for longer

Halfway through the week, there it is: the cheese, sweaty under the cling film, hard at the edges and with a stale smell that was not there on Sunday. The problem is not the cheese. The problem is that it cannot breathe.

Why cheese and cling film are a bad combination

Cheese is a living product that carries on ripening after you bring it home. It gives off moisture, and it needs a little air around it to stay in good shape.

Cling film shuts everything in. The moisture settles as condensation on the inside, the surface turns wet and clammy, and in that damp environment both unwanted mould and the bacteria that cause a stale taste and a smell of ammonia thrive. On top of that, plastic in direct contact with food is a known source of microplastics.

The solution is the same as for bread: packaging that breathes. The principle is explained in the beeswax wrap user guide, and it works especially well for cheese.

How to wrap your cheese in beeswax wrap

1. 1
   Choose a wrap that is comfortably bigger than the cheese

   You want to be able to fold the wrap around the whole piece with a little overlap. For a standard block of firm cheese, the medium wrap in the set is usually the right size.

2. 2
   Warm the wrap between your hands

   Ten to twenty seconds is enough. The beeswax softens with the warmth of your hands, and the wrap becomes as pliable as thick paper.

3. 3
   Fold the wrap snugly around the cheese

   Place the cheese in the middle, fold the sides over like a parcel and press the edges lightly together. As the beeswax cools, the parcel holds itself closed.

4. 4
   Put the cheese in the salad drawer

   That is where the temperature is steadiest and the air least dry. Avoid the shelf right by the fan, where the cheese dries out more quickly.

Cheese by cheese: what suits beeswax wrap?

And the rule that always applies to beeswax wraps: raw meat and raw fish should never go in the wraps, because they cannot take the hot wash that would be needed afterwards.

Give the strongest cheese its own wrap

Mould-ripened cheese leaves both flavour and mould spores in the wrap. Give the Brie or blue cheese its own dedicated wrap, so neither the flavour nor the mould transfers to the mild firm cheese.

Wash the wrap in cold water with mild soap when you change cheese, and hang it up to air dry. Never hot water, never the dishwasher. The whole routine is set out in the guide on caring for beeswax wraps, and the principle is the same as when you wash the beeswax bread bag.

What you can expect

We are not promising a set number of days, because it depends on the type of cheese, how old the cheese is and how cold your fridge is set. What you notice first is that the surface stays dry and pleasant instead of sweaty, that the edges do not harden as quickly, and that the cheese tastes like cheese for longer.

If you see mould that does not belong on the cheese, the same precautionary rule applies as for mouldy bread: if in doubt, throw it out.

The bonus tip: take the cheese out in good time

Good cheese tastes best at room temperature. Take the parcel out of the fridge about half an hour before breakfast or supper, and leave the cheese in the wrap until it goes on the table: that way it comes up to temperature without drying out.

And when the meal is over, wrap it up again in the same wrap and put it back in the drawer. The whole routine takes seconds, and that is exactly why it becomes a habit.

Frequently asked questions