You’re storing your cheeses all wrong. Here’s the right way to do it.
If you’re like many Americans (lactose intolerant or not, because we know many lactose intolerant folks look the other way, pop a few pills, and keep it pushin’), cheese is a constant in your home.
Whether it’s for adding to recipes or eating as a snack, Americans love their cheese. The most popular are cheddar, American, mozzarella, Swiss, pepper jack, and Colby, in that order.
How cheese became so popular
In fact, in 2022, cheese consumption reached a new peak, with the average person eating 41.8 pounds of cheese a year despite the product getting more expensive, according to Statista. Compare that to the year 2000, when that number was at 32.1 pounds.
Aside from, frankly, being delicious, part of cheese’s rise came from marketing influenced and financed by the U.S. government, The Week reported.
Despite simultaneously warning the public about consuming too much saturated fats, the government peddled a cheese agenda through an organization called Dairy Management, positioning cheese as part of a healthy diet despite what legitimate studies reported.
Unless they decide to reverse course, cheese is here to stay as a staple in U.S. fridges, so you should know how to store it properly.
You’re storing your cheese wrong
In a viral video with more than 1.6 million, influencer @eagleyeny says if you’re putting your opened cheese blocks in plastic bags (like Ziplocs) you need to stop.
“This is a major no-no,” she claims.
The TikToker knows that it’s convenient, but she points out that cheese is a porous, living thing that absorbs what it’s contained in.
Some plastics are known to contain carcinogens. Consuming microplastics is also known to lead to a number of issues, including gastrointestinal symptoms and liver infection, and may even increase the risk of a heart attack.
The influencer specifically points out that plastic leeching into your food can lead to endocrine disruption, which studies find can cause cancer, diabetes, reproductive disorders, and neurological impairments of developing fetuses and children, according to the Endocrine Society.
Instead, she recommends storing cheese in the wrap it comes with, wax paper, or parchment paper, which are breathable, unlike plastic.
“Take care of your cheese, take care of yourself,” she adds.
Commenters were skeptical about how much this hack would help since most cheese is sold in some kind of plastic wrapping.
“There is currently nothing else in market for sealing and distributing mass market to protect from contamination but once we have it home we don’t need to keep using plastics if we can avoid,” @eagleyeny wrote in response.
And she’s right. A Food & Wine article confirmed @eagleyeny’s advice.
@eagleyeny #over50 #womenshealth #fypシ #hrt #menopauseawareness #perimenopausehealth #eatclean #toxinfree #plasticfree #kitchenhacks #cheese #antiaging #longevity #wellnesstips #sustainability ♬ original sound – eagleyeny
Where to store cheese
Cheese should be refrigerated. Fresh and softer cheeses like mozzarella, brie, and ricotta can be stored for one to two weeks, while hard cheeses like cheddar and parmesan can be stored unopened for six months or open for three to four weeks, Food & Wine reported.
Commenters react
“I swear everything is bad for us,” a top comment read.
“I used beeswax wraps. Works perfectly!” a person shared.
“Check what parchment paper you use – choose one not coated with non-stick silicone,” another pointed out.
The Daily Dot reached out to @eagleyeny for comment via TikTok direct message and comment.
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