Q. My nephew really likes to eat string cheese, so I always buy a package when he comes to visit. The trouble is, no one else in the house eats it. When he leaves, the string cheese just sits in the fridge until someone throws it out. It’s a waste of money and food, and I feel bad every time I throw a pack in the garbage. I would like to be able to keep the string cheese for the next time my nephew visits. I’m not sure if that’s possible to do without ruining the cheese. Can you freeze string cheese?
Can you freeze string cheese?
A. Yes, you can freeze string cheese! One of the reasons why some cheeses don’t freeze well is because of their high water content. String cheese actually has a very low water content, which allows it to keep most of its original consistency even after being frozen and thawed. This allows it to remain stringy once thawed, which is great news for you and your nephew!
How to freeze string cheese?
Freezing string cheese is quite simple. If you purchase individually wrapped string cheese, they can be frozen in their original packaging, or can be placed in a freezer bag to keep them together in the freezer. Then, simply remove one piece of cheese at a time. If you purchase blocks of string cheese, then it needs to be wrapped carefully before freezing. Consider slicing the cheese into smaller serving sizes so that you only need to remove a small portion of cheese at a time.
Wrap the desired serving size of string cheese in a double layer of plastic wrap, ensuring that no part of the cheese is exposed to the air. Any exposed cheese will dry out, go hard, and get freezer burn in the freezer. Place the double wrapped string cheese in a freezer bag. Seal the bag, then label and date it. Frozen string cheese is best if used within 2 months of being frozen.
To thaw frozen string cheese, remove the desired amount of cheese from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. Leave the cheese wrapped until thawed completely in order to retain as much moisture as possible. Never thaw dairy products at room temperature. Use thawed string cheese within 2 days of being thawed. Never refreeze previously frozen string cheese. Discard any uneaten thawed cheese.