While supermarket bosses have stated that stockpiling is completely unnecessary and urged people to shop responsibly, the coronavirus pandemic has caused many to panic-buy.
If you’ve found yourself with several items that you didn’t really need and are concerned about food waste, there are a few things you could do.
You could donate the excess to a food bank who will give it to someone in need or you could choose to freeze the rest for a later date.
However, when it comes to freezing some food, it can be a little more complicated than just wrapping it up and putting it in the freezer drawer.
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Cheese is one such food that you might have bought too much of and are now wondering if you can freeze it.
Well, the simple answer is yes, you can – but some types of cheese will fare better in the freezer than others.
According to The Dairy Council of Northern Ireland, most hard cheeses, such as cheddar or Gouda will freeze well without affecting the flavour – but they might become crumbly and harder to use.
Soft cheeses such as Brie, cream cheese and cottage cheese, won’t survive as well in the freezer as they can become watery and grainy in texture, so it’s probably better to use these up if you can.
They state that if you are going to freeze cheese, it’s best that you then use it for cooking once it has been defrosted, e.g. in sauces.
Avoid freezing cheese in large blocks if you can as ice crystals will likely form inside of it, altering the texture and quality when it defrosts.
For best results, the council recommends grating before freezing.
They added: “If you do wish to freeze cheese, for best results, you should grate it first and then store it in an airtight plastic bag.”
If you don’t wish to grate all the cheese, try cutting it into smaller pieces and wrapping each one tightly in cling film.
Cheese shouldn’t be kept in the freezer for more than six months.
Hard cheeses can be stored in the fridge for up to 23 days, while soft cheese can last for up to seven days.
To defrost, leave it in its packaging and place in the fridge overnight or for 24 hours, until completely thawed.
