Cheese will last '10 months longer' if stored with one kitchen item

Households are being urged to keep their cheddar cheese fresh for longer by making one clever change to how it's stored. Cheddar, which takes its name from the village of Cheddar in Somerset, has become the UK's clear favourite cheese thanks to its inoffensive taste profile and versatility.

But once a pack of cheddar is open, it can quickly harden and become inedible, which, given the price - often as much as £5 for half a kilo - is a big problem at a time when we're all trying to save money.And during hot weather, cheese goes off even more quickly than normal, and fridges can struggle to keep to the temperature. But there is a way to keep cheddar and other popular cheeses fresh for more than 10 months with one clever storage hack - by storing them using natural wax paper.

Jill Allen, of US cheese company Tillamook, says that because cheddar is a harder cheese, compared to something like brie or gouda, it needs to be 'double wrapped', when stored, first in wax paper and then for a second time in a loose plastic or tin foil.

As reported by Serious Eats: "She says the block of cheddar in your fridge can be stored for up to 10 months, however, you can store it longer if you maintain the temperature and prevent light penetrations that can cause light oxidation.

"Like other harder, less moist cheeses, she recommends double wrapping. Wrap first in parchment paper, cheese paper, or beeswax reusable paper, which allows the cheese to breathe, and then again in a loosely fitted plastic wrap or tinfoil to allow some breathing room for the cheese."

According to The Modern Milkman, your fridge should ideally be kept between 5-8C for cheese, and the vegetable drawer is the perfect place to keep it away from light. If you're not sure if your fridge is sealed properly to keep it cold, you can even check the fridge door with a piece of A4 paper which is especially useful during this period of hot weather we're expecting.

And if you add a cube of sugar to your cheese container, this can also help draw moisture away from the cheese, keeping it fresh for longer.

They added: "One final top tip to avoid cheese sweat is to put a small cube of sugar alongside your cheese in an airtight container. This is especially effective at absorbing excess moisture once you've broken into your block."