Should Cheese Be Stored at Room Temperature?

If you have ever been told to take cheese out of the fridge before serving it, you might reasonably wonder: should cheese actually be stored at room temperature?

The short answer is no.

Most cheese, particularly once it has been opened, should be stored in the fridge rather than permanently kept at room temperature. The Food Standards Agency recommends keeping dairy products refrigerated and keeping your fridge at 5°C or below.

However, storing cheese and serving cheese are two different things.

Many cheeses taste considerably better when they have been removed from the fridge for a short time before eating. Allowing cheese to lose some of its refrigerator chill can soften its texture and make its flavours and aromas much easier to appreciate.

So the simple rule is:

Store cheese in the fridge. Bring it towards room temperature before serving.

Should Cheese Be Kept in the Fridge?

Yes. In most households, cheese should be stored in the fridge.

The Food Standards Agency advises that dairy products should be kept refrigerated and recommends keeping domestic fridges at 5°C or below. Keeping chilled foods at the correct temperature helps slow bacterial growth and keeps food safer for longer.

Always check the storage instructions on the individual cheese too, particularly if it has a use-by date or specific instructions from the cheesemaker.

Good cheese deserves to be looked after properly.

After all, there is little point choosing a beautiful British Cheddar, Caerphilly or Cornish Yarg only to store it in a way that affects its flavour or texture.

Why Should Cheese Be Served at Room Temperature?

While cheese should normally be stored chilled, it doesn't necessarily taste its best straight from the fridge.

Cold temperatures can make cheese feel firmer and can make its flavours and aromas seem less pronounced.

Allow it to warm slightly and you'll often notice considerably more character.

A mature British Cheddar, for example, may begin to reveal more of its savoury, nutty and tangy qualities as it warms.

A softer cheese may become creamier.

And a more delicate cheese can develop aromas that were difficult to notice when it was refrigerator-cold.

This is why you'll often hear people say cheese should be served at room temperature.

They don't mean you should store it permanently on the kitchen worktop.

They mean you should take it out of the fridge before you plan to eat it.

How Long Should Cheese Sit Out Before Serving?

There isn't one exact time that works for every cheese, room and season.

As a general approach, take your cheese out of the fridge around 30 minutes before serving and assess it from there.

A larger piece of firm Cheddar may take a little longer to lose its chill, while a smaller or softer cheese may warm more quickly.

The temperature of your kitchen matters too.

A cheese left out in a cool room in December will behave very differently from one left on a sunny kitchen table in July.

You aren't trying to make the cheese warm.

You simply want to take away that refrigerator chill and allow its natural texture and flavour to return.

Can Cheese Be Left Out Overnight?

As a general rule, we wouldn't recommend leaving cheese sitting at room temperature overnight.

Cheese is a dairy product and should be returned to appropriate chilled storage rather than routinely being left on the worktop for extended periods.

The Food Standards Agency advises keeping chilled foods out of the fridge for the shortest practical time and recommends a fridge temperature of 5°C or below.

If you're serving a cheeseboard, it is much better to take out what you think you'll need and return unused cheese to the fridge afterwards.

What Temperature Should Cheese Be Stored At?

For home storage, follow the guidance for chilled foods and keep your fridge at 5°C or below.

It's worth checking your actual fridge temperature rather than simply assuming the temperature dial is accurate.

The Food Standards Agency recommends using a fridge thermometer because fridge controls do not necessarily tell you the actual internal temperature.

It's a small detail, but one that can make a difference to all of the chilled food you keep at home.

Where in the Fridge Should You Store Cheese?

Cheese benefits from a cool, relatively stable environment.

Try to avoid placing it somewhere where the temperature changes dramatically every time the fridge door is opened.

A cheese drawer or suitable covered area within the main body of the fridge can work well.

Most importantly, keep it properly wrapped.

You want to protect the cheese from drying out while avoiding unnecessary moisture building up around it.

What Is the Best Way to Wrap Cheese?

Once you've opened a cheese, avoid simply leaving the exposed surface uncovered in the fridge.

Ideally, use cheese paper, waxed paper or another suitable food-safe wrapping before placing it back in refrigerated storage.

Good wrapping helps protect the cheese while still treating it as the living, developing food that it is.

For British farmhouse and artisan cheeses in particular, proper storage can help preserve the texture and character that the cheesemaker worked hard to create.

If the cheesemaker provides specific storage instructions, always follow those first.

Should You Keep Cheese in Cling Film?

It's fine to follow the packaging and storage instructions supplied with your cheese, particularly while it remains unopened.

Once an artisan cheese has been opened, however, many cheese lovers prefer cheese paper or waxed paper for storage.

The important thing is to prevent the cheese from drying out or absorbing flavours from everything else in your fridge.

Nobody wants a beautifully matured Cheddar that suddenly tastes faintly of last night's leftovers.

Does Hard Cheese Need to Be Refrigerated?

Harder cheeses might seem more robust than softer varieties, but that doesn't mean we'd recommend storing them indefinitely at room temperature.

Cheddar, Red Leicester and other hard or semi-hard cheeses should still be stored according to their packaging instructions and kept refrigerated where required.

The difference is that hard cheeses can often benefit enormously from being allowed to warm slightly before serving.

That's particularly true of mature, extra mature and vintage Cheddar.

A good long-aged British Cheddar taken directly from a cold fridge can seem quite firm and restrained.

Give it a little time before eating and you'll often notice much more depth.

Does Soft Cheese Need to Be Refrigerated?

Yes.

Soft cheeses generally have a higher moisture content than hard cheeses and should be treated as chilled products.

Always follow the storage and use-by instructions on their packaging.

When serving them, you can still remove them from the fridge shortly beforehand so their texture can soften and their flavour can develop.

The important distinction remains the same:

Room temperature is for serving, not long-term storage.

Why Does Cold Cheese Taste Different?

Temperature has a huge effect on the way we experience food.

When cheese is very cold, both its texture and aroma can seem subdued.

As it warms slightly, fats within the cheese soften and aromatic compounds become easier to detect.

That means the flavours that make an individual cheese distinctive become clearer.

With a great British cheese, those differences can be remarkable.

A mature Cheddar may become nuttier and more savoury.

A crumbly territorial cheese can feel softer and more expressive.

A nettle-wrapped Cornish Yarg may reveal more of its creamy, mushroomy character.

If you've invested in good cheese, giving it a little time out of the fridge before eating is one of the easiest ways to enjoy it properly.

Should You Take Cheese Out of the Fridge Before Making a Cheeseboard?

Yes.

If you're putting together a cheeseboard for guests, avoid assembling it with ice-cold cheese immediately before everyone sits down.

Instead, prepare your cheeses ahead of serving and allow them time to lose some of their chill.

Then add your accompaniments.

For a Great British cheeseboard, try combining a few different styles of cheese with:

• British chutney

• Artisan crackers

• Apple or pear

• Pickles

• Fresh bread

• Nuts

• Charcuterie

You don't need to overcrowd the board.

Three or four carefully selected British cheeses at a good serving temperature can be far more enjoyable than a huge selection served straight from the fridge.

What Should You Do With Leftover Cheese From a Cheeseboard?

If there is cheese left after serving, wrap it properly and return it to the fridge rather than leaving it sitting out unnecessarily.

Try to only put out as much cheese as you reasonably expect to eat.

That way you're not repeatedly warming and chilling the same large piece.

And leftovers are hardly a bad thing.

A good mature Cheddar can become tomorrow's toastie, while smaller pieces of cheese can be used in omelettes, sauces, savoury bakes or salads.

British cheese is far too good to waste.

Does Cheese Storage Affect Its Flavour?

Absolutely.

Temperature, wrapping and even the other foods surrounding your cheese can all make a difference.

Store cheese badly and it can dry out, become unpleasantly moist or pick up unwanted flavours.

Store it well, then give it a little time before serving, and you're giving the cheese the best possible chance to taste as its maker intended.

That's particularly important when you're exploring artisan British cheese.

Part of the enjoyment is discovering the differences between regions, styles, milk, maturation and cheesemaking techniques.

Proper storage helps preserve those differences.

How Should You Store a Cheese Hamper?

If you've received a cheese hamper, don't assume the entire hamper can simply stay underneath the Christmas tree until you're ready to open it.

Any products requiring refrigeration should be removed and stored according to the instructions included with the hamper or individual product.

Cheese should be treated as a fresh food.

If you're giving a cheese hamper as a gift, it is also worth making sure the recipient knows which products need to go into the fridge.

This is particularly useful with corporate cheese hampers, where a gift may arrive at an office before eventually being taken home.

The crackers and chutneys may be perfectly happy waiting patiently.

The cheese needs a little more attention.

So, Should Cheese Be Stored at Room Temperature?

No. Cheese should generally be stored in the fridge, not permanently at room temperature.

The Food Standards Agency recommends keeping dairy products refrigerated and maintaining your fridge at 5°C or below.

But when it's time to eat it?

That's when a little patience pays off.

Take your cheese out of the fridge before serving and allow it to lose some of its chill. You'll often find the texture softer, the aroma more noticeable and the flavour far more expressive.

So remember:

Fridge for storage. Room temperature for serving.

And if you're looking for an excuse to put that advice into practice, explore our selection of great British cheeses, chutneys, crackers and deli favourites and build a cheeseboard worth taking your time over.