Does String Cheese Go Bad?

A pocket-sized delight that everyone from youngsters to adults loves because they’re **delicious** and **easy** to snack on! But hold on, can string cheese actually go bad? What’s the secret behind string cheese? Is it truly considered real food? There are plenty of puzzles to solve here.

Regal cheese is pretty versatile and can last a long time, it does get mold on the outside, and that’s normal and can be cut away, but why is string cheese so different and have a relatively short shelf life?

This article gets to the bottom of string cheese and answers the most frequently asked questions so you can make sound buying decisions.

Let’s get into it.

Does string cheese go bad?

It does, and it can go bad quickly if not stored correctly. Cheese strings are dairy products and should be refrigerated. The packaging of cheese sticks should raise eyebrows. Why is it robust?

It is easy to tell when string cheese is bad. It will first change color and sweat, a sign that it has been outside the fridge for too long. The cheese string will develop an odd aroma, don’t let your kids eat if the cheese sticks have these signs.

You may see blue spots on the cheese sticks. It’s moldy, so don’t eat them.

The problem with cheese sticks is they frequent our kid’s lunch boxes every day and can easily be left lying in the base of a school bag without noticing it for days on end, which may put your child at risk of a foodborne illness.

How long do cheese sticks last?

How long does string cheese keep unopened in the refrigerator? 6 to 8 weeks which is a short time compared with regular cheddar.

However, The precise response to that question greatly depends on the storage conditions; string cheese should always be kept chilled.

Wait until you’re ready to use the string cheese before opening the packaging to extend its shelf life.

An unopened string cheese packet will keep for approximately a week after the Sell By or Best By date printed on the package if stored properly.

What kind of cheese is string cheese?

It can be a mix of cheeses, but the prominent cheese is mozzarella. It’s mild and is the only cheese with string qualities, and most other cheeses are crumbly or pliable but not stringy.

Is string cheese natural or processed?

It’s processed cheese, but you could argue that all cheeses result from a process such as separating the curd from whey after the rennet has done its job.

Other processes must be followed when using mozzarella-type cheese, including heat to form the cheese. 

Cheese sticks are created by pulling and stretching the cheese while simultaneously heating the cheese to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. This enables the cheese to stretch and have a stringy texture.

Is it healthy to eat string cheese?

It is if it’s been taken care of and stored in the proper manner. Cheese strings are great for growing kids and have vital nutrients to aid growth through the early years of development.

Cheese string provides vitamin B12, calcium, and selenium, which is brain food, so a diet rich in cheese may have great academic benefits.

One serving of string cheese provides 20% of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for calcium, 14% of the essential mineral selenium, and 20% of the RDA for vitamin B12.

Is a cheese stick good for kids?

Cheese sticks. Have essential nutritional values for kids, but that doesn’t mean they can wolf them down all day long without any consequences.

Vitamin B can be found in many foods and serves the purpose of synthesizing red blood cells, cell metabolism, neuron function, and the production of DNA—the molecules that carry genetic information inside of cells—all depend on vitamin B-12 (cobalamin). Poultry, meat, fish, and dairy products are food sources of vitamin B-12. Cheese sticks may be perfect for growing bones.

Too many cheese sticks can see your child with gastric issues such as gas and bloating with diarrhea. Don’t let your kids gorge on cheese sticks.

Can you eat expired cheese sticks?

Provided the cheese sticks have been stored in the fridge and the packaging is not open, you can eat cheese sticks beyond the expiry date. They should last for four months in proper storage.

However, all foods that have passed the expiry date must become subject to the smell test. If they smell bad, they are bad. There is no way of sugar-coating a bad cheese stick. When it’s done, it is done.

Assuming the cheese stick has gnome through the smell test, it can then progress to the visual inspection. Yes, you need to do this, especially if you intend to give it to a kid. The visual inspection should check for consistency in color and blemishes, such as mold marks.

Never eat moldy foods. The mold marks are literally the tip of the iceberg.

Finally, the taste test, mozzarella is a mild flavored cheese. It is not tangy and does not taste funky like some of these fancy European cheeses, and it is straight down the line mild. If it tastes tangy, throw it in the garbage.

How long can you eat string cheese after the expiration date?

It depends on a few factors. Is the packaging open? Has it been stored in the fridge correctly? Has the cheese taken on a different appearance?

If the answer to the above is no, yes, no, then the cheese sticks may be good for another few months.

An unopened pack of cheese strings stored in the fridge from day one could last six months past the expiry date.

Cheese, like most foods, is affected by its environment and the number of bacteria it is exposed to. Unlike hard cheeses, mozzarella is more susceptible to going bad and expiring than hard cheeses that can last for a very long time when stored correctly. Some cheeses may mature to become better, but not mozzarella.

This is why cheese sticks have an expiry date or best-before date. Mozzarella cheese sticks are more sensitive to expiry dates than other foods if not stored properly.

Can you freeze cheese sticks?

Yes, you can, but if your cheese sticks are turning bad, there will be little to be gained from freezing them. It will not stop the process, only delay the spoiling process until thawed.

In general, cheese sticks freeze remarkably well if stored in an airtight container with intact packaging.

To prolong the life of mozzarella cheese, the cheese distributor will often deliver mozzarella cheese in a frozen block which is then thawed and refrozen when the retailer has cut the block of cheese to size.

Freezing cheese strings doesn’t have a downside. The cheese freezes superbly well, not affecting the texture or taste of the cheese in the slightest way.

How long can you freeze cheese sticks?

It suggested that cheese sticks can only be frozen for three months and then need to be consumed, but you can freeze perishable goods indefinitely in a freezer, maintaining 0℉. 

Mozzarella cheese is a dense product, and although it does contain moisture, the freezing process does not affect the cheese in any way.

You all know thwart mozzarella is used on pizzas. Busy pizza outlets have many months of frozen mozzarella in stock to cover the fluctuations in pricing, so believe cheese sticks are good for a year or more.

Can I eat a cheese stick that was left out overnight?

Why would you want to? Cheese sticks stored in the fridge overnight are fine, but unless you are an Eskimo living in an igloo, you would be crazy to consider eating a cheese stick that has been left out overnight.

Let’s forget about the bacteria build-up on the cheese stick. What about insects? Would you feel happy eating a cheese stick that a cockroach has been nibbling away at while you sleep?

Look, there is a lot of false information around, and when it comes to food safety, you need to be diligent and use your common sense.

If the USDA says that you can’t eat foods left on a worktop after two hours, you should listen and apply the rule to all foods, especially if you give your child the food sticks.

What happens if you eat a bad cheese stick?

What happens if I accidentally eat moldy cheese? The consequences could become serious very quickly. The possible symptoms of eating moldy cheese could be nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and shortness of breath.

Final thoughts

Cheese sticks are great and can be part of a kid’s lunch box a few times weekly. They provide valuable nutrients and vitamins that are essential to growth and development.

They make a perfect quick snack for adults who are on the run and can’t prepare food. They are all around wholesome.

But don’t be under the illusion they can’t go bad because they can, and they have a relatively short shelf life compared with hard cheese like cheddar and Monterey.

Storage is the key to keeping cheese sticks in good condition. Store your cheese sticks in the fridge and open them when they are to be consumed.

Freezing cheese sticks will dramatically extend the shelf life without altering the cheese’s texture or flavor.