Shelf Life of Cottage Cheese: It is creamy, tangy, low in calories, and high in calcium and protein, so you might eat a bowl of it with fresh fruit for breakfast or use it as an alternative ingredient in eggs, dips, or lasagna recipes. It is important to be aware of how long the soft cheese will last in the refrigerator once you peel open the packaging, no matter how you use it.
Containers of cottage cheese can stay in the refrigerator for up to a week, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Other soft cheeses, such as ricotta and brie, also share the same characteristics. The USDA recommends setting the refrigerator temperature at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below to avoid contamination. The USDA claims that freezing a cottage cheese container once it is opened is not recommended because it does not freeze well. You can freeze cottage cheese, but it will separate and its texture will change after defrosting. If you are dealing with full-fat cottage cheese, it might freeze more smoothly because the fats will help maintain its consistency.
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Shelf Life Of Cottage Cheese
Cottage cheese with a grainy texture, mold, and other signs of spoilage
Before eating your opened cottage cheese, you can easily determine whether it has become bad. You should discard the cottage cheese if it appears watery or has a grainy texture. Black, gray, or green mold are more obvious signs of bad cottage cheese. You should not eat cottage cheese if it has a sour smell or taste, regardless of the expiration date.
You can find many ways to use cottage cheese if you are bored of eating it on its own or run out of ideas. In lasagna or other pasta dishes that traditionally use ricotta cheese, it’s an easy substitution. However, the texture will differ from that of ricotta cheese. You can also serve whipped cottage cheese dip with crackers or vegetable sticks and drizzles of olive oil or honey. Use leftover cottage cheese in recipes like egg salad, homemade pancakes, creamy guacamole, quiche, and cheesecake to be more creative.
