How Long Does Sliced American Deli Cheese Last in the Fridge?

Shelf Life Tips

• How long does sliced American deli cheese last? The exact answer to that question depends to a large extent on storage conditions - after purchasing from the deli, keep sliced American deli cheese refrigerated at all times.
• How long does sliced American deli cheese last after the sell-by date? After sliced American deli cheese is purchased from the deli, it may be refrigerated for 2 to 3 weeks - the "sell-by" date on the package may expire during that storage period, but the cheese will remain safe to use after the sell by date if it has been properly stored.
• Unopened sliced American deli cheese may be kept in its original store deli packaging when refrigerating; to maximize the shelf life of the cheese, do not open the package until ready to use.
• To further extend the shelf life of sliced American deli cheese, freeze; when freezing, place the cheese in the freezer before the number of days shown for refrigerator storage has elapsed.
• You can maximize the shelf life of sliced American deli cheese in the freezer by wrapping the sliced cheese tightly in heavy-duty aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap or place in heavy-duty freezer bags.
• How long does sliced American deli cheese last in the freezer? Properly stored, it will maintain best quality for about 8 months, but will remain safe beyond that time.
• The freezer time shown is for best quality only - American deli cheese that has been kept constantly frozen at 0°F will keep safe indefinitely.
• How long does sliced American deli cheese last after being frozen and thawed? Sliced American deli cheese that has been defrosted can be kept for an additional 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator before using; for best results, thaw cheese in the refrigerator.
• Frozen cheese may become crumbly and lose some of its flavor; the thawed slice American deli cheese will be best suited to cooked dishes, such as sauces, soups and casseroles.
• How can you tell if sliced American deli cheese is bad or spoiled? The best way is to smell and look at the cheese: if cheese develops an off odor, flavor or appearance, it should be discarded; if mold appears, discard all of the sliced American deli cheese.

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Sources: For details about data sources used for food storage information, please click here