We all have our guilty pleasures, and mine is the local cheese store. I savor the ritual of browsing the variety of cheese available, delighting in the free trials, and then treating myself to a selection of cheeses that take my fancy. Alarmingly, free trials aside, all of this doesn't equate to a feast because of my lactase deficiency. Therefore, I savor my cheese purchases at a more languishing rate, which sometimes results in inevitable spoilage. Still, life decided to smile at me when I stumbled upon expert advice that plastic wrapping was not the only, nor the best, way to store cheese.

Storing cheese in plastic wrap can be a dairy disaster, according to the tide of expert cheesemonger opinion I received. Their advice was unanimous - utilize Formaticum cheese storage bags. These bags claim to keep the cheese fresher for longer because of a porous, waxed paper material. The method, apparently, has French roots, famous for their mastery of all things cheese.

The Formaticum cheese storage bags, available on Amazon, seem designed specifically to create the perfect environment for cheese storage. A package contains 15 bags that work to regulate the humidity, thereby preventing the cheese from drying out or growing unwanted molds. Though not big enough for a full cheese wheel, each bag measuring 6.25 by 11 inches can comfortably accommodate a sizable cheese wedge, be it hard or soft. To further make a case for itself, each bag comes with a marked space for naming and dating the cheeses stored within. At $15 per pack, you end up paying a little over a dollar per bag.

Why are these bags a big deal? Angie DiMeo, co-owner of East Side Cheese in Providence, Rhode Island explains, “Once one cuts a cheese wheel, it starts to deteriorate. Formaticum cheese storage bags and papers retain freshness longer.” The bags have micro-perforations that create a cave-like environment allowing cheese to breathe and maintain moisture levels simultaneously. It’s the secret to prolonged preservation, according to DiMeo, who strongly advises against using plastic wrap for long-term cheese storage.

But what causes plastic wrap to fail? Marc Hernandez, head cheese buyer at Formaggio Kitchen in Cambridge, Massachusetts sheds some light on this. Apparently, plastic wrap impedes the microorganisms in cheese from thriving and imparts an undesirable plastic-like taste to the cheese. Hernandez endorses the ease of use and effectiveness of Formaticum cheese storage bags. He suggests, for those who cannot access these bags, parchment or waxed paper as a better alternative than plastic wrap.

Apart from haying moisture regulation, these cheese bags prevent rapid mold development, a common concern when cheeses are stored in refrigerators. Noted cheesemonger Laura Downey, owner of Fairfield Cheese Company in Connecticut, emphasizes that cheese must ‘breathe’ for a minimal exchange of oxygen to prevent undesirable molds. Contrary to popular belief, not all molds bring joy to a cheese!

Eager to embark on a journey of extended cheese preservation? Why not give Formaticum cheese storage bags a spin? Priced at $17 for a pack of 15 bags, they might just be the investment that keeps your favorite cheeses fresher for longer while saving you some dollars on replacements.