What You Need To Know Before Freezing Velveeta Cheese
Velveeta, the processed American cheese product, is a useful ingredient to have on hand. Its smooth melting properties make it a favorite for creating creamy cheese sauces, dips, and toppings for dishes like nachos or casseroles. Unlike natural cheeses, Velveeta boasts a longer shelf life, making it a reliable pantry staple for impromptu gatherings or last-minute meal preparations. However, even though Velveeta lasts up to six months unopened, once opened, it'll spoil within eight weeks.
If you don't have a use for Velveeta within that time frame and don't want it to go to waste, the good news is you can put it in the freezer until you need it. While freezing extends the life of Velveeta by two to three months, unfortunately, the quality declines and the consistency changes. If you try to freeze it again for later use, the quality gets even worse. This is why it's best not to freeze Velveeta until you really need to.
Why Velveeta doesn't freeze well
When you freeze cheese, including processed cheese such as Velveeta, the moisture in it crystallizes. In other words, all the liquid inside turns to ice. After this happens, the texture of the cheese will never quite be the same again because crystallization disrupts the cellular structure of the cheese. Many kinds of cheese still freeze well, such as provolone and parmesan, but Velveeta isn't one of them because of its higher moisture content.
The better a cheese melts, the more moisture it contains, and Velveeta happens to be highly melty. More moisture, however, leads to more crystallization, which is why Velveeta's texture changes a lot once frozen. Kraft Heinz, the manufacturer of Velveeta confirmed this in an old Facebook post that has since been taken down. "Freezing VELVEETA Pasteurized Process Cheese Product may cause changes in the texture of the cheese," the company wrote before the post was deleted. "Crystals may form within the product, which may make it grainy, or its texture to become mushy".
The best way to freeze Velveeta
While Kraft Heinz doesn't really recommend freezing Velveeta, it can still be done in a way that keeps the textural changes to a minimum. The best course of action is to vacuum seal it or store it in airtight packaging. This doesn't prevent crystallization from occurring as this is an inevitable occurrence in Velveeta, however, it does reduce contact with oxygen, which can cause freezer burn. When food gets freezer burn, a layer of ice crystals form on top, and the flavor and texture get impacted. Freezer burn on top of crystallization won't make Velveeta taste very good, so make sure to seal your Velveeta well before you freeze it.
When it's time to defrost it, the ideal way to go about it is to stick it in the fridge to slowly bring the temperature up. From there you can use it in your favorite Velveeta recipe, such as Velveeta mac and cheese, just don't expect it to be the same quality it was before you froze it. For best results, try to use it no longer than two days after taking it out of the freezer.