How Long Will Cheese Last While Backpacking?

By Alice Nichols

Cheese is a convenient and tasty source of protein, fat, and calcium when backpacking. It’s lightweight and doesn’t take up much space in your pack, making it an ideal choice for long hikes. But how long will cheese last while backpacking?

The answer depends on many factors, including the type of cheese, whether it has been refrigerated or not, and the temperature of your environment. Hard cheeses like cheddar can last for up to three weeks unrefrigerated if stored correctly. Soft cheeses like brie will only last a few days without refrigeration.

Storage: To maximize the shelf life of your cheese while backpacking, store it in a cooler or insulated container with ice packs to keep it cool. If possible, keep the container out of direct sunlight to reduce the heat exposure and slow down spoilage. Storing smaller amounts of cheese in separate airtight containers will help maintain freshness and prevent cross-contamination between different types of cheese.

Temperature: Another factor that affects how long cheese will last while backpacking is the temperature outside. Hot summer temperatures can quickly cause spoilage, so it’s best to avoid storing cheese outdoors if possible. If you do need to keep your cheese outside during warm weather, try to find a shady spot or wrap it in foil or a damp cloth to help keep it cool.

Preparation: Pre-sliced or pre-shredded cheeses tend to go bad more quickly than blocks of cheese because they have more surface area exposed to air and bacteria. If you’re planning on taking pre-sliced or shredded cheeses with you on your trip, consider buying smaller amounts that you can use up quickly rather than bringing large packages that may go bad before you have a chance to use them all up.

Cheese can be an excellent addition to any backpacking trip if handled properly. With proper storage and temperature control, hard cheeses like cheddar can last for up three weeks unrefrigerated while soft cheeses like brie should be used within a few days at most without refrigeration. Pre-sliced and pre-shredded cheeses should be consumed quickly as they are more likely to spoil sooner than block cheeses due their larger surface area exposed to air and bacteria.


Conclusion: Overall, how long cheese lasts while backpacking depends on many factors such as type of cheese, whether its been refrigerated or not, storage methods used, temperature outside, and preparation techniques employed (pre-sliced/shredded). Generally speaking though hard cheeses like cheddar can last for up three weeks unrefrigerated while soft cheeses like brie should be used within a few days at most without refrigeration when stored correctly using ice packs in an insulated container out of direct sunlight away from hot temperatures.