Can You Freeze Velveeta Cheese?

Velveeta cheese is a processed cheese product with a soft, smooth texture. It can be enjoyed as is, melted to make cheese sauce or dips, or as an ingredient in sandwiches and finger foods. Can you freeze Velveeta cheese? Technically, you can freeze any type of food, including cheese. However, Kraft, the maker of Velveeta, does not recommend freezing this product at all.

As seen on Kraft’s official Facebook page, the company explicitly warns about the changes that could happen if Velveeta has been frozen:

“We do not recommend that you freeze VELVEETA Pasteurized Process Cheese Product. Freezing VELVEETA Pasteurized Process Cheese Product may cause changes in the texture of the cheese. Crystals may form within the product, which may make it grainy, or its texture to become mushy. Freezing can also break down the ingredients used to make the cheese. This may cause water to form on the surface of the product. Freezing can also negatively impact the flavor.”

How to Freeze Velveeta Cheese?

If say, you are still committed to freezing Velveeta regardless of these changes, it’s surprisingly easy to prep the product for freezing:

Velveeta cheese cubed
Image used under Creative Commons from Donald Durham

Velveeta cheese is sold in blocks packed in cardboard boxes. Regardless if you’re freezing opened or unopened boxes of Velveeta cheese, you have to transfer the product to a freezer-safe container. The original packaging is not freezer-safe at all.

To prep the cheese, take the product out of its original packaging. You can either freeze the cheese as a block or cut a block into cubes so you can divide it into serving portions. Cover the cheese with cling wrap, making sure there are no exposed spots.

Place the wrapped cheese into a freezer-safe resealable plastic bag then squeeze out the excess air. Seal, write the storage date then stick in the freezer. We highly suggest placing the cheese at the back of the freezer. The cheese has to be kept at a steady temperature to reduce texture changes.

If you defrosted the frozen Velveeta cheese, there should not be any leftovers. Never refreeze thawed Velveeta cheese. Frozen Velveeta cheese should only be used in cooking because of the texture changes.

Shelf Life, Thawing and Reheating Suggestions

Frozen Velveeta cheese will keep for at least 3 months. But we recommend consuming the cheese as soon as possible to minimize the texture or flavor changes. To thaw the frozen Velveeta cheese, just transfer the product in the fridge. Leave the product to defrost overnight.

Velveeta cheese on the shelf
Image used under Creative Commons from Mike Mozart

Ideally, you should thaw the frozen cheese slowly. But if you are in a hurry, you can use your microwave to defrost and reheat the frozen cheese. Just remove the wrapper and cut the cheese into cubes. Place the cubed cheese in a microwave-safe container then nuke on high in 2 minutes intervals until the cheese is melted completely.

You can also thaw and melt the cheese at the same time by adding Velveeta straight to the dish being cooked. Just whip up a dish as you normally would. Cut the cheese into cubes then add the cheese gradually when the recipe calls for it.

Summary

Can you freeze Velveeta cheese? As long as you are reserving the cheese for cooking, freezing helps extend the shelf life of the cheese. You can use the frozen Velveeta cheese for making dips, classic mac and cheese, and cheese casseroles without worrying about flavor changes.