Cheese on the trail ?

[SENRABJOE]

Class of 2009 Thru Hiker
I am preparing my foods for the hike using LIp Smakin Backpackin, the book mentions using cream cheese, cheese without refrigeration. Any old timers out there that have experience with these products. I always thought cheese had to be refrigerated until use.

Thanks for your thoughts

Senrab 09

[karoberts]

I ate Cracker Barrel cheese sticks all summer long without refrigeration for up to five days. Greasy, yummy!
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[Cool AT Breeze]

Hard cheese lasts me about a week.

[4eyedbuzzard]

Cheese has been made for thousands of years, long before refrigeration or even ice was used to cool foods. In fact, turning milk into cheese IS preserving it. Hard cheeses with high salt contents like cheddars and parmesan especially last a long time. Cheese wheels are waxed to help keep in moisture and reduce mold growth. It is typical for cheeses to mold slightly on the outside though, and even desired in some varieties(blue cheese for example). On a cheese wheel you just cut away the mold and you're good to go.

[Plodderman]

I almost always take seperate packs of cheese and have never had a problem with them. I usaully hike arouund a week. I am not sure the name of them but they also come with a sausage.

[Serial 07]

cream cheese was a staple of my diet, especially early...come hot summer time, it's not gonna last as long, but then i was making sandwiches more and slices of cheese became the norm...

[Sly]

Cheese last nearly forever. I've mailed block cheese 3 weeks in advance and ate it another week into the trail. Cream cheese should easily last week, unless it's extremely hot.

[Surplusman]

Last year I used some of those packets of cheese spread they use in MRE's. They weren't too bad, especially on some of the MRE vegetable crackers. But this year I'm going to try cheese in a different form. Lots of good ideas in this thread!

[RiverWarriorPJ]

u gotta tell me about having cream cheese on the trail
Serial 07

[Panzer1]

On the trail, cheese is usually eaten long before it has time to go bad, even in the summer.

Panzer

[vonfrick]

i've had cream cheese last a week no problem. block cheese is always long gone before it would ever go bad, it just gets oily so i double bag it. i usually take a block of swiss and/or parmesean. imagine any hard cheese would be just fine.

[Phoenixdadeadhead]

I wrap cheddar in wax paper and then put it in a ziplock. Sometimes it grows a little mold, but all you have to do is cut off the mold and the rest is good

[Alli]

EZ cheese is delicious and packs a pretty good weight to calorie ratio. Also, it doesn't need to be refrigerated at all.

[Homer&Marje]

Block of mild cheddar and a block of sharp cheddar. Never had it last more than a week....but that's cause it's eaten first usually...disappointing day when the cheese runs out.

Might consider the EZ cheese....not a big fan...the calorie ratio is attractive and after 4 or 5 days the body will tell you anything is good to get calories.... won't hurt over a few ounces to carry it and try next trip.

[dessertrat]

Yes, I don't think cheese would last me as long as it would take to spoil. That being said, in terms of lasting without getting greasy or even looking bad, a wheel of smoked gouda is my top choice.

[CowHead]

Yes I enjoy cutting the cheese while hiking also

[Hikes in Rain]

Cheese fixes anything culinary, and lasts forever. Or at least until it's gone.

[sarbar]

You can get shelf stable versions of many cheeses, but yes, real cheese lasts a long time! It was designed to be very stable. America is obsessed with chilling everything it can.

As for cream cheese, carry it in the 1 ounce packets or whatever size you can get. Costco sells big boxes of them in single serving packets. You can freeze them before hand as well for more time. I use cream cheese instead of sour cream in recipes. Works great! (Though Rondele at times makes a shelf stable version, but it isn't as good as regular)

[hoz]

I wrap my block cheeses (cheddar, colby, gouda) in cheesecloth saturated with vinegar, No mold.

[garlic08]

As a non-meat eater and a stoveless hiker, I rely on cheese heavily. I'll carry up to two pounds for up to a week and have never had a problem with spoilage on the trail.