Why Costco's Shredded Cheese Could Be Too Much For One Person

When craving a warm and comforting meal, many people look no further than something cheesy. From macaroni and cheese to loaded tacos, recipes that make cheese lovers rejoice almost always require, of course, a handy bag of shredded cheese. This can get pricey in large quantities, so if you see a giant and affordable bag of shredded cheese at Costco, it may be tempting to add it to your cart.

There are a few reasons why Costco's cheese is so cheap, and CNN explains that part of this is because of the company's relationships with vendors, allowing the chain to negotiate lower prices for customers. This may be especially appealing to Costco members amid inflation, when the rising cost of cheese is affecting even large pizza chains, reports Business Insider. 

If you're trying to save money, it sounds like there's no better time than the present to buy cheese in bulk and have a pizza night at home. But if you're single or living in a two-person household, here's why you should think twice before adding Costco's shredded cheese to your grocery list.

Some types of shredded cheeses at Costco come in packs of two, meaning you'll have to bring home two 2.5-pound (40-ounce) bags of cheese. Different stores might offer different sizes, but for the purpose of this story, we're looking into the bag that we at Mashed recently spotted at Costco.

According to the USDA, hard shredded cheese will keep in the fridge for up to a month after opening. That means that as a single person, you'd need to eat more than one 1-ounce serving of cheese a day for about 30 consecutive days in order to finish it within the food safety window — enough to give pause to even the most ardent of cheese lovers. Plus, while the British Heart Foundation explains that cheese is a great source of calcium and protein, the organization also recommends being mindful of how much you eat, as the salt and fats in cheese can lead to high cholesterol. 

Ultimately, we don't recommend purchasing shredded cheese in bulk for a small household. But for those feeding a crowd, Reddit users say that cheese is a must-buy at Costco, vouching for the Boursin and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Plus, Redditors have shared that vacuum sealing and freezing hard cheeses is always an option to extend their storage time. If you're planning on giving this method a try, be sure to learn how to freeze cheese the right way.