Expiration & Storage Tips
When does Cheese Pizza expire?
A store-bought, unopened frozen cheese pizza typically has an expiration date printed on the box, and it's usually good for several months if kept in the freezer. Once opened, a frozen pizza should be consumed within two days when stored in the refrigerator. Remember: food safety is crucial, so it's better to be safe than sorry! For a homemade cheese pizza, it's generally best consumed within 3-4 days when stored in the refrigerator. However, if you've got leftovers and you'd like to freeze them, they will last for about 1-2 months in the freezer.
How do you tell if Cheese Pizza is bad?
Pizzas turn bad when they've been left out for too long, and their ingredients begin to spoil or grow mold. Stale pizza may have a strong, sour smell and its cheese may have hardened or turned discolored. If you see any mold on the pizza, throw it away. You also shouldn’t eat the pizza if it has an unusual or off smell, if the cheese has turned blue, green, black, pink, or it crust becomes too hard to bite.
Tips for storing Cheese Pizza to extend shelf life
• Always refrigerate or freeze a pizza within two hours of preparation to decrease the risk of bacterial growth.
• Store the pizza in airtight containers or wrap tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap to maintain its freshness and prevent it from absorbing odors from other foods in the refrigerator.
• For freezing, wrap pizza slices individually before placing them in a freezer bag. This allows you to thaw or heat only the amount you plan to eat.
• To thaw frozen pizza, it's advisable to transfer it to the refrigerator overnight. This slow, gentle thawing prevents the crust from becoming too hard and the cheese from becoming too rubbery.