Cheese has been around for thousands of years, and every day we’re grateful to whoever decided that coagulated dairy products were actually a good thing instead of a tragic food accident. Over the millennia, we’ve learned a thing or two, coming up with genius uses for cheese such as fondue and raclette (thanks to Switzerland for both of these similar-but-not-identical dishes) as well as comfort foods including macaroni and cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches. We’ve even invented implements like the cheese slicer and cheese board to show them off at their finest. How, then, are we still making mistakes with storage, so our precious cheeses wind up dried out or slimy? To address this issue, The Takeout called in a certified Big Cheese: Molly Browne, who serves as the Education Director at Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin.

Browne explained that the key to cheese storage involves regulating the airflow: “Different types of cheese need different amounts of airflow to thrive. Cheeses like brie-styles, cave-aged cheddars, and anything that has been washed have rinds composed of living microbial communities that need air to survive. Cut off their airflow and they become slimy and stinky, and not in the good way. Rindless cheeses like Colby, gouda, and provolone do not have this same need for airflow and need protection from drying out.” How and where we store cheese affects the airflow, so Browne advises against making the following mistakes due to a lack of cheese-pertise.