You can store raw cashew nuts for up to a year or longer if you store them in a sealed bag in a cool, dark and dry environment, such as the freezer. You can store them in the refrigerator for four to five months. For cashew nuts, the shelf life discussion measures the time it would take for the nut to go rancid and lose its creamy texture and nutritional value. When cashew nuts are purchased in bulk and stored properly, they can last for about a month at room temperature or up to 6 months in the refrigerator.
Beyond that, freezing would be necessary. Now that we've covered what we know about nuts, read on to learn some of the (unexpected) mistakes many of us make when buying and storing them. Break these harmful habits and we promise that your nuts will stay fresh longer. To extend the shelf life of almost any type of nut, store them in the refrigerator.
This is especially true for walnuts, pecans, and cashews. Those three nuts can quickly go rancid in warm environments. However, if the packaging has been damaged, place the cashew nuts in an airtight container. You can also use a resealable bag.
Freeze cashew nuts for up to a year before using them. If you prefer to buy your cashew nuts in bulk, it is recommended that you remove enough cashew nuts to enjoy for a week or two and then place the rest in the freezer until you need it. A bitter taste, a brittle consistency, or a very dry texture will indicate that cashews are stale and should be discarded. If you're cutting cashew nuts and you feel the knife slipping or the nut flaking gently, the cashew nuts have been spoiled.
However, once a package has been opened, nuts are only good in ambient room temperature environments for a short period of time. Storing nuts (and seeds) in the refrigerator or freezer limits their exposure to all three and will make the nuts taste less bitter and tastier for longer. While eating rancid cashews is not life-threatening, it can cause constipation or digestive discomfort. In addition, if the cashew nuts have acquired a bitter taste, the nuts are already rancid and therefore do not work.
Once the package is opened, the roasted cashew nuts will last about 2 weeks in the pantry or a month in the fridge. If you're a big peanut butter lover, but need to control your cholesterol, consider spreading with cashew nuts. If you opt for the refrigerator route, nuts should still be hermetically sealed, as cashews are hygroscopic and will absorb moisture and odors from the environment. Enjoy these fresh nuts by storing them properly and watching if your cashew nuts have spoiled.
Or maybe you've bought cashew nuts in bulk and aren't sure how to store them, so they're the ones that last the longest. Walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, almonds and the batch are tasty treats in the nut mix, but their uses are almost endless. Keeping cashew nuts in your pantry will result in a shorter shelf life than in the refrigerator, but it's a good option if you check them quickly. Walnuts last 6 months in the pantry 1 year in the fridge 1-2 years in the freezer.
Exposure to heat, sunlight, and air are factors that will cause cashew nuts to go rancid faster, so these are the factors you'll want to protect yourself against.
