Cashew nuts have a long shelf life when stored under the right conditions. Storing them in a closet will keep them fresh for up to 6 months. But the best thing to do is store them in the freezer if you know you won't eat them quickly enough. They can last more than a year in very cold temperatures.
Most pre-packaged cashew nuts will have an expiration date, which will tell you how long you can leave the package unopened in your pantry. This is usually 6 months to a year. Once the package is opened, the roasted cashew nuts will last about 2 weeks in the pantry or a month in the fridge. Once again, the freezer will allow you to preserve cashew nuts for the long term.
Cashew nuts last about 6 months at room temperature and more than 12 months in the fridge. If you need even more time, you can freeze them.
Raw cashew nuts
purchased in bulk can last up to 4 weeks in the pantry. If you want to keep it fresh longer, store the cashew nuts in the fridge.They can last up to 6 months if stored this way. If you bought raw cashew nuts, they would last about a month in your pantry or up to six months in the refrigerator. Cashew nuts, such as almonds, are usually not raw, even if they are marked as such. The shell around the cashew nut contains urushiol, the same substance found in poison ivy.
The inside of the shell contains toxic resins, which can contaminate the nut if not removed carefully, so the processors remove the outer shell with heat treatment or boiling in oil. Very few manufacturers remove the peel without using heat, according to the Living and Raw Foods website. 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.
According to the University of California (UCAN), cashew nuts last about six months at room temperature and about 12 months in the refrigerator. It's similar to what I've seen on the labels of pre-packaged cashew nuts in supermarkets. If stored properly, cashew nuts can last from a month to a year, depending on how you preserve them. Also, you should never try to substitute raw cashew nuts for roasted ones in a recipe, as this replacement will likely result in an inferior tasting dish.
The peel of truly raw cashews contains toxins that can cause an allergic reaction similar to poison ivy. Fresh raw cashews should be light brown in color; if they start to turn yellow or gray, this indicates that they are going rancid. Both raw almonds and cashews require careful storage if you want to store them for more than a few days. California-grown almonds labeled as raw may not actually be, as the U.S.
Department of Agriculture will no longer allow the sale of raw almonds. Raw cashews last about a month at room temperature, so store nuts in the fridge or freezer to extend their shelf life. You can do the same if you buy raw cashew nuts in a plastic package that you open and need to reclose. Cashew nuts never come completely raw with full coverage because the shell contains “urushiol,” the same substance found in poison ivy, according to LiveStrong.
