Kitchen helper… how to store nuts for maximum freshness
Do you know how to store nuts for maximum freshness? Ok, here’s a hint – act like a squirrel. Read on to find out more.
Squirrels are smart little creatures. In late autumn before it gets really cold, they literally will ‘squirrel away’ their supply of nuts and seeds for the winter, before the snow falls and the food supply is meagre. This practice is called larder hoarding and a single squirrel can bury up to 3000 nuts in various locations.
Nuts and seeds all contain unsaturated (“good”) fats which are sensitive to light, heat and oxygen, which cause them to oxidise and become rancid.
By burying their nuts, squirrels reduce all these factors, keeping their nuts naturally refrigerated, and limiting their exposure to air and light.
So we too should take note of squirrels’ careful nut storage habits. While we’re not suggesting you bury your nuts, remember these tips:
• Nuts which you will eat within a week or two of buying, can be left in their original packaging and kept in your pantry.
• Nuts which you want to keep long term or on hand as a pantry item for future baking, for example, should be kept in the refrigerator, and will remain fresh for up to a year.
• Nuts can also be frozen. Put them in an airtight container or freezer-safe resealable bag and try to pack the nuts in as tightly as possible to limit contact with the air. Frozen nuts will keep fresh for up to two years.
• If you buy fresh walnuts, hazelnuts or chestnuts in their shells, always keep them in the refrigerator. This will slow oxidation and also growth of mould within the shell which will spoil the nut.
