Nuts & Seeds Shelf Life
Nuts and seeds do not spoil the way fresh foods do; their oils slowly oxidize and turn rancid. Heat, light and air speed that up, so the pantry is fine for a few months, the fridge doubles or triples it, and the freezer keeps them fresh for a year or more. High-oil nuts such as walnuts, pecans and pine nuts turn fastest.
16 foods · times shown are for the most common state of each food; tap a food for every state, storage tips and spoilage signs.
Nut butters
| Food | Fridge | Freezer | Pantry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Almond Butter Opened |
3–6 months | 6 months | 1–2 months |
| Peanut Butter Opened |
6–9 months | 6 months | 2–3 months |
Peanuts
| Food | Fridge | Freezer | Pantry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peanuts Opened |
6 months | 1 year | 2–3 months |
Seeds
| Food | Fridge | Freezer | Pantry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chia Seeds Dry (uncooked) |
1–2 years | 2 years | 1 year |
| Flaxseed Whole |
1 year | 1–2 years | 6 months |
| Pumpkin Seeds Opened |
6–12 months | 1 year | 2–3 months |
| Sesame Seeds Opened |
1 year | 1–2 years | 3–6 months |
| Sunflower Seeds Opened |
1 year | 1 year | 2–3 months |
Tree nuts
| Food | Fridge | Freezer | Pantry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Almonds Opened |
1 year | 1–2 years | 4–6 months |
| Cashews Opened |
6 months | 1 year | 2–4 months |
| Hazelnuts Opened |
6–12 months | 1–2 years | 2–4 months |
| Mixed Nuts Opened |
6 months | 1 year | 2–3 months |
| Pecans Opened |
6–9 months | 1–2 years | 2–3 months |
| Pine Nuts Opened |
3–6 months | 6–9 months | 1–2 months |
| Pistachios Opened |
6–12 months | 1–2 years | 3–6 months |
| Walnuts Opened |
6 months | 1 year | 2–3 months |
Not safe = perishable: no more than 2 hours at room temperature. Not recommended = possible, but quality suffers. Freezer times are best-quality windows at 0°F (−18°C).