Earlier, people would wrinkle their noses and look at you begrudgingly when they hear the words ‘healthy diet.’
It’s understandable because most of us associate eating healthy with bland salads and meals that only make you fantasize about devouring something else.
Thankfully, people now realize that feeding your body with healthy food can be a delicious and fulfilling journey. Talking about healthy food, pecan nuts deserve mention.
Any kind of nut is great. But if you’re looking for a healthy snack with loads of good fat, you want pecans in your diet.
You can stock up on these nuts if you like! But if you’re wondering how long do pecans last, the answer is, for a long time.
We’ll get into that in the latter part of the article.
But for now, we’ll say this – other than good fat, pecans are good sources of vitamin E, protein, and they boast antioxidant effects.
How Long Do Pecans Last? Do Pecans Go Bad?
Pecan nuts can be pricey, so it’s only natural to want to know how long you have before they are no longer edible. Remember when we said that they have a high fat content?
It turns out it works against them when it comes to their shelf life. Because they contain so much fat, they are perishable, and they aren’t shy about letting you know when they go bad.
The redeeming thing is that you have a say in how fast your stock of pecans goes stale – we’re talking about how you store them.
Unshelled pecans retain their quality longer than shelled ones. If you’re buying pre-packed pecans, check the date on the label.
It should give you a fair idea of how long its contents are good for. With unshelled pecans, you can expect up to six or twelve months of pantry life.
You can refrigerate them to extend their longevity for up to 18 months. Shelled pecans have a slightly shorter life span. With them, you get about two months if stored at room temperature.
By refrigerating them, you can extend their shelf life to nine months. Some people also recommend freezing pecans, saying that it extends the nuts’ shelf life by up to two years.
Refrigerating or freezing pecans are great ways to extend their shelf life. Nonetheless, ensure that the nuts are not exposed to moisture even when in the fridge.
Otherwise, they can go bad quickly. An effective way to keep moisture out of pecans is to transfer them into an airtight container or sealed plastic bags.
What we love about these nuts is that they can be frozen and thawed multiple times without losing their texture or flavor. Once you remove pecans from cold storage, they remain good for an added two months.
How To Tell If Pecans Are Bad?
Pecan nuts, whether shelled or unshelled, have certain clear indicators that convey that they are bad. Some signs to watch out for are:
- If you find any kind of bug or insect when you crack open an unshelled pecan nut, it may be time to investigate the entire batch.
- Spoiled pecans also have a tendency to develop mold or fuzz. Any food with foreign substances on them is subject to evaluation.
- We’ve all been in a situation where we overstock on a certain food item only to forget about it. When we get to it, it’s been quite some time. What’s more, we aren’t sure if the food in question is still good to eat!If you’re in a similar scenario with pecan nuts, the best way to confirm your suspicion is to get a feel of their texture. If the pecans look shriveled and dried out, they are likely bad. They may not be harmful to eat when in this state, but they won’t taste great either.
- At their peak, pecans have a buttery and sweet taste. When they go bad, they tend to take on a bitter taste. If you’re lucky, you can hopefully catch signs of them being spoiled (courtesy of their rancid odor) before having to bite into them.
Conclusion
Can’t figure out a way to finish your stock of pecans that’s on the verge of going bad? You can try getting crafty in the kitchen and incorporating the nuts in some delightful culinary experiments.
However, if the pecans show any of the signs mentioned above, don’t risk it. Consuming pecans that are bad can have serious health implications.
Pecans are good sources of essential nutrients and all that. But what we love the most about these nuts is their subtle yet distinctive sweet taste.
This quality makes them easier for us to incorporate into our eating habits than, say, walnuts, which don’t exactly have any distinguishable taste.
If you’re new to the whole experience of eating clean and are looking to add nuts to the mix, pecans will not disappoint.
How Long Do Pecans Last? Do Pecans Go Bad?
Ingredients
- Pecans
- Air-tight containers or Ziplock bags
- Labels and markers
Instructions
- Read the guide thoroughly to learn how long it lasts.
- Check the u0022Best-by-dateu0022 to know when it expires.
- Make sure to store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place (pantry or fridge).
- Always check for signs of spoilage before using.
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