Do Peanuts Go Bad? How Long Do They Last?

by Editorial Staff | Updated on July 30th, 2022

Purchasing peanuts in bulk frequently results in a percentage of them still sitting in storage a few months later. We’re initially driven, consuming a handful daily or even creating our peanut butter. However, after a few weeks, the initial excitement fades.

Then, while tidying the pantry, we come upon that half-opened bag and wonder what to do with it. Do peanuts spoil? And, if so, how can you determine if they’ve been ruined or not?

If that describes you, you’ve come to the correct spot. This page discusses the storage, shelf life, and spoilage of peanuts. If you’re unsure what to do with your leftovers or want to know how to preserve them, so they last as long as possible, keep reading.

What exactly are peanuts?

Peanuts are not nuts but legumes and different varieties of beans such as navy, pinto, and others. They are considered nuts in the culinary world because they act more like nuts than legumes.

The peanut plant is a South American native. This plant is an annual that yields peanuts just once before dying back. In many regions of Africa, a peanut is known as a groundnut. They are referred known as goobers in the southern United States.

Are Peanuts Good for You?

Even though they are high in vitamins and minerals, don’t settle down with a can of them and watch TV. Peanuts are high in fat.

You’d be shocked at how much fat there is in a handful of peanuts! Peanuts are little, but they can pile on the calories rapidly. 170 calories are in a handful of peanuts. This may not seem like much, but when was the last time you ate a handful of peanuts and threw the container away?

Most individuals would rather have a can of peanuts and munch them aimlessly. Eating all those peanuts is a poor idea if you’re not aiming to gain weight!

Peanut Health Benefits

• Boost your energy and attention at work, school, and home.
• A handful a day provides pregnant women with the vitamin folate, which aids in developing the baby’s neurological system.
• Components that fight to age
• This supplement aids weight reduction and control.
• The vitamin arginine in peanuts helps decrease blood pressure and keep your heart robust and healthy.
• It can help minimize the risk of inflammation, gallstones, hunger, diabetes, and other conditions.
• They have a high satiety rating, making you feel full.

Peanut nutritional facts

There’s a reason peanuts have such a high satiety value (feeling of fullness). They are high in healthful nutrients and are considered wholesome since they supply a significant portion of the necessary dietary requirements.

How Long Do Peanuts Last

As previously stated, the shelf life of peanuts is determined by the storage temperature. Another essential consideration is whether or not they have been shelled.

If they are in-shell, the seeds are well protected, which allows them to preserve quality for a lengthy amount of time in a less-than-ideal environment such as room temperature. They are significantly more fragile once they are out of the shell and lose quality fast.

Let’s speak about time now. Of course, if your package of peanuts includes a best-by date, use it to estimate how long the nuts will retain their optimum flavor. However, if you’ve purchased peanuts in quantity, follow these guidelines:

• Peanuts in shells may be stored in the pantry for four months and in the refrigerator for nearly a year.
• Shelled peanuts last for about four weeks in the pantry and a year in the refrigerator.

As can be seen, the primary variation in storage times is when they are kept at room temperature. If kept at a low temperature, both in-shell and no-shell peanuts have almost the same shelf life.

Do Peanuts Go Bad? Chart

How long do peanuts last after they’ve been opened?

Generally, bulk shelled peanuts can only be utilized after one month from the opening date. Once exposed to the outside air, oxidation will begin within weeks.

Make a mental note of this if you regularly despise the notion of tossing away dead nuts.

How long do peanuts keep in their shell?

At room temperature, unshelled peanuts can survive four times longer than shelled peanuts.

In other words, acquire some cans, and your favorite goodies will remain wonderful and ready to fill your stomach for the next four months.

How long do peanuts last once they have passed their expiration date?

After the expiration date, they can be frozen for two years or refrigerated for twelve months.

How long does unopened canned or bottled peanuts last?

Peanuts may be stored in a can or container for up to two years at ambient temperature, four years in the refrigerator, and indefinitely in the freezer.

How long can you last peanuts in the freezer?

While peanuts do not need to be frozen to last a long time, frozen peanuts have the longest shelf-life of any storage technique.

When kept properly, shelled or in-shell peanuts can be stored for up to six months and frozen for up to two years.

Because freezing peanuts aren’t the most frequent preservation technique, little is known about the specifics of freezing different types of peanuts and how to get the best shelf life. We have some suggestions below, but you may need to experiment to determine how long your peanuts can survive.

How long do peanuts last in the refrigerator?

If you store nuts in the refrigerator, they will keep longer. Bulk peanuts in shells, for example, may be stored in the refrigerator for up to nine months.

Even so, shelled ones will die one-third of the time in the same situation.

How long can boiled peanuts be stored?

The shelf life of boiled peanuts varies depending on how they are stored. You may freeze cooked ones for several months, but the flavor and texture will deteriorate. However, these prepared items may only be stored for two or three days at room temperature. Following that, oxidation begins.

How long do honey-roasted peanuts last?

Honey roasted peanuts will keep for about three months if stored at room temperature. Allow twice as much time for the fridge to cool.

What causes peanuts to go bad?

Even when maintained properly — in cool, dry areas — your peanut canister might go rancid. Grains and nuts, while not as visible or offensive as a rotten tomato or a blueish piece of meat left in the refrigerator for too long, do expire. But why is this happening?

These groupings, like other foods, are made up of fat, carbohydrate, and protein molecules. These macronutrients interact with each other and their environment throughout time, affecting their taste, texture, and hunger for them.

Understanding that “becoming bad” can refer to various things is vital. Nuts and grains, of course, can deteriorate. Mold or yeast can infect certain goods if they are not properly preserved. Grains and nuts, however, can expire, which means they lose their beneficial sensory qualities with time.

How Can You Tell If Your Peanuts Have Gone Bad?

You’re undoubtedly aware of how rancid peanut butter becomes when it spoils. However, many individuals are unaware that peanuts may become rancid. As a result, you should inspect your package before ingesting it, especially if you have an unsealed one sitting in your cupboard for months.

Smell

Peanuts include fats and oils that will grow rancid with time, especially if you have not properly stored this product. This is because oil oxidation occurs when peanuts are directly exposed to air.

Stale peanuts will lose their characteristic scent, and the product will be no longer smell rich, nutty, and buttery. If you smell a sour milk-like stench, your peanuts are likely ruined.

You can even smell a chemical, paint-like peanut odor in certain situations. In such a circumstance, don’t think twice about it and toss the bag away as quickly as possible.

Texture

Fresh peanuts are firm and silky. The product is no longer edible when seeds change their texture and become dry and shriveled.

Taste

If you’re still intrigued and confused if you should toss the peanut box, it’s time to sample the shady product. Unlike fresh peanuts, which have a creamy and nutty flavor, rotten peanuts have an extraordinarily nasty, acidic, and bitter taste.

Mold

Any discoloration on the peanut surface indicates something is wrong with this product. You may sometimes observe white, green, or black specks all over the shell or peanuts.

If your peanuts are completely moldy, you should throw out the entire package without hesitation. Mold indicates that you stored this food in a warm, wet environment.

Can rotten peanuts make you sick?

Many may be curious about what happens if you consume rotten peanuts. In truth, there have been no confirmed incidents of anyone being ill after eating a handful of rotten peanuts, but we can all agree that eating bitter rotten nuts is not something anyone wants to do!

Can rotten peanuts make you sick?

Many may be curious about what happens if you consume rotten peanuts. In truth, there have been no confirmed incidents of anyone being ill after eating a handful of rotten peanuts, but we can all agree that eating bitter rotten nuts is not something anyone wants to do!

Can rotten peanuts make you sick?

Many may be curious about what happens if you consume rotten peanuts. In truth, there have been no confirmed incidents of anyone being ill after eating a handful of rotten peanuts, but we can all agree that eating bitter rotten nuts is not something anyone wants to do!

How to store Peanuts?

Several factors, including determining the best way to store peanuts

• How long do you expect your peanuts to last? Buying unshelled peanuts and freezing them can help you extend the life of your peanuts.
• It doesn’t matter if you have unshelled or shelled peanuts. Unshelled peanuts have a much longer shelf life.
• Whether or if you have refrigerator space.
• If you have freezer space.
• Whether you have a dark, dry, and cold pantry or not

Preserving peanuts is straightforward if you live in a cold climate or have a cool cellar or temperature-controlled pantry.

Ideally, your unshelled peanuts should be stored in a well-ventilated bag in a room with a temperature of roughly 37°F (3°C). Make careful to separate the batches so that if one bag spoils, the remainder are secure.

Shelled peanuts can also be stored in a cold, dry, dark place, but only for a short time.

If you don’t have a consistently cold spot in your house, you can store shelled or unshelled peanuts at room temperature, preferably in a dark, dry place like a cupboard. However, anticipate the heat to hasten the aging process.

You’re not going to eat all of your peanuts in a few weeks, and you don’t have a cold pantry. Don’t be concerned. Place your peanuts in a freezer bag or an airtight container and place them in the refrigerator or freezer for longer shelf life.

Keep in mind! If you keep your peanuts in the fridge, especially if they’re already shelled, go in every few weeks and wipe any moisture out of the Tupperware or bag. Moisture encourages the decomposition of your peanuts.

Finally, any non-plain peanuts, such as roasted, seasoned, or flavored peanuts, should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer since the seasoning might encourage decomposition.

Should peanuts be kept refrigerated?

There is some logic to storing peanuts in the refrigerator, but it is unnecessary. There’s also a strong likelihood that room in the refrigerator is already at a premium. We believe it is far preferable to maintain this area for perishable foods and instead decide to buy fewer at a time and store them in the pantry.

We’ve never met someone who keeps peanuts in the freezer, but it’s possible if you’re desperate enough. When doing so, it’s preferable to lock them snugly in freezer bags or airtight containers.

It’s worth mentioning that because peanuts have significant fat content, they won’t completely freeze. When it comes to long-term storage, it is still a secure and practical alternative. Before freezing peanuts, they should also be shelled. Frozen raw peanuts can survive indefinitely under these circumstances.

Can Peanuts Be Frozen?

Yes, we’ve proved that you can freeze peanuts, so how do you do it? Let’s go through it so you’ll know exactly how to maintain your peanuts in pristine condition for up to two years.

• Keep it sealed: Just like you would if you were storing your peanuts in the fridge or pantry, it’s critical to keep them sealed before freezing them. To achieve this, use a freezer-safe container or bag.
• Wrap them in plastic before putting them in the container or bag you’ll be freezing them in: Wrapping your peanuts in plastic before putting them in the container or bag you’ll be freezing them in is a good technique to guarantee they freeze properly.
• Label: Write the date you froze the peanuts on the container or wherever you’ll remember it. This way, when you take your peanuts out of the freezer after five months, you’ll remember that it’s been five months, not seven.

What Is the Best Way to Thaw Peanuts?

Now that you know how to freeze peanuts, it’s time to learn how to defrost them when ready to eat them.

Because few people freeze peanuts, there isn’t a lot of easily available information on how to defrost peanuts. However, there are a few approaches that appear to be effective. One method is to defrost your frozen peanuts in the refrigerator overnight.

Alternatively, you may remove the peanuts from the freezer and place them on the counter to thaw. You’ll have to experiment to determine which strategy works best for you.

How do you get the moisture out of nuts?

Spread it on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes at 350oF. Allow time for it to cool. They’ll be delicious.

Conclusion

In this short tutorial, we address the topic “do peanuts go bad?” with an in-depth examination of whether or not peanuts may go bad. Furthermore, we reviewed the shelf life of peanuts and how to store peanuts properly.

Editorial Staff

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