Almost are delicious; they are always present in my diet, and maybe yours, so if you are like me, sometimes you may buy a lot of almonds. You can use them for nougats or flour too. For that reason, you need to understand how to store almonds properly.
Almonds with peel can be stored in the pantry for 12 months. Peeled almonds can be stored in the pantry, fridge, and freezer for 2, 3, and 6 months, respectively. Finally, if you have toasted, fried, or ground almonds, you can refrigerate or freeze them.
Do you want to know each of the ways described above? If your answer is yes, read on, and you will learn how to preserve almonds for a long time.
How to store almonds with peel at room temperature
Almonds still in their shell have better durability; they can be kept in good condition for several months because the peel protects them from decomposition, insects, and other agents damaging them.
However, you must be careful when storing them. You must have an optimal environment so that moisture does not damage their outer layer.
Here are the steps and tips for storing raw almonds.
- Step 1. Place the almonds in a paper bag.
Paper bags will keep almonds unpeeled longer as they are breathable.
So put the almonds inside the paper bag without much pressure to avoid breaking them. If not all the almonds fit, just use another one.
In the end, you only have to fold the bag twice to close it, and for better breathability, make three holes with a needle in the bag.
- Step 2. Put the bag in a cardboard box.
After the almonds are in the paper bag, you must place them inside a cardboard box vertically and ensure they do not pile up.
- Step 3. Store in the pantry.
By preserving the almonds in their peel, you can store them for about 12 months in good condition, but you need to ensure the pantry meets specific requirements, which I will explain in the following section.
Requirements for room temperature storage
As I said at the beginning, for the proper storage of raw almonds in the pantry or cupboard, you have to consider several factors, which are:
- Temperature between 18°C (46°F).
- Humidity between 75%.
- The pantry should be completely dark, away from light and heat sources.
Additional tips for proper storage
- Check if the almonds have any imperfections or signs indicating decomposition before storing them.
- You should not mix almonds with other nuts when keeping them because the oils could mix, culminating in a flavor change.
- Do not place the almonds with shells near the stove, ovens, or objects that emanate heat, as this deteriorates the composition of the almonds.
How to preserve peeled almonds
When you peel the almonds, you must be more careful in their storage process since they can be easily damaged, and many people peel them by soaking them in water to eliminate the anti-nutrients they may have.
There are three places to store almonds without peel: the pantry, the fridge, and finally, the freezer. The good thing is that these methods are pretty similar to each other.
Below I will detail deeper each method of storage.
Steps to preserve peeled almonds in the pantry
While preserving peeled almonds at room temperature is possible, I recommend using the fridge directly. It is safer and adapts better to the storage conditions required.
However, you can store the peeled almonds at room temperature as follows:
- Step 1. Look for an airtight glass container.
The container must be previously sterilized and thoroughly dried.
- Step 2. Place the almonds inside the container.
Fill the container with the peeled almonds until you leave 2 cm of space between the lid and the nuts. Then it would be best if you close tightly.
- Step 3. Store in the pantry.
Place the container in the pantry. The perfect conditions are a temperature of 10-12°C, away from the heat sources or sun rays hitting directly.
So, if the temperature is relatively higher where you live, I recommend you try the following method.
Preserving peeled almonds in the pantry will last about two months.
How to refrigerate peeled almonds
- Step 1. Get an airtight container.
The container can be glass or plastic; you must ensure that it has an airtight closure and is completely dry when storing the almonds.
- Step 2. Put the peeled almonds in the container.
Place the almonds in the container and close it tightly.
- Step 3. Take to the fridge.
Once you are ready with the previous steps, store the almonds in the fridge.
By taking care of these aspects, refrigerated peeled almonds can last about six months without going rancid or accumulating mold inside the container. [1]
Keep the almond container away from other foods with strong odors, such as meat, fish, and vegetables, since peeled almonds can quickly absorb the smell and taste of these products.
How to freeze peeled almonds
- Step 1. Find a ziplock bag.
For better storage, you must look for a bag with an airtight closure, such as a ziplock.
- Step 2. Fill the bag with the almonds.
Introduce the peeled almonds into the bag until you leave a space of 2 cm between the closure and the walnuts.
- Step 3. Vacuum the ziplock bag.
When freezing the almonds, you must vacuum them, so if you have a vacuum sealer machine, it is time to use it.
If you do not have this device, you have to look for a straw, and when closing the bag, leave a small hole where to introduce the straw and suck the air. When you finish, quickly remove the straw and seal the bag.
- Step 4. Label the container.
Place a label in the bag with the current storage date to control its shelf life.
- Step 5. Store in the freezer
Place the bag with the almonds inside the freezer and remember not to leave it in the same place as the meats or fish.
When you freeze the peeled almonds, you can extend their shelf life up to 12 months approximately.
If you have bought peeled almonds and their packaging is vacuum-sealed, leave them in their original packaging until you use them. Then, when you open the bag, you just have to proceed to store it either refrigerated or frozen, as you wish.
How to preserve toasted, fried, or ground almonds
You may think, “oh, my almonds are toasted; what can I do?” The answer is the same as in the previous methods, and the only thing that will change is their shelf life.
The steps to keep the almonds intact in their different presentations are the followings:
- Step 1. Find a plastic container.
Make sure the container is dry and sterilized before storing the almonds.
I recommend that it be an airtight container to prevent almonds from oxidizing.
- Step 2. Add the almonds into the container.
Place the almonds inside the container until it is complete, and close it tightly.
- Step 3. Store.
You can store this kind of almonds in the fridge or the freezer. They will last three months in the refrigerator and six months in the freezer.
Requirements for ideal almond storage
It will help if you consider some critical aspects for the correct storage of almonds at home, which would allow you to guarantee the shelf life I’ve been telling throughout the entire post.
- The ideal temperature when the almond is in its peel will be 18-20°C, otherwise will be 4-10°C. Exceeding that number can initiate mold buildup and would damage almonds.
- Humidity is one of the dangerous factors, and it should be between 70-75% humidity in the air.
- The storage place should be away from sunlight and excessive heat, such as stoves or ovens. Also, it should be completely dark.
- In the summer, almonds should be stored in a refrigerator or frozen to prevent them from deteriorating due to heat.
- You should not keep almonds with other types of nuts, near species, or foods with strong odors because they are damaged quickly.
How do you know when almonds are bad?
There are a few signs that show when the almonds are bad, and those are:
- Black or greenish coloration in some of its parts indicates the presence of mold.
- They have a strong smell of rancid.
- Almonds with a bitter taste.
How long do almonds last?
Almonds can last a long time if you follow the storage guidelines, so to summarize this information, you have the following table.
| Product | Shelf life |
| Unpeeled almonds at room temperature | 12 months. |
| Peeled almonds at room temperature | 2 months. |
| Refrigerated peeled almonds | 3 months. |
| Frozen peeled almonds | 6 months. |
| Chilled, roasted, fried or ground almonds in the fridge | 3 months. |
| Frozen, toasted, fried or ground almonds frozen | 6 months. |
What is the best way to preserve almonds?
I recommend storing them at room temperature since it is easy and cost-free; however, I should go for the fridge method if it is too hot.
If you peeled them, I would say the best storage method is placing them in the fridge since you can keep them for a long time.
For roasted, toasted, or even coarse almonds, I would store them in the refrigerator too.
I invite you to practice the methods you have read in this article to preserve almonds. You can also explore the website and read other posts I have prepared for you.
[1] https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/bitstream/handle/10919/84264/FST-286.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y