When it comes to keeping your pantry full of food, we’ve gone into quite a few different options, from which are the best canned goods to have on hand to drying fruit at home and all the rest. Every idea and item has its merits in terms of storability, ease of use, nutrient value, portability and other things like that. This time around, I want to talk about one of the simplest and most-used food storage item in nature. Of course, I’m talkin’ about storing nuts.
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When you get right down to it, there’s nothing new about storing nuts to provide food for later, is there? Squirrels and other varmints have been doing it for who knows how long. It’s one of nature’s basic functions of self reliance that we see on a daily basis. There’s good reason for this. Nuts are small, easily acquired foods that pack a nutritional punch worth talking about. Of course, nutritional value will vary from nut to nut, but by an large, they’re rich in protein and the good kind of fats that help your heart instead of harming it, are easy to store and will keep well…if you go about it the right away. Proper storage is the key to keeping nuts fresh and a healthy source of nutrition.
Storage is such a big deal because most nuts have quite bit of fat or natural oils in them – think of the oil settin’ on the top of a new jar of peanut butter – and therefore can certainly spoil if not taken care of the right way. Basically, you want to store nuts the way you’d store most food, in a clean, cool dry place. Pretty basic, huh? Most of it is just plain common sense, but I’ll touch on it a bit more anyway.
But first, let me tell you that nuts can keep you goin’ a long ways down the trail, even when there’s little else around to eat. I personally lived off of a small bag of peanuts for five days while overseas many years ago. I kept them in my field jacket pocket.
Was I hungry? A little bit, but I found that munching on just a few peanuts a couple times a day could keep me going. I know they’re not as satisfying as a nice steak dinner, but for their size, nuts are a very strategic choice for your self reliance pantry.
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Putting nuts in a deep freeze
Your freezer is a great place to store nuts. And by the way, I’m only talking about raw nuts, whether they’re cashews, peanuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, pistachios, macadamias or whatever else. Raw nuts are where the nutritional values will be the highest. Roasted or otherwise heat- treated nuts lose a lot of their nutritional value. Also, if you can, get the nuts unshelled; that will add to their storage life. Most nuts, regardless of the variety, will keep well in your freezer for up to a year or even longer.
If you plan on eating them sooner, don’t worry about storing them in the freezer, there’s no need. Put them in the fridge instead. They should last anywhere from 3-6 months, depending upon the temperature in your particular fridge. The key point is to keep nuts away from moisture, warmth, air and light.
To that point, one other alternative that may be available to you, depending on where you live and other circumstances, you may be able to store nuts in a root cellar for many months without the need of a freezer or fridge. If you live in the northern areas with long and cold winter months, you’ve got that option as well. Just make sure that the container you’re using is sealable, airtight and waterproof. Otherwise, like other foods, nuts will absorb the flavors and odors of other foods.
Only certified organic…
Nuts will also vary in their storability. Almonds and cashews store very well for a long while. On the other hand, pecans and walnuts can spoil much easier. I’d put peanuts in that category as well. (I prefer to store my peanuts as peanut butter – the easiest way to store massive amounts of them in a pre-sealed jar.)
That said, be sure to buy only raw, certified organic, unsalted nuts. If you’re gonna be eating raw nuts, you don’t want any sort of pesticide on them or in them. Be sure to ask if the nuts are certified organic, and if they are, by which authority. Some sources will simply stamp “organic” on the bag without any further details. The “certified organic” label should be the only ones you buy.
Avoid getting chopped nuts or any other variation other than whole nuts. This includes blanched, slice or even ground up nuts or seeds. The storage life is much shorter. And, I believe that the nutritional value can be compromised as well.
Furthermore, avoid salted nuts because the salt they use is of poor quality with little if any nutritional value. I would recommend adding your own sea salt when you’re ready to eat them. And again, buy them unshelled if possible. All of these factors will add to the nutritional value and storability of them.
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Where to buy
Now, I realize that most folks don’t have the time or perhaps even the opportunity to know where the best place to buy certified organic nuts might be. My recommendation is to go to your local “natural” food store – it might be a “Whole Foods, a Sprouts, a Trader Joe’s or even a local food co-op – it doesn’t matter.
Wherever you do go, the important thing is to ask the person in charge of the produce section about the nuts they’re selling. You want to know how old the nuts are, how long it’s been from harvest-to-shelf, how quickly their inventory turns, the quality and origin of the supplier, etc. Get to know all about the quality of the nuts you’re buying.
Of course, you want to buy your nuts in bulk, if possible. This may involve making a special request from your local store or even going online and buying from a certified organic grower. As you probably know, some nuts are more expensive than others. But when bought in bulk, even the more pricier types can be had pretty reasonably. Doing so is a great way to stretch your dollar.
When your nuts arrive, first thing you do is taste one or two of each for freshness. You don’t want to store old or potentially already spoiled nuts. Then, pack them in airtight, waterproof containers and label them, with the date received and from where on the container. Put them in the freezer or the fridge, depending upon when you think you’ll be using them. In the case of peanut butter, unopened it can last at least a couple of years on your shelf. (I’ve tried two-year old, unopened peanut butter and it was fine.) Should last even longer in the fridge or your freezer.
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The case for salted, roasted nuts…
Now, one last point I want to make here, which will seem to contradict what I’ve said above, because, well…it does. That is this: I also recommend that you get a portion of salted and roasted nuts in a pre-sealed package. A couple of large cans of mixed nuts from the big box stores comes immediate
ly to mind.
Yes, I know that this is just the opposite of what I’ve talked about so far…but there’s a good case to made for it.
Here’s why: even though the nutritional value is lower, salted (and/or sugared) and roasted nuts will still provide much needed and easily transported calories in an emergency. What’s more, the storage life is several years, regardless of what the label says. And finally, they’re easily obtained and there’s absolutely no preparation to do. These advantages may just come in handy one day, so pick up a supply while you’re storing your certified organic supply.
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