When Good Almonds Go Bad

Posted on : June 4th, 2019

Dry Roasted Almonds

Everyone knows how good almonds are for you. They’re one of the healthiest snacks you can eat. A handful a day can help lower your cholesterol, is good for your heart, good for your brain, and can even help you lose weight! But can a good nut go bad?

You know what I mean. You get a step stool to reach into the back of one of your cupboards and there is a bag of Maisie Jane’s almonds. Who knows how long it has been there. A month? 6 months? A year? It looks good, it doesn’t smell bad. Is it still safe to eat?

Yes! Unless it’s been there a lot longer than a year or the bag was left open, got wet and grew mold, chances are almonds in a closed bag will still be perfectly fine. Almonds don’t last forever (more on that in a second) but because of the antioxidants they contain they are one of the longer-lasting nuts you can eat. The University of California says you can store them safely for about a year. But the Almond Board of California says it depends on how the nuts are processed. Roasted almonds in an airtight container should last up to a year in the refrigerator or freezer but natural almonds can last up to two years. You can maximize the length of time by storing them in the refrigerator or freezer as well.

Keeping them stored properly is the key to freshness. Almonds should be stored in an airtight container in dark, cool, dry conditions. As is true for almost all foods, you want to keep them dry to discourage mold from growing. But heat and light are the most common factors that make good almonds go bad. That’s what causes them to go rancid because of their high monounsaturated fat content (the good kind you want for a healthy diet and healthy heart). So into a dark cool cupboard or refrigerator they should go. Using a sealed plastic bag or plastic storage container will also keep the almonds from absorbing odors or strong smells from other foods.

So now that you know how long they last, if you’re a true almond lover why not buy them in bulk! You’ll save money per oz and know they’ll last a long time.


Maisie Jane’s California Sunshine Products, Inc. was founded on strong beliefs and passion for offering unique, flavorful, top-quality, nut products. We strongly believe in earth-friendly practices that start on our family-owned and operated orchards. We use organic farming practices and continue in the process by using all-natural ingredients with no preservatives or GMOs. We believe in honest, friendly and helpful customer relations at all levels. We take pride in every task, every day, with every person.