How Long do Macadamia Nuts Last?

Macadamia nuts are a nutritious, healthy, and tasty snack that can help energize the body. If you’re looking to take advantage of the health benefits of this tasty nut, it may be wise to learn how to store macadamia nuts long-term.

Fortunately, macadamia nuts have a long shelf life, and can last up to 3 years when in-shell and stored in a freezer. However, shelled macadamias kept in a pantry typically last 5 months. So, it is important to learn how to properly store macadamia nuts to maximize its shelf life.

We have previously written about the shelf life of almonds, pecans, peanuts, and hazelnuts, but in this article, we will discuss the shelf life of macadamia nuts.

We will cover some basic questions such as if it is worth storing macadamia nuts, and how long do macadamia nuts last? But first, what are Macadamia nuts?

What are Macadamia Nuts?

Macadamia nuts are a type of tree nut native to Australia. However, it was introduced to Hawaii in the 1880s, where the island became the number one commercial producer of macadamia nuts in the world. So much so it was nicknamed the Hawaii nut, despite not being a native nut species to the island. As of the 2010s, South Africa became the world’s leader in macadamia nut production.

Fresh macadamia nuts are sweet and have a rich, buttery flavor. They are often salted or roasted, which helps enhance the natural flavors of the nut.

Because of its rich flavors and high-fat content, it is often considered a delicacy. Today, there are many other products derived from macadamia nuts that can be found. Some include macadamia flour, macadamia oil, and macadamia milk.

Since macadamia nuts are native to tropical climates, they often pair well with other tropical flavors such as chocolate, coconut, coffee, and citrus.

Nutritional Value

Like most other nuts, macadamia nuts are largely composed of fats.

Compared to other nuts, macadamia nuts are high in vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin E, Cooper, Manganese, and Thiamin.

Shelf Life of Macadamia Nuts

Macadamia nuts are as delicious and expensive as they’re versatile. You can eat them as is or pair them with your favorite desserts or savory dishes, and you’ll see how much they can elevate your food. With that said, such an expensive nut shouldn’t go bad quickly, right?

Lucky for you, these tree nuts have a considerable shelf life, but it definitely matters how you store them and whether you get them in shells or not. And just like with any other nuts, they eventually go stale or rancid if you don’t store them properly.

Here’s a table showing the rough estimate of a macadamia nut’s shelf life:

Shelled

Shelled macadamia nuts are more expensive and generally last a bit shorter than in-shell ones. If you like to snack on nuts without the work of shelling them, this one’s for you.

Since shelled macadamia doesn’t last as long as in-shell, it’s best to consume them while they’re fresh. These are the expected shelf life of shelled macadamia nuts, depending on where you store them:

• Pantry: Up to 5 months or more

• Fridge: Between 8 to 12 months

• Freezer: Between one and a half to 2 years

Even if you put macadamia nuts in the fridge or freezer, it still matters how you store them, but we’ll get into that later.

In-Shelled

One of the reasons why people prefer buying shelled macadamia nuts is because their shells are one of the toughest to crack. In fact, their shells need around 300 pounds of pressure per square inch to open.

However, at least we can depend on these tough shells to add extra protection from heat, sunlight, moisture, and oxygen. The more the nut is exposed to these environmental factors, the more prone it is to spoilage.

These are the expected shelf life for in-shelled macadamia nuts per way of storage:

• Pantry: Up to 7 months or more

• Fridge: Up to more than a year

• Freezer: Around 2 to 3 years

Signs Macadamia Nuts Have Gone Rancid

Sometimes it can be hard to tell if a macadamia nut has gone rancid without first tasting it. While it’s possible to determine spoilage by having a putty smell, the scent can be undiscernible at times.

Rancidity is the most common culprit for macadamia nuts going bad. It’s often a result of poor storage conditions, especially when the nuts are exposed to too much oxygen, heat, humidity, and sunlight.

Eating macadamia nuts that have gone rancid in small amounts doesn’t necessarily pose any serious and immediate threats to your health. However, it can disrupt your digestive functions if you consume too much. That’s why it’s generally advised to dispose of nuts once they’ve gone rancid.

Here are the most telling signs that your macadamia nuts have gone rancid:

• They start to develop mold due to excess moisture.

• You find a few pantry bugs in the bag storing the nuts.

• They taste sour or bitter.

• The nuts start to smell like paint, nail polish, or old plastic containers.

• The nuts lose their crunch and start to develop a stale and soft texture.

How to Store Macadamia Nuts Long-Term?

Following a proper storage technique is key to keeping your macadamia nuts fresh, tasty, healthy, and edible. As previously discussed, keeping them in and out of their shells also affects their shelf life.

If you want easy access to the nuts for a quick snack, you can get shelled ones and keep them in your pantry. Just make sure you get to finish them before the anticipated spoilage dates.

However, if you’re planning to stock for long-term use, it’s best to freeze macadamia nuts. Here’s how you can properly store these nuts to keep them fresh and safe for consumption for extended periods:

1. Choose your preferred brand of macadamia nuts.

2. Remove them from their original package and transfer them to an airtight container or bag. You can use mason jars, mylar bags, etc.

3. For long-term use, don’t keep them in your pantry. It’s best to store them in your fridge, freezer, or food storage room.

4. Make sure to store them at a constant temperature. Refer to the table in the shelf life of macadamia nuts section.

5. Keep the nuts away from high-odor food such as onions, cheese, fish, and vinegar.

How to Defrost Macadamia Nuts

One of the best ways to prolong the shelf life of macadamia nuts is by freezing them if you’re not planning to eat them right away. They’re also fairly easy to thaw, as you can just place the frozen nuts on a counter for around 30 minutes, and they’ll be ready to eat.

However, it’s worth noting that freezing them can diminish their flavor a little, so we recommend storing them in small containers. That way, you can finish them in one go, and you don’t have to refreeze any leftovers.

If you’re planning to use macadamia nuts for cooking, you don’t have to thaw them. You can also reheat them in an oven to reduce the thawing time a bit and give them some extra crunch.

To reheat macadamia nuts:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.

2. Lay a baking sheet on your oven pan and spread the nuts across.

3. Let the nuts sit in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

4. You can also stir or flip them to ensure the nuts are heating evenly.

5. Pop them out of the oven and serve them while hot.

Summary

Macadamia nuts have a considerable shelf life when provided they’re stored under the right conditions. Whether in-shell or shelled, macadamia nuts can be stored for years when placed in the freezer. When exposed to oxygen, heat, sunlight, and humidity, the shelf life of macadamia nuts is shortened significantly. So to maximize its shelf life it’s important to place macadamia nuts in a dark, cool place, inside of an airtight container.

What matters most is that you don’t end up with rancid nuts since that would be a complete waste of such a tasty treat.

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