Most of us have opened a jar of walnuts after a few weeks and found them bitter. Nothing was wrong with the walnuts when they arrived. Nuts are full of natural oils, and those oils go stale when they meet heat, light and air. Dry fruits have the opposite problem: they pick up moisture and turn sticky or grow mould. Indian weather does not help with either.
Here is what we have learned from handling a lot of them.
How to tell if nuts are good
Smell them first. Fresh nuts smell mild and a little sweet. A sharp, paint like or bitter smell means the oil has gone rancid. Look at the colour too. Almonds should be even and brown, cashews pale cream, walnut kernels light gold to light brown. Dark, oily patches on walnuts are a warning sign. Bite one. It should be crisp, not soft or chewy, unless it is a naturally softer nut like a macadamia.
How to tell if dry fruits are good
Dates, figs and raisins should be soft and slightly sticky to the touch, but not wet. A white powdery coating on dates or figs is often just natural sugar coming to the surface, which is fine. Fuzzy spots, a fermented smell or clumps stuck together with moisture are not. Dried blueberries and similar fruits should be chewy and separate easily.
Storage that actually works
Move them out of the packet. Once a pack is open, tip the contents into an airtight glass or steel jar. Clip closed plastic bags let in more air than you would think.
Keep them cool and dark. A kitchen shelf next to the stove is the worst spot in the house. A cupboard away from the cooking area is better.
Use the fridge for anything you will not finish in a few weeks. Walnuts, pecans, brazil nuts and pine nuts have the most oil and go stale fastest, so they benefit the most. In a sealed container in the fridge they keep much longer. Almonds and cashews are a bit more forgiving.
Bring them to room temperature before opening the jar. If you open a cold jar in a humid kitchen, water condenses on the nuts. Leave it on the counter for 15 to 20 minutes first.
Use a dry spoon. A wet hand or spoon is how most jars of raisins and dates end up mouldy.
Buy in amounts you will use. A big bag looks like better value, but not if the last third goes bitter. We would rather you order a smaller pack again.
A quick fix for nuts that feel a bit soft: dry roast them on low heat in a pan for a few minutes, stirring the whole time, and let them cool fully before putting them back in the jar. This brings back the crunch. It will not save nuts that already smell rancid, and those are best thrown out.
You can browse our Premium Nuts and Dry Fruits collections for everything mentioned here. If anything reaches you damaged or not as it should be, let us know within 48 hours of delivery with photos and we will sort it out.
Related: Premium Nuts | Dry Fruits | Walnut Kernels