Get more life and flavor out of your favorite heart-healthy snack. Photo from Tribune News Service

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We know nuts are good for you. They’re an excellent source of antioxidants and fiber, pack plenty of nutrient-dense monounsaturated fat, and have been shown to lower cholesterol, inflammation and your risk of heart disease.

Walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, almonds and the lot are tasty treats in trail mix, but their uses are nearly never-ending. Fold walnuts into homemade bread dough, mix cashews into granola, or throw a handful of almonds and a pinch of salt into your food processor for some seriously delicious DIY nut butter.

Now that we’re covered what we know about nuts, read on for some of the (unexpected) mistakes many of us make when shopping for and storing them.

Mistake No. 1: Shopping the bulk bins

The biggest blunder is buying from the bulk bins at your grocery store. It’s nearly impossible to tell how often the shop replaces these nuts or how long they’ve been sitting in the open air.

According to Steve Lindsay, the director of quality assurance for Diamond Nuts, oxygen is the number one enemy of any nut’s shelf-life. Those sitting in bulk bins are constantly exposed to oxygen.

Your best bet for finding fresh nuts is to buy those sealed in a bag, which will ensure freshness and prevent oxygen from slipping through.

One final word on bulk bins: Some people stick their bare hands directly into the bins to sneak a snack. This exposes the contents to outside germs and bacteria.

Mistake No. 2: Storing them in the pantry

Contrary to popular belief, nuts should be stored in the fridge or freezer. Why? Because nuts contain a high amount of unsaturated fat — a delicate type of oil that makes them highly prone to going rancid.

Spoilage is accelerated even more by light, oxygen and heat. Storing nuts (and seeds) in the fridge or freezer limits their exposure to all three, and will result in your nuts tasting less bitter and more flavorful for a longer time.

According to Lindsay, you can keep an unopened bag of shelled or in-shell nuts in the fridge or freezer for two years (!). Even if the bag has been opened, shelled nuts should last an entire year, and in-shell nuts will last about a year and a half.

If you’re going to use your nuts in the immediate future, it’s fine to keep them in a cool, dark spot in your pantry. Just make sure they’re in an airtight container, and plan to eat them within a couple of weeks.

Mistake No. 3: Paying too much attention to expiration dates

Expiration dates are problematic for many reasons, primarily because they’re merely suggestions or guesses.

The shelf life of nuts depends on three key factors: storage conditions, shelled or unshelled, and whether or not the package is opened.

A good rule of thumb is to think of nuts as produce rather than a packaged good. Just as you would with fresh spinach or a ripe tomato, give them a sniff before you eat them.

As nuts age, the rancidity will give them a paint-like smell. If you get any harsh or bitter aromas, toss them.

Real Simple magazine provides smart, realistic solutions to everyday challenges. Online at RealSimple.com.

© 2023 Dotdash Meredith. All rights reserved. Used with permission. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.