It’s no secret that we’re peanut butter lovers here at 28 and our pantry is well stocked with all the different types of peanut butter that one could dream of – thanks Mayver’s!
When it comes to keeping peanut butter fresh, we have one main tip for you… eat it quickly and you won’t have to worry about it. All jokes aside, here are some of our top tips to keep your peanut butter fresher for longer:
Store it in a cool, dark place
This one’s an important one. Peanuts are full of oils, which means that peanut butter is too. When keeping your jar of PB in a hot or bright spot, it’s more likely to oxidise and the oils can go rancid. Nobody want’s rancid oils and the easy way to prevent this is simply storing it in a cool, dark place like an enclosed pantry or a kitchen cupboard.
Close the jar tightly
This may sound obvious, but it’s important. If you can tighten the lid so that no air can make its way inside, the peanut butter will stay fresh and be less likely to oxidise. Use your muscles and tighten that lid the next time you’ve finished using your PB.
Store it upside down
This one is a trick to prevent mess, as well as keeping it fresh. Natural peanut butter is known to separate into two layers, the thick peanutty paste and the oils. When we store the peanut butter the right way up, the oil ends up at the top and it’s really hard to mix back through without getting PB and oil everywhere. When we store it upside down, it helps to prevent some level of separation and because the oil ends up at the bottom of the jar it’s easier to mix through. Storing it upside down is another reason it’s important to close the jar lid tightly.
Use it often
The more often we use it, the quicker we get through a jar and the less likely it is to go bad. Using it often also helps prevent the separation mentioned above. Depending on your frequency of use, make sure you get an appropriately sized jar. For example, if you use it sporadically then a small jar is better for you than the big jars.
Place it in the fridge to prolong its shelf life
This is for those that don’t go through peanut butter that quickly. Storing it in the fridge will help it last for longer and keep it fresher. The only downside to keeping it in the fridge is that it will go hard and not be as smooth or creamy as when we grab it out of the pantry, so this can be good to keep in mind.
Natural peanut butters are made up of just peanuts and none of the preservatives, which means they may not last as long. However, we’re much better off storing our PB correctly (as above) and getting the options without the preservatives. Our brand of choice is Mayver’s peanut butter, they have a range of types, sizes, and flavours that you just can’t go past! Plus, their ingredients are as healthy as they come. Peanut butter with none of the nasty vegetable oil or other additives. With the above tips around storage and keeping it fresh, we can continue enjoying the benefits of natural peanut butter without worrying it’ll go bad too quickly.