According to The National Peanut Board, an unopened jar of peanut butter can last six to nine months at room temperature. Once opened, they say that it can last two to three months in the pantry before you should move it to the fridge, where it can maintain quality for another three to four months.
An open jar of peanut butter stays fresh up to three months in the pantry. After that, it's recommended to store the peanut butter in the fridge (where it can maintain its quality for another 3-4 months). If you don't refrigerate, oil separation can occur.
Peanut butter (unprocessed brands): Refrigerator
It's best to refrigerate because the oils can become rancid and spoiled when left at room temperature for weeks.
Rancid peanut butter will be hard and dry, and the color might even be darker. Of course, a classic sign of rancid food is a change in smell. Rancid peanut butter might smell, well, not like peanut butter (beware of bitter or metallic odors).
Health-wise, however, rancid peanut butter is not something to really worry about. “It won't hurt you if you eat it — it will just taste bad,” says Maribeth Cousin, a professor of food science at Purdue University in Indiana.
Since natural peanut butter does not contain emulsifiers, the peanuts and the natural oil in peanuts separate. Oil separation in natural peanut butter is clearly visible, so the peanuts and oil need to be thoroughly mixed. Storage in the fridge is essential in preventing rapid oil separation.
Information. You can keep peanut butter in the pantry for six to nine months (unopened) and two to three months (opened).
A jar of nut butter with low oxidative stability will begin to taste rancid, bitter, or pungent as time goes on. According to a study on the quality of stabilizer-free natural peanut butter during storage, natural PB kept at 10°C (50°F) began demonstrating loss in oxidative stability after just 12 weeks.
In recent years, this much-loved food has been plagued by peanut butter recalls due to Salmonella concerns. Salmonella is a type of bacteria that can make people very sick, with most individuals experiencing diarrhea, cramps, and fever.
Processed brands of peanut butter are made to have a long shelf life thanks to the addition of stabilizers like palm oil and hydrogenated oils, so once opened, they're fine to store in a cool, dry cupboard.
Nutella® should be stored at room temperature (between 64° and 72° F). Keep the container tightly closed and store in a cool, dry place to maintain maximum flavor. Do not refrigerate Nutella®, otherwise it will harden and become difficult to spread.
Peanut Butter Is an Ideal Place for Salmonella To Survive
"However, while Salmonella can't grow, it can survive for extended periods of time in low-moisture foods like peanut butter."
Past this date, if it's unopened it's still perfectly good. Opened, peanut butter will slowly develop off-flavors of rancid nuts over the next five or so years before it'll taste so bad not even the most peanut butter-obsessed child will go near it. But it's still very unlikely to make you sick.
Processed brands of peanut butter are made to have a long shelf life thanks to the addition of stabilizers like palm oil and hydrogenated oils, so once opened, they're fine to store in a cool, dry cupboard.
Once opened, it should last five to eight months past the best-by date. If your peanut butter has been in the fridge for a while, it might be time to create an excuse to eat more peanut butter!
As peanut butter contains minimal moisture due to its high fat content, a sealed jar of the spread can sit in the pantry for anywhere from six months to two years before spoiling if it's made with preservatives.
Information. You can keep peanut butter in the pantry for six to nine months (unopened) and two to three months (opened).
Bottom line: It's not essential to refrigerate your peanut butter, but it will keep the product good for a longer amount of time.
Nutella® should be stored at room temperature (between 64° and 72° F). Keep the container tightly closed and store in a cool, dry place to maintain maximum flavor. Do not refrigerate Nutella®, otherwise it will harden and become difficult to spread.
Don't keep your pup in suspense any longer. Yes, dogs can eat peanut butter as long as it is fed in moderation and does not contain xylitol, so get out that pet-safe peanut butter jar and share the good news.
If unopened, both smooth and crunchy peanut butter will keep for one year past its best before date whether stored in the pantry or fridge. Once it's been opened, both are good for three to four months in the pantry or six to eight months in the refrigerator past that date.
Peanut butter is a good source of protein that can promote the feeling of fullness and result in fat loss. It may also reduce your appetite and help you consume limited calories. This will help you lose weight. You may also experience better metabolism with the consumption of peanut butter.
Eating a small amount of peanut butter as part of a healthy snack before bed may help improve sleep quality and prevent overeating and weight gain the following day. Peanut butter is a nutrient-dense, high-calorie food containing vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber.
One of the main fats in peanut butter is oleic acid. When substituted for other fats in your diet, oleic acid is shown to help maintain good cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure. Managing these levels in your body can lower the risk of heart disease. Peanut butter also contains omega-6.
Not linked to weight gain if eaten in moderation
Thus, peanut butter is unlikely to lead to weight gain if eaten in moderation — in other words, if you consume it as part of your daily calorie needs. In fact, most research links intake of peanut butter, peanuts, and other nuts to lower body weight ( 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ).