Dates are nice fruits that provide numerous health benefits to humans. They have a sweet taste making them an excellent alternative to sugar when you want to sweeten your desserts and smoothies.
Dates are sweeter when they retain their moisture. Therefore, storing them properly is an essential thing. Perhaps you feel like eating the dates after one week, make sure you keep them on an airtight tin in the pantry. Additionally, you can use your fridge to keep the dates fresh for up to one year.
In case you purchased the dates in bulk or want to use them at a future date, make sure you store them in your freezer.
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Store Them in The Pantry
This is an excellent way to store the dates when they are your regular snack, or you want to add them to your smoothies. Storing them inside the pantry at normal room temperature keeps them fresh until their feasting time comes.
Ensure you keep the dates inside a tightly closed container, glass or plastic, then transfer them to a dry area.
Their shelf life is about six months when you place them under normal room temperatures. As for the fresh and semi-dry dates, they can last up to 6 weeks.
When purchasing dried dates, keep in mind that the dates have been staying on the countertop for some time before you bought them. Therefore, concentrate on their date of production and expiry date. When not thinking about feasting on the dates within some weeks, then look for an alternative way to store the dates in a cool place.
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Keep them in the Refrigerator
Keeping your dates in the refrigerator is a great way to maintain their moisture. Fresh dates can stay up to 1 month inside your fridge, while the shelf life for all the dried varieties can last up to 12 months. This is vital as it makes it easy to buy the dates in bulk and keeping them for future use.
To keep your dates in the fridge, place them on a plastic bag, then remove excess air as much as possible to make the bag airtight. Furthermore, doing this seals the bag properly.
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Keep Them in The Freezer
Freezing your dates extends their shelf life more than keeping them in a pantry of storing them inside the fridge. The good news is; you can store the dried dates inside a freezer for three years. However, it’s essential to understand the procedure of keeping them if you want perfect results.
Transfer your dates inside a sealable bag, then squeeze out all air properly. Sometimes dates expand while freezing them; therefore, if possible, make sure you leave some space between the dates.
Alternatively, you can use an airtight container to keep the dates rather than a plastic bag. If you aim for double protection, cover the container using a plastic wrap. Make sure the dates come into contact with cold air.