Graters

How long is whole nutmeg usable?

I want to buy some spices online, but nutmeg is by the pound at the places I looked. I have a nutmeg grater so thought maybe I could get the whole ones. Still, a pound is a LOT. Can I have them for years? (tried getting some people together on my Freecycle cafe site to split an order, but no takers)

Public Comments

1. as long as they are keep on a tight lid jar and free from heat and sunlight and make sure the nutmeg are totally dry moist can make them spoil ,beans and nuts usually store for a year (only needs a proper and a right storage.
2. Technically they will keep forever as long as you keep them in a cool, dry place and away from direct sunlight. Most dried herbs and spices will still be usable many, many years after purchase, although they will lose their flavour over time. The problem with nutmeg is that a little goes a long way - you would have to use it in a LOT of dishes to make it worthwhile buying so much.
3. Nutmeg in whole form does last a long time, longer than most spices- a couple of years at least. If you have the old fashioned grated withthe compartment to store the partially grated nutmeg- don't, unless you use it daily as you should keep it in an airtight container. But try Penzeys- a wonderful spice store with on-line ordering and they sell whole nutmeg in as small as 1 oz packages- if you dont have spice jars, you can buy them seperately too. www.penzeys.com
4. It can practically last for ever. However, since you only need a dash of it when cooking, unless you own a restaurant or have a very large family, a pound of nutmeg will last your family for a couple of generations, at least. I would buy two or three nutmegs at a time, if I were you.
5. There must be a way you can buy it locally. Nutmeg properly stored has a long shelf life, but it would take you a century to go through a pound. A little goes a long way.