How to Store Chestnuts

Reviewed by Jennifer Levasseur

Last Updated: June 5, 2024

Chestnuts are a winter delight and when they're on special, it can be hard to resist buying too many at once. Chestnuts are fragile and need special attention to prevent mould or drying out. To avoid wasting your chestnuts, here is some simple storage advice.

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Keep them in a well-ventilated and dry place.
To keep your chestnuts in top shape for a little longer, place them into a plastic bag and stick a few holes into the bag for airflow. Kept this way, the chestnuts should be fine in the fridge for two to three weeks. Place them in the vegetable storage bin of the fridge.

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If you have chestnuts like this, wrap them in aluminium foil or other freezer-proof wrapping that is air-tight and place them in the freezer. They can be frozen for several months.

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Do I cook them before peeling and freezing?

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Bring to the boiling point, peel, and freeze for up to a year. For best results, peel as soon as possible after harvest and get as much air as possible out of the bag before storing.

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How do I store chestnuts without using a refrigerator?

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They can be stored In a cool, dry place, but they are unlikely to last more than a week at room temperature, as they dry out very quickly. Also, make sure you check each chestnut for a small round hole, as they are very susceptible to little worms, so discard any with holes in or they will quickly infect the others. It's best to cook and freeze them for later use or puree them and freeze them.

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How do I plant chestnut?

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Scratch the soil, place the chestnut on (not in) the soil. Cover with leaves. In the spring, you will have a small sapling (as long as the squirrels don't find it before it sprouts). With this method, almost every chestnut will sprout. However, the chestnut must be planted when fresh, before it begins to dry out.

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Make sure that chestnuts are clean, dry and kept cool during storage. This ensures that they last longer.^{[1]
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Always date mark food that is frozen.

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