{"id":8167,"date":"2021-01-15T17:08:17","date_gmt":"2021-01-15T17:08:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/farmandanimals.com\/?p=8167"},"modified":"2021-09-17T11:14:58","modified_gmt":"2021-09-17T11:14:58","slug":"how-to-store-quinoa-best-practices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/farmandanimals.com\/how-to-store-quinoa-best-practices\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Store Quinoa {Best Practices}"},"content":{"rendered":"

Quinoa is a superfood that can replace or supplement other grains that you can grow<\/a> on the homestead. It can be grown in a wide variety of climates and you can also purchase it in bulk to save some money for long-term food storage. But, do you know how to store quinoa?<\/p>\n

Does Quinoa Go Bad?<\/h2>\n

\"does<\/p>\n

Quinoa is typically sold in its raw form after it has been washed or polished. These processes remove the protective saponin layers that deter birds from eating the seeds on the plant. It\u2019s hard to find unwashed quinoa, but if you grow your own, you can store it with the saponin content intact and potentially increase the storage time.<\/p>\n

Quinoa can go bad when exposed to too much light, heat, and\/or moisture. All of these together can aid in the formation of dangerous molds that can spoil your whole batch.<\/p>\n

No matter how you good store your quinoa, it will eventually go bad. But, if follow the steps laid out in this article you can keep this superfood in your pantry for a long time!<\/p>\n

How To Tell If It’s Gone Bad<\/h3>\n

It can be hard to tell if dry quinoa has gone bad<\/a>, especially if there isn\u2019t a visible mold. Eventually, it will deteriorate and once it\u2019s cooked, it will be overly hard and taste funny. This is a sure sign that it has spoiled. Other than that, dry quinoa spoilage can be undetectable to the naked eye<\/p>\n

Spoiled cooked quinoa is much easier to spot. It can have visible mold growth or have a sour smell that doesn\u2019t smell remotely similar to the way it originally smelled when cooked. This is a definite sign to throw it away.<\/p>\n

How To Store Quinoa, Raw & Cooked<\/h2>\n

\"how<\/p>\n

Storing quinoa properly isn\u2019t complicated. Here are the best ways to store quinoa, based on whether it has been cooked or is still raw.<\/p>\n

How To Store Quinoa Uncooked<\/h3>\n

Store dry quinoa in a cool, dark place in an airtight container. Limiting exposure to high heat, levels of moisture, and UV rays will ensure your raw quinoa stays fresh for a long time.<\/p>\n

Glass containers, like Mason jars, make a good choice for the long term storage of quinoa. If you want long term storage, you can use Mylar bags or can your quinoa with oxygen absorbers.<\/p>\n

How To Store Cooked Quinoa<\/h3>\n

Cooked quinoa can\u2019t last nearly as long as raw quinoa, so make sure you don\u2019t cook a whole bunch without plans to use it in the immediate future.<\/p>\n

You can store cooked quinoa in the refrigerator or freezer in an airtight container.<\/p>\n

Follow these guidelines<\/a> for food storage to ensure you limit the chance of pathogens and bacterial growth in your food.<\/p>\n

How Long Can You Store Quinoa?<\/h2>\n

There are essentially 3 options for storing quinoa: dry storage, long-term dry storage, and storing cooking quinoa. Let\u2019s look at the timeframe of storage for each of these options.<\/p>\n

How Long Can You Store Uncooked Quinoa?<\/h3>\n

Your first option to store dry quinoa is in the airtight container it came in or another airtight container that you\u2019ve placed it in. Keeping it in a cool, dark place will help it keep for at least a year. It will last as long as 2-3 years beyond the Best-By date on the original packaging.<\/p>\n

How To Store Quinoa Long Term<\/h3>\n

To store your dry quinoa for a long time, canning or vacuum sealing in Mylar bags is your best option. Ensure that you have oxygen absorbers in the packaging and you can expect your quinoa to last at least 8 years, if not up to 20+ years!<\/p>\n

Talk about long-term food security, right?!<\/p>\n

How Long To Store Cooked Quinoa<\/h3>\n

Cooked quinoa can be put in the refrigerator for up to a week. If you need it to last longer than that, you can freeze it for up to 12 months. However, the sooner you can use it out of the freezer, the better the flavor and texture will be.<\/p>\n

How Long Does Uncooked Quinoa Last For Future Plantings?<\/h2>\n

How do you store quinoa long term if you plan on planting it? You are limited in your long-term storage options since the longer you wait to plant, the lower your germination rates will be.<\/p>\n

You should still be able to store it for up to 4-5 years and get some germination out of a batch, but don\u2019t expect high rates of successful germination.<\/p>\n

Even so, quinoa seed is a great seed to store for safekeeping to be able to grow more of your food in the future. Just ensure that you don\u2019t try to store polished seed for this purpose.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a good idea to try and sprout some<\/a> right away and make sure it\u2019s viable from day one.<\/p>\n

Common Storage Questions<\/h2>\n
https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=YdMqISIG0W8<\/a>