Once opened, cashew milk lasts 7–10 days in the fridge — both Elmhurst and Silk confirm this exact number in their own FAQs. Unopened, shelf-stable cartons don’t need refrigeration at all until you open them.
How long does cashew milk last in the fridge?
Elmhurst’s own FAQ states: “After opening, refrigerate and use within 7-10 days.” Silk’s own FAQ says essentially the same thing: “Once opened, they need to be consumed within 7 to 10 days.” Two of the category’s biggest brands landing on the same number is a good sign this is a solid general rule for cashew milk.
Unopened, shelf-stable cartons are good until the date printed on the package — commonly around 180 days from production, per Elmhurst — and genuinely don’t need refrigeration until opened, even if you bought it from a refrigerated case in the store.
As with any perishable, don’t leave an open carton out of the fridge for more than two hours per USDA’s Danger Zone guidance.
Can you freeze cashew milk?
Neither Elmhurst nor Silk’s FAQs recommend freezing, and like other plant milks on this site, cashew milk tends to separate and turn grainy once thawed due to its high fat content. If you want to preserve extra beyond the 7–10 day window, freezing in an ice cube tray for smoothies or coffee is a reasonable workaround — just don’t expect the same texture in a glass.
How to tell if cashew milk has gone bad
- Smell: a sour or distinctly “off” odor beyond its normal mild, nutty smell
- Texture: clumping or curdling that doesn’t recombine with a shake
- Appearance: separation beyond the normal light settling, or an unusual color change
- Packaging: a bloated or swollen carton — a sign of bacterial gas buildup, toss without tasting
Storage tips
- Store opened cashew milk toward the back of the fridge, not the door
- Reseal the carton tightly after every pour
- Write the open date on the carton — 7-10 days goes by quickly
- Unopened, shelf-stable cartons can be stored in the pantry until opened
Why isn’t cashew milk covered by USDA?
FreezerOrFridge.com’s 732 core pages pull their storage times from the USDA FoodKeeper database, which includes other plant milks like soy, rice, and coconut but doesn’t currently include cashew milk — it’s a newer entrant that hasn’t made it into that federal dataset yet. This page instead relies on Elmhurst and Silk’s own published guidance.
Related foods
Storage guides for related pages:
→ Check storage times for 732+ other foods on FreezerOrFridge.com
Author Bio: Written by our food storage team, using manufacturer guidance for products not yet in the USDA FoodKeeper database.