Use it up · Nuts and seeds

Sunflower seeds

Have extra sunflower seeds? Here’s how to choose, store and prep sunflower seeds, plus 6 family recipes to use it all up, best matches first.

🍽 See the recipes 🧺 Pick a few things you have

🛒 Choosing it

Shelled seeds are easiest for cooking. Sunflower butter is a common swap in nut-free schools.

🧊 Storing it

Pantry: A cool, dry place for a few months
Fridge: Refrigerate or freeze to keep them fresh longer

Keep the fridge at 40°F or below and the freezer at 0°F. Freezer times are for best quality; food kept frozen at 0°F stays safe. When in doubt, throw it out. Times from NDSU Extension.

🔪 Prepping it

Toast lightly and sprinkle on salads, oatmeal and yogurt, or bake into granola and bread.

📊 Nutrition per 100 g

Sunflower seeds (shelled). 100 g is about 3 1/2 ounces.

Calories	584 kcal	29%
Protein	21 g	42%
Total fat	51 g	66%
Saturated fat	4.5 g	22%
Total carbohydrate	20 g	7%
Dietary fiber	8.6 g	31%
Total sugars	2.6 g
Sodium	9.0 mg	0%
Calcium	78 mg	6%
Iron	5.2 mg	29%
Potassium	645 mg	14%

% Daily Value for adults (FDA). From USDA FoodData Central 170562 (SR Legacy).

🍽 Recipes that use it up

6 recipes, the ones that use the most sunflower seeds first.

Plan them into your week in the meal planner, or find recipes for two or three things at once with the “What can I make?” picker.

More nuts and seeds

Peanuts and peanut butter Almonds Walnuts Pecans Cashews Pumpkin seeds Sesame seeds and tahini Chia seeds Flaxseed All ingredients →

Storage times and buying tips are general guides from the sources below; follow any date or instructions on the package. Cook meat, poultry, fish and eggs to the USDA safe temperatures in each recipe.