Walnuts are a high-density source of nutrients, particularly proteins and essential fatty acids. Like other tree nuts, walnuts must be processed and stored properly. They’re great for your heart, your brain, and your bones, and can be incorporated into any meal, and they’ve literally been around for almost 10,000 years! Walnuts are great in all sorts of sweet and savory recipes. You can also eat them by themselves, chop them up and toss them in cookies, oatmeal, salads, sauces, cakes, you name it!

Each year May 17th recognizes National Walnut Day.

National Walnut Day was established by The Walnut Marketing Board in the 1950s and has been celebrated on May 17 ever since. Walnuts are the oldest known tree food dating back to 7000 B.C.! The walnuts we eat today are known as English walnuts, but they actually originated in ancient Persia where they were considered a delicacy for the royalty. They first moved through the Asian and Middle Eastern world by trade along the Silk Road, and then further via sea trade. They eventually made it to England, where merchants would sail them to ports around the world, hence the “English” name.