How to Store Celery to Keep It Fresh Longer (2024)

FAQs

How do you increase the shelf life of celery? ›

Wrapping celery in a damp paper towel before storing it is a good way to help it retain moisture. However, using aluminum foil to wrap the celery yields the best results.

Drain your blanched celery pieces and dry completely, and then spread them onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze the sheet for one to two hours, or until your celery pieces feel hard, and then tug the celery free to pack into airtight bags and store in the freezer for up to one year.

The Best Way To Store Celery

Never keep celery in the plastic bag or wrap from the store, since that traps the ethylene gas it releases and causes the stalks to spoil faster. Instead, here's a quick trick I learned that extends the life of my celery: Wrap it in aluminum.

Store in an airtight container

If you are eating them within a week or two, feel free to chop off the ends and peel them, storing them in a quick-to-use type of way. This method also works well for celery and baby carrots, though you might want to lay the latter out on a towel to dry before eating.

To preserve your celery sticks and increase the shelf life, place a damp paper towel on a sheet of aluminum foil and wrap your celery in it. Store the wrapped celery in the crisper drawer. After wrapping the celery, store it in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator.

Limp celery is fine to eat as long as it's not showing other sings of spoilage, such as whitened color or foul smell. It's sensitive to cold and can go limp if stored in too cold of temperatures, like in the bottom drawer of the fridge that's closest to the freezer.

I cut off most of the leaves from my larger plants, if necessary, to make them easier to store, but you don't have to. You can cut any yellowed leaves away later when you use the celery. Foil wrapped celery, stored in a refrigerator, will last for several weeks—or even longer as I've shown in this video.

Yes, celery is generally considered to be a safe food for dogs. Although it's not part of the usual dog food menu, celery can be fed in moderation as a snack if your dog seems particularly taken with this crunchy vegetable.

Instead, wrap celery stalks in foil and place them in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator. This method for storing ensures that the celery doesn't lose moisture, which is what causes it to turn limp, while also allowing the ethylene to escape. When stored this way, celery stalks can last for up to two weeks.

From the kitchn we learned that Cook's Illustrated found that aluminum foil was the best storage solution; it allows the gas to escape, so your celery will stay fresh longer.

Why does celery go limp? ›

Like most veggies, celery wilts because it becomes dehydrated over time. Eventually, it loses its green color and turns yellow, then brown. Rehydrating your celery overnight will make it fresh and delicious again!

Fresh celery usually lasts around 2 months in the freezer. However, you can retain more flavor and extend the shelf life by blanching celery before freezing it, which kills harmful microorganisms and blocks the enzymatic reactions that cause vegetables to deteriorate more quickly (1).

Place them in an airtight container with a damp paper towel in your crisper drawer where they will keep for several days. To keep them even longer, you can puree the leaves with a small amount of water or oil, then freeze the mixture in ice cube trays.