The Best Way to Store Celery Might Totally Surprise You (2024)

Emily Han

Emily Han

Emily Han is a Los Angeles-based recipe developer, educator, herbalist, and author of Wild Drinks & co*cktails and co-author of Wild Remedies. For recipes and classes, check out her personal site.

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updated Jun 6, 2019

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The Best Way to Store Celery Might Totally Surprise You (1)

Celery is a real workhorse in the kitchen, but rarely do we use the whole bunch in one cooking session. Most recipes require only one or two ribs, and by the time we get to the rest, it’s often limp and mushy. Here is the best way to store celery to keep it fresh and crisp for as long as possible.

The 3 Keys to Storing a Head of Celery

To help celery keep its crispness and last as long as possible, you’re going to want to ditch the plastic bag it came in as soon as you get home from the store. While it’s convenient, it turns out that it’s not the best way to store celery.

Instead, there are three key elements when it comes to the best way to store celery: Keep it whole, wrap it in aluminum foil, and store it in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator. The vegetable will lose less moisture when kept whole for as long as possible, and the foil should be tight enough that moisture can’t escape, but not so tight that it crumples the stalks.

Why This Method Works

Like many other fruits and vegetables, celery naturally releases ethylene gas. When stored in a plastic bag, the gas is trapped and accelerates moisture loss and spoilage. According to an old issue of Cook’s Illustrated, foil, on the other hand, allows the ethylene to escape (while keeping moisture in) and slows spoilage.

The Best Way to Store Cut Celery

Now, if the stalks of celery are already cut, there is a better method for storage. Once cut, the stalks will lose moisture at a faster rate, so they are best stored in the refrigerator in a sealed container, submerged in water. This keeps the stalks hydrated and crisp.

More Celery Tips

Do you have any other tips for storing celery?

The Best Way to Store Celery Might Totally Surprise You (2024)

FAQs

The Best Way to Store Celery Might Totally Surprise You? ›

Answer: For the best results, keep celery heads whole, wrap them up tightly in aluminum foil, and then keep them in the refrigerator crisper drawer as usual. When stored this way, celery stalks can maintain their freshness anywhere from two to four weeks.

What is the best way to store celery? ›

The best way to do this is to wrap it in foil! This tried-and-true method may seem a little weird but it works so beautifully. The foil protects the celery from the lack of moisture in your fridge (which is what causes them to go limp) but allows the ethylene gas that celery naturally produces to escape (source)….

Is it safe to wrap celery in foil? ›

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.

Should cut celery be stored in water in the fridge? ›

Now, if the stalks of celery are already cut, there is a better method for storage. Once cut, the stalks will lose moisture at a faster rate, so they are best stored in the refrigerator in a sealed container, submerged in water. This keeps the stalks hydrated and crisp.

What is the best way to store celery and carrots in the refrigerator? ›

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.

Can I freeze celery? ›

Like most other fruits and vegetables, celery can be frozen. However, freezing celery may change its texture significantly, causing it to become less crisp. It may also lose some of its flavor depending on the freezing method. Fresh celery usually lasts around 2 months in the freezer.

How do you store celery with a paper towel? ›

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.

Should celery be stored in a plastic bag? ›

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.

Does putting celery in bread keep it fresh? ›

Cannell explains: “If you want your bread to stay fresh for as long as three weeks, simply add a stick of celery to the bread bag.” The Speciality Breads boss elaborated that the celery not only help keep the bread fresh, but it also staves off mould growth, keeping the product in date for longer.

What vegetables last longer wrapped in foil? ›

Wrap Veggies in Aluminum Foil Before storing broccoli, lettuce and celery, wrap it in aluminum foil. The foil will help to keep veggies crisp for up to 4 weeks. Just wrap in foil and store in your fridge's crisper drawer.

Is celery good for you? ›

Celery is a nutrient-rich, low-calorie food. Two stalks of celery contain only 15 calories. Aside from its low calorie count, celery contains dietary fiber, vitamin K, and small amounts of vitamins A and C, calcium and iron. Although celery also contains some natural sodium, it's still considered a low-sodium food.

Is celery good if left out overnight? ›

Generally, celery should be kept in the refrigerator to slow down the degradation process related to warmth and light. To maintain freshness and extend shelf life, celery can be wrapped in a damp paper towel before placing it in a plastic bag or container.

How long does celery last in the fridge without? ›

Uncut celery wrapped snugly in aluminum foil in the fridge will last about a month. Cut celery, meanwhile, stored in an airtight container in the fridge will stay good for about two weeks. Frozen celery will last for more than a year.

How do you store celery in a Ziploc bag? ›

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.

How do you store celery root in the fridge? ›

Celery root stores well at cool temperatures and should last for a few weeks stored in the produce drawer of the refrigerator, loosely wrapped in a kitchen towel or paper or plastic bag. Celery root must be scrubbed (if very dirty) and peeled. Because of its gnarly shape, this might seem intimidating.

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