How long does celery last? Well, that depends on a number of factors. These delicious stalks have a lot to offer in the way of health, so it’s great to always have fresh celery in the fridge. If you’re worried about a short lifespan, you’ll be glad to know that celery can be safely stored for weeks. But how long celery lasts in the fridge will depend greatly on how you store it.
What is Celery?
From the family Apiaceae, celery is a wetland or marsh plant that has been cultivated or nurtured as a vegetable since antiquity. It has longer fibrous stalks tapered into leaves. The use of celery depends on the geographical location and cultivar, as its hypocotyl, leaves, or stalk are eaten as a salad or used in cooking in various cuisines across the globe.
Celery has a number of health benefits for people. Its extracts are used in medicines, herbal medications, and weight loss diet syrups. It is a popular fresh vegetable because it contains high vitamin levels. Celery is a rich source of important antioxidants, which protect blood vessels, organs, and cells from oxidative damage. It is a great source of phytonutrients, which reduce inflammation in cells of the digestive tract and blood vessels. With minerals like iron, sodium, and magnesium, celery can have a good neutralizing effect on most acidic foods.
How long does celery last?
Well, the shelf life of green fresh vegetables depends on how you store them. Like most green vegetables, celery usually does not have a sell by date, a use by date, or a best before date in the supermarket. What does this mean? This means that you should only check the purchase date before buying it in the market. However, there are exceptions with the tiny packages that are generally pre-packaged for lunch boxes with pre-washed celery. You can store celery in the fridge, and it will last for a week or two. Frozen celery can last for about six to eight months.
How to Store Celery to Make It Last Longer
The most important thing for the shelf life of celery is its proper storage. If you do not store it properly, it won’t last for a longer period of time. Likewise, you must store it whole wrapped in paper towels or in aluminium foils. Next, you need to place it in the vegetable bin in the refrigerator.
In addition, you can also store celery in a plastic bag or in an airtight container. But, make sure you sealed it tightly. This will keep celery from different contaminants and moisture. Obviously, you have to place the container or bag in the vegetable drawer in the refrigerator.
Sometimes, your celery can become limp and you may want to return the crispiness to it. For this, you can simply wash it with water and cut into strips. Further, you’ll need to place these strips into a glass of water. After some time (2-3 hours), you will see that the stalks are transformed into crunchy and crisp celery again.
Likewise, if you want to enjoy the deliciously crisp celery, you can store that glass in the refrigerator for few more days. However, storing celery for a longer period requires freezing it in the freezer. By doing this, you will be able to extend the shelf life of it. It is important to bear in mind that it is properly blanched and placed into refrigerator safe containers. Defrosted celery is much softer than the fresh ones, so it is recommended to use it for cooking.
Hopefully with all this information you can answer the questions, “how long does celery last?” Celery lasts one to two weeks in the fridge, if you store it properly.
