How to Store Celery

Celery is high in Vitamin C and fiber.

Some plants in the celery family (apium graveolens), have been consumed by humans for hundreds of years. Popular in healthy diets, due to its high percentage of bulk fiber and its low calorie count, celery is also a delicious and nutritious vegetable. Whether you purchase celery in bulk or you have an abundance from your garden, you can keep it fresh longer if you follow some storage guidelines.

Things You'll Need

• Plastic wrap or zip-top bags
• Paper towels
• Plastic freezing containers
• Aluminum foil

Instructions

1. Choose the freshest celery at the market or pick it fresh from your garden. Look at the stem portion of the celery. It should be whitish with no streaks of brown or rust coloring. The celery stalks should be firm and bundled tightly to each other. Limp stalks or separation from the other stalks signals that the celery may not be fresh.

2. Cut the entire stem end off the celery, measuring about 1 inch up from the base. Discard the base and cut off the leafy portions on the inner stalks. In addition, trim off secondary branches near the top of the stalks.

3. Wash the celery thoroughly in cold water, rubbing the stalks with your fingers to remove any dirt or residual pesticides and lay the stalks on a towel to drain for a couple of minutes.

4. Gather the clean trimmed stalks together and wrap them with one or two paper towels before wrapping the entire bundle in plastic wrap. Alternately, place the paper towel-wrapped celery stalks in a large zip-type plastic bag and squeeze as much air out as you can before you seal the bag.

5. Store the washed and trimmed celery in the refrigerator in a vegetable drawer, if one is available. Monitor your refrigerator’s temperature. If it’s too cold, the celery will freeze and wilt, taking on a clear translucent look.

6. Wrap celery in aluminum foil as an alternate to paper towels and plastic wrap. Trim and wash the celery as before, then place it on a long piece of foil, folding and rolling it securely. Rewrap the celery each time you use a little and it will stay fresh longer.

7. Cube and freeze celery for use only in stews, casseroles and soups. Celery takes on a watery, unattractive appearance after freezing but it is still edible. Wash and dry the stalks before dicing and placing in plastic storage containers. Use within 6 months.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid canning celery unless you use it in a pickle-based recipe, such as relish or chutney. Celery, like other non-acidic vegetables, is prone to mold and bacterial growth and improper canning methods can lead to food poisoning.

Resources

• Order celery seeds online at Organica Seed.