Water Is The Key To Storing Celery Long-Term

There are few things that are less appealing than biting into a limp celery stalk. You want to make the most of it when you buy a fresh bunch of celery, of course. But oftentimes, it gets all wilted and soft before you finish what you've bought. Let's put a stop to the soggy celery!

The key to keeping celery fresh and crisp is all in how you store it. Don't just leave it in the plastic produce bag and toss it in the fridge. Instead, storing cut celery in cold water in the refrigerator is central to keeping it good for up to two weeks. Simply wash the stalks and cut them in half, then submerge the smaller pieces horizontally in ice-cold water in a container. Seal the lid and refrigerate. This 32-piece storage set is perfect for celery and other veggies, leftovers, and such. When you're ready for celery, remove it from the refrigerator, pat dry, and enjoy.

If you don't have the right-sized vessel to store submerged celery bits horizontally, you can also store cut celery upright in a vase-like container. With this hack, simply line the bottom of the container with paper towels and fill the container about halfway with cold water. Place clean, cut celery stalks into the container upright, cover it, and store in the refrigerator. If you don't have a suitable container, you can also wrap your celery in foil rather than plastic and keep it stored in the crisper drawer in the fridge. Leave a bit of the leafy ends of the celery exposed and it is less likely to circulate ripening ethylene gas along the stalks, meaning the stalks will last even longer.

Another thing to do things right when you select fresh celery from the grocery store and look out for common warning signs when you buy fresh produce. How can you tell celery is good? Look for bright green, firm stalks. The leaves should not appear wilted, and the celery shouldn't be limp — obviously, that means it is not crisp and will give you a hard time when it comes to storage. With these techniques, your celery will last longer, stay crunchy, and be ready for you to munch on anytime, whether it's with a smear of peanut butter or to elevate your tuna salad to restaurant-worthy flavor.