How long does celery last?

A head of celery keeps 1 to 2 weeks in the fridge from the day you buy it. Blanched or cooked, it keeps 10 to 12 months in the freezer for soups and stews.

Food	Fridge	Freezer
Celery	1–2 weeksfrom purchase	10–12 monthsfrom purchase

Fridge at 4 °C (40 °F) or colder, freezer at −18 °C (0 °F). Freezer times are for best quality: food kept frozen stays safe, but slowly loses taste and texture. These times are USDA guidance, not a guarantee. When in doubt, throw it out.

How to tell if celery has gone bad

Slimy, mushy or translucent stalks.
Brown or dark patches, or mold.
A sour or rotten smell. Bendy but firm celery is just dehydrated.

How to store celery

Wrap the whole head tightly in foil and keep it in the crisper drawer: it stays crisp longer than in a plastic bag.
Keep cut stalks upright in a jar of water in the fridge, changing the water every few days.
Revive limp celery by soaking it in ice water for 30 minutes.
Keep the leaves: they're good in soups and salads.

Can you freeze celery?

Yes, for 10 to 12 months, but only for cooking: it loses its crunch. Chop it, blanch it for about 3 minutes, cool it in ice water, dry it and freeze it in a bag. Add it straight from frozen to soups, stews, stocks and sauces.

Questions

Why does celery go limp?

It loses water. Wrapping it in foil, or standing cut stalks in water, keeps it crisp; soaking limp stalks in ice water brings them back.

How long does cut celery last?

Several days in a sealed container in the fridge, or longer standing in water that you change regularly.

Can you eat celery that's turned white or yellow?

Pale or yellowing outer stalks are older and less crisp, but fine to cook if they're not slimy or moldy.

Add celery to ShelfLife, and get a reminder before it goes limp at the back of the drawer.

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