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Food and Entertaining
Food Preparation
Food Selection and Storage
How to Keep Celery Crisp Download Article Reviewed by Jennifer Levasseur
Last Updated: March 10, 2025 Approved
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Storing Celery in Aluminum Foil
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Using Paper Towels
|
Storing Celery in Water
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Q&A
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Tips
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This article was reviewed by Jennifer Levasseur. Chef Jennifer Levasseur is a Personal Chef and the Owner of The Happy Cuisiniere based in Breckenridge, Colorado. She has over 12 years of culinary experience and specializes in Mountain and Contemporary Rustic cuisine. Moreover, she can craft dishes and modify menus to accommodate dietary restrictions, such as gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, and dairy-free diets. In addition to a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Management from the University of Houston, Chef Jennifer holds Associate’s degrees in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts from Houston Community College. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 92% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 333,115 times.
Keeping celery fresh allows you to add crunch to soups, salads and snacks. Storing celery properly can keep it crisp longer. You can wrap celery in aluminum foil, store it in water, or use paper towels. Make sure to discard celery that has gone bad. Celery generally lasts between three to four weeks.
Steps
Method 1 Method 1 of 3:
Storing Celery in Aluminum Foil
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1 Wrap the celery tightly in aluminum foil. Celery often goes bad fast because it releases ethylene, a ripening hormone. When wrapped in foil, foil allow the ethylene to escape. If celery is stored in a loose plastic bag, ethylene is trapped, which will cause the celery to get limp. Aluminum foil prevents celery from becoming overripe and losing crispness.[1]XResearch source
Ethylene is a hormone plants give off naturally. It's an aging and ripening hormone, which causes plants to ripen and then decompose. While ethylene is necessary to get plants ripe, it can cause decay and overripe plants after a certain point.
Storing celery in a plastic bag traps ethylene, causing celery to go bad quicker.
2 Re-wrap your celery after each use. After using celery for a meal, be sure to re-wrap it in aluminum foil. Remember to wrap the celery tightly, as this will allow the ethylene to escape.[2]XResearch source
If your aluminum foil is getting dirty, replace the wrapping with a new piece.
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3 Keep the celery for three to four weeks. Store the celery in your refrigerator. Using this method, you can expect your celery to keep for three to four weeks. After this, it will begin to go bad and should be thrown out.
It can help to write the date you originally stored the celery down on the aluminum foil.
Celery should not be eaten after it spoils. Celery that has gone bad will have a whitish color. It will also hollow out in the middle. The stalks will begin to bend away from the stem.[3]XResearch source
Advertisement Method 2 Method 2 of 3:
Using Paper Towels
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1 Wet a paper towel. Remove a large enough strip of paper towel to wrap around your celery stalks. Run the paper towel under the faucet. Get the towel damp, but not soaking wet.[4]XResearch source
You can also use filtered water to wet the paper towel, if you prefer.
2 Wrap the paper towel around the bottom of the stalk. Fold the paper towel in half. Then, wrap the towel tightly and make sure to cover the full stalk. When the towel is fully wrapped, take a rubber band. Use this to secure the paper towel to the celery stalk.[5]XResearch source
3 Wrap the celery in a plastic bag. You can now place the celery back in the plastic bag it came in. However, you do not want ethylene to get trapped in the bag. Ethylene is a ripening hormone that can cause celery to go bad faster. Wrap the bag around the celery tightly, as this will allow the ethylene to be released. Then, use rubber bands to secure the bag in place.[6]XResearch source
4 Discard the celery after it goes bad. Watch for signs the celery has gone bad. You may notice the stalks bending away from the stem, the celery turning white, and the middle becoming hollow. Celery generally lasts anywhere from three to four weeks in the fridge.[7]XResearch source
Advertisement Method 3 Method 3 of 3:
Storing Celery in Water
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1 Prepare the celery for storage. You will have to chop up the celery in order to store it in water. To start, cut the stalks off the base of the celery.[8]XResearch source
You should also remove any leaves. If you want to use the celery leaves for cooking, store them elsewhere.
Once the leaves and stalks are removed, cut each piece of celery in half.
2 Place the celery in a container. Choose a container that can comfortably fit all the pieces of celery. It should also have enough room that you can have about an inch of headspace on top. A Tupperware container or a larger bowl would work well.[9]XResearch source
A container you can easily seal works best. The less exposure celery gets to air, the better.
3 Fill the bowl with water. Use filtered water, as tap water can expose your celery to chemicals. Pour enough water to cover the celery. Seal the container tightly and then place it in the fridge. If your container does not have a lid, seal it with plastic wrap.[10]XResearch source
4 Change the water daily. It's important to remember to change the water. This method will not work as well if celery sits in the same water each day.[11]XResearch source
Remember to use filtered water over tap water.
This method can be used on other root vegetables to keep them crisp over time.
5 Throw away celery that's gone bad. Eventually, celery will go bad even with proper storage. It usually goes bad after three to four weeks.[12]XResearch source
Bad celery will have a whitish color. It will also hollow out in the middle.
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Community Q&A
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Question Why do I have to use filtered water instead of tap water? Community Answer This statement refers to many cities that put additives in the water supply or well water that is high in iron. You can still use tap water, if you choose. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 1 Helpful 9
Question Will it always be crunchy? Community Answer No. After 3 to 4 weeks, it will start to go bad. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 5 Helpful 9
Question Should I cut the bottom off? Community Answer You can if you want to, but it's not necessary. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 1 Helpful 5
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Tips
Consider cutting the celery leaves from the stalks, then keep the leaves separate. Celery leaves wilt faster than the stalks, so if you are using the leaves for cooking, cut them off and use them first for the best flavor. The stalks will keep longer and can be used later. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
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Reviewed by: Jennifer Levasseur Personal Chef This article was reviewed by Jennifer Levasseur. Chef Jennifer Levasseur is a Personal Chef and the Owner of The Happy Cuisiniere based in Breckenridge, Colorado. She has over 12 years of culinary experience and specializes in Mountain and Contemporary Rustic cuisine. Moreover, she can craft dishes and modify menus to accommodate dietary restrictions, such as gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, and dairy-free diets. In addition to a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Management from the University of Houston, Chef Jennifer holds Associate’s degrees in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts from Houston Community College. This article has been viewed 333,115 times. 77 votes - 92% Co-authors: 7Updated: March 10, 2025 Views: 333,115 Categories: Food Selection and StorageArticle SummaryX
To keep celery crisp in the easiest way possible, wrap it tightly in aluminum foil. The foil will allow the ethylene, which is a ripening hormone the celery produces, to escape. Therefore, the celery will not be surrounded by that hormone and will not go limp as quickly. When stored like this, the celery will last 3 to 4 weeks. Keep reading to learn how to store the celery in water, or with paper towels.Did this summary help you?YesNo
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Reader Success Stories
Martin Lee
Sep 14, 2016
"I always buy celery with the longest use-by date I can find but it always goes limp before the recommended date is up. I will now try wrapping each stalk in tin foil and see if helps."..." more
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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Reviewed by: Jennifer Levasseur Personal Chef Co-authors: 7Updated: March 10, 2025 Views: 333,11592% of readers found this article helpful. 77 votes - 92% Click a star to add your vote
Martin Lee
Sep 14, 2016
"I always buy celery with the longest use-by date I can find but it always goes limp before the recommended date is up. I will now try wrapping each stalk in tin foil and see if helps."..." more
Jan W.
Jul 19, 2017
"Age 71 years, I have just discovered the amazing health benefits of celery. I am not terribly keen on the taste, so want to make it last as long as possible and stay crunchy."..." more
Patty Chapman
Jul 4, 2016
"This really works. The first time I tried this, a stalk of celery lasted about a month. I prep my celery right from the store."..." more
Caroline Pike
Apr 14, 2017
"I have thrown so much celery away because it goes stringy and limp. I will certainly try one of these methods. Thank you."..." more Rated this article:
Anonymous
Nov 15, 2017
"You learn something new every day! Did not know to cut celery leaves off and store by themselves. Thanks." Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories
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Download Article Reviewed by Jennifer Levasseur 
How toFreeze Celery 
How toKeep Vegetables Fresh in the Fridge 
The Ultimate Guide to Cooking Celery: Boiling, Steaming, & More 
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Reviewed by: Jennifer Levasseur Personal Chef This article was reviewed by Jennifer Levasseur. Chef Jennifer Levasseur is a Personal Chef and the Owner of The Happy Cuisiniere based in Breckenridge, Colorado. She has over 12 years of culinary experience and specializes in Mountain and Contemporary Rustic cuisine. Moreover, she can craft dishes and modify menus to accommodate dietary restrictions, such as gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, and dairy-free diets. In addition to a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Management from the University of Houston, Chef Jennifer holds Associate’s degrees in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts from Houston Community College. This article has been viewed 333,115 times. 77 votes - 92% Co-authors: 7 Updated: March 10, 2025 Views: 333,115 Categories: Food Selection and Storage Article SummaryX
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1 Wrap the celery tightly in aluminum foil. Celery often goes bad fast because it releases ethylene, a ripening hormone. When wrapped in foil, foil allow the ethylene to escape. If celery is stored in a loose plastic bag, ethylene is trapped, which will cause the celery to get limp. Aluminum foil prevents celery from becoming overripe and losing crispness.[1] 
2 Re-wrap your celery after each use. After using celery for a meal, be sure to re-wrap it in aluminum foil. Remember to wrap the celery tightly, as this will allow the ethylene to escape.[2] 
3 Keep the celery for three to four weeks. Store the celery in your refrigerator. Using this method, you can expect your celery to keep for three to four weeks. After this, it will begin to go bad and should be thrown out. 
1 Wet a paper towel. Remove a large enough strip of paper towel to wrap around your celery stalks. Run the paper towel under the faucet. Get the towel damp, but not soaking wet.[4] 
2 Wrap the paper towel around the bottom of the stalk. Fold the paper towel in half. Then, wrap the towel tightly and make sure to cover the full stalk. When the towel is fully wrapped, take a rubber band. Use this to secure the paper towel to the celery stalk.[5] 
3 Wrap the celery in a plastic bag. You can now place the celery back in the plastic bag it came in. However, you do not want ethylene to get trapped in the bag. Ethylene is a ripening hormone that can cause celery to go bad faster. Wrap the bag around the celery tightly, as this will allow the ethylene to be released. Then, use rubber bands to secure the bag in place.[6] 
4 Discard the celery after it goes bad. Watch for signs the celery has gone bad. You may notice the stalks bending away from the stem, the celery turning white, and the middle becoming hollow. Celery generally lasts anywhere from three to four weeks in the fridge.[7] Advertisement 
1 Prepare the celery for storage. You will have to chop up the celery in order to store it in water. To start, cut the stalks off the base of the celery.[8] 
2 Place the celery in a container. Choose a container that can comfortably fit all the pieces of celery. It should also have enough room that you can have about an inch of headspace on top. A Tupperware container or a larger bowl would work well.[9] 
3 Fill the bowl with water. Use filtered water, as tap water can expose your celery to chemicals. Pour enough water to cover the celery. Seal the container tightly and then place it in the fridge. If your container does not have a lid, seal it with plastic wrap.[10] 
4 Change the water daily. It's important to remember to change the water. This method will not work as well if celery sits in the same water each day.[11] 
5 Throw away celery that's gone bad. Eventually, celery will go bad even with proper storage. It usually goes bad after three to four weeks.[12] 
Community Answer This statement refers to many cities that put additives in the water supply or well water that is high in iron. You can still use tap water, if you choose. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 1 Helpful 9 
Community Answer No. After 3 to 4 weeks, it will start to go bad. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 5 Helpful 9 
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