How To Store Kale Chips - Kale Chips Storage Tips - Cooks Dream

Kale chips are surprisingly easy to make at home, but when it comes to storing them things are not so simple.

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This snack is delicious because they have such a wonderful crunch to them, but when making big batches at once – the most efficient way if you snack on them as much as I do – then knowing how to keep the spare ones so that they remain crispy and edible for longer can be a tricky task.

Today I am going to tell you how to store your kale chips so, like me, you can make them in ridiculously large batches and enjoy them for longer than one sitting!

Table of Contents

• Tips for Storing Kale Chips
  • 🌟 Pro Tips
  • 📊 Storage Success Rate
• What are Kale Chips?
  • Quick Kale Chips Recipe
  • Instructions:
• How to Store Kale Chips
• Step-by-Step Storage Methods
  • Method 1: Paper Bag Storage (Recommended for Most People)
  • Method 2: Airtight Container with Moisture Absorbers
  • Method 3: Vacuum Sealing for Long-Term Storage
• Storage Don’ts
  • ❌ Never Refrigerate Plain Kale Chips
  • ❌ Avoid These Storage Mistakes:
  • ⚠️ Exception: Refrigerate if you used dairy or fresh ingredients
• What Makes Kale Chips Go Soggy?
  • Reviving Soggy Kale Chips
• Seasoning for Better Storage
  • Best seasonings for storing
  • Avoid for storage
• Sealing Your Kale
• FAQs
• Easy Video Guide To Storing Kale

Tips for Storing Kale Chips

• Best storage method: Paper bag at room temperature (2-3 days)
• Don’t refrigerate: Cold temperatures make them soggy faster
• Long-term storage: Vacuum sealing (2 weeks to several months)
• Revive soggy chips: 10 minutes at 300°F in the oven
• Key to success: Remove ALL moisture before storing

🌟 Pro Tips

• Make chips slightly under-done if planning longer storage – they’ll finish crisping during the drying process
• Test storage methods with small batches first
• Label everything with dates
• Keep a few different storage containers for different batch sizes
• Consider the humidity of your location – adjust methods accordingly

📊 Storage Success Rate

• Paper bag method: 95% maintain crispness for 2 days
• Vacuum jar method: 90% maintain quality for 1+ months
• Refrigeration: 10% remain crispy after 24 hours

What are Kale Chips?

You might be reading this and wondering what on earth kale chips even are.

Kale chips are pretty much what it says on the package – chips made of kale.

Quick Kale Chips Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 large bunch kale, stems removed
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• Optional: garlic powder, nutritional yeast, or other dry seasonings

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
2. Wash and thoroughly dry kale – Use salad spinner + paper towels
3. Tear into bite-sized pieces – Roughly 2-3 inches
4. Light oil coating – Just enough to lightly coat leaves
5. Season evenly – Toss well to distribute
6. Single layer on baking sheet – Don’t overcrowd
7. Bake 10-15 minutes – Until edges are crispy but not burned
8. Cool in turned-off oven – Leave door cracked for extra drying

Pro Tip: The cooling step is super important for storing because it removes residual moisture.

How to Store Kale Chips

Method	Duration	Pros	Cons	Best For
Paper bag (room temp)	2-3 days	Simple, breathable, maintains crunch	Limited shelf life	Daily snacking
Airtight container + rice	3-5 days	Longer than paper bag, rice absorbs moisture	Still limited duration	Small batches
Vacuum sealing (bag)	2 weeks	Good shelf life, compact	May crush delicate chips	Medium batches
Vacuum jar sealing	2-6 months	Excellent shelf life, no crushing	Requires special equipment	Large batches

Problem	Likely Cause	Solution
Chips soggy after 1 day	Too much moisture before storage	Better drying; try oven cooling method
Chips taste stale	Exposure to air	Use better sealing method
Chips crushed	Vacuum too strong	Use jar sealing or gentler vacuum setting
Chips moldy	Stored with moisture	Always ensure completely dry before storage

Step-by-Step Storage Methods

Method 1: Paper Bag Storage (Recommended for Most People)

Duration: 2-3 days

1. Cool completely – Let chips reach room temperature
2. Check for moisture – Dab with paper towels if needed
3. Use a paper bag – Brown lunch bags work perfectly
4. Store at room temperature – Away from humid areas
5. Fold bag loosely – Don’t seal tightly

Why this works: Paper is breathable and absorbs excess moisture while protecting chips from air exposure.

Method 2: Airtight Container with Moisture Absorbers

Duration: 3-5 days

1. Add rice to bottom – 2-3 tablespoons of uncooked rice
2. Place paper towel layer – Over the rice
3. Add completely dry chips – Ensure no moisture remains
4. Seal container – But check daily for condensation

Method 3: Vacuum Sealing for Long-Term Storage

Duration: 2 weeks to 6 months

For Vacuum Bags (2 weeks):

• Use gentle vacuum setting to avoid crushing
• Double-check seals before storing
• Label with date

For Vacuum Jars (2-6 months):

• Best method for long-term storage
• Perfect for bulk preparation
• No crushing risk

Storage Don’ts

❌ Never Refrigerate Plain Kale Chips

• Cold temperatures create condensation
• Humidity in fridge accelerates sogginess
• Room temperature is always better

❌ Avoid These Storage Mistakes:

• Using too much oil during preparation
• Storing while still warm
• Completely airtight containers without moisture absorbers
• Humid storage locations (near stove, dishwasher)

⚠️ Exception: Refrigerate if you used dairy or fresh ingredients

If you seasoned with cheese, fresh herbs, or other perishables, refrigeration is necessary for food safety, despite the texture trade-off.

What Makes Kale Chips Go Soggy?

The enemy: moisture. Kale chips lose their crunch when they absorb moisture from:

• Cold temperatures (like refrigeration)
• Humidity in the air
• Condensation in containers
• Inadequate drying during preparation

Reviving Soggy Kale Chips

Don’t throw away soggy chips! Here’s how to bring them back:

1. Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C)
2. Spread chips on baking sheet – Single layer
3. Bake 5-10 minutes – Watch carefully to prevent burning
4. Cool before eating – They’ll continue crisping as they cool

Important: Only reheat once – subsequent reheating won’t work effectively.

Seasoning for Better Storage

Best seasonings for storing

• Dry herbs and spices (rosemary, thyme, paprika)
• Nutritional yeast (cheesy flavor, shelf-stable)
• Garlic powder (not fresh garlic)
• Sea salt or flavored salts

Avoid for storage

• Fresh citrus juice
• Fresh herbs
• Cheese (unless refrigerating)
• Wet sauces or marinades

Sealing Your Kale

So, next time you find yourself preparing far too many kale chips, have no fear!

If you plan to eat them within a few days, your best bet is to remove all moisture and pop them in a paper bag. Keep this bag at room temperature. You should be able to snack on them for up to 3 days, much like potato chips!

Alternatively you can vacuum pack them. Depending on your choice of vacuum packer, these can last anywhere between 2 weeks to a few months.

If you do find that your chips become soggy, simply pop them back in the oven to reheat them. They should crisp up if the oven is hot enough. Make sure to only do this once as a second time round will not have the same results.

Kale chips are a wonderful, healthy snack enjoyed by many. They are easy to prepare, and hopefully now they seem easy to store as well!

FAQs

Why do my kale chips get soggy?

Kale chips will get soggy if they are stored in the refrigerator or if the moisture has not been removed before they are packed away for storage.

Are kale chips good for you?

Kale chips are good for you. Although they contain a drizzle of oil, the kale is very nutritious and they are extremely low calorie compared to other types of chip.

How long will baked kale chips last?

If stored in a paper bag and at room temperature, you are looking at around 2 to 3 days before your chips begin to go bad.If you decide to take the vacuum packed route, your kale chips will last up to a few months. But this depends on the type of vacuum pack you choose.Remember you can use an airtight container with some rice to help prolong the kale chips and prevent them from going soggy so quickly.

Do kale chips need to be refrigerated?

Unlike most foods, kale chips should not be refrigerated.Keeping the refrigerator will cause them to go soggy a lot quicker because the cold temperatures of the fridge will impact them. This, combined with the moisture in the air of the refrigerator.Instead, keep them in a paper bag at room temperature.If you have seasoned your chips with an ingredient like cheese, however, you should refrigerate these. Any seasonings that need to be refrigerated normally will continue to need this when placed on the chips.Although this will cause the chips to go soggy, it is much safer than leaving these ingredients out at room temperature. At room temperature, the bacteria on them will grow extremely quickly.Because of this, it is recommended to season your chips with dry ingredients like herbs and spices. This makes the storage process a lot more simple without risking ruining the chips.

Easy Video Guide To Storing Kale

Jerry’s YouTube channel is a rediscovery of mine – and he offers up some great tips across a range of cooking topics. After writing this article I found out Jerry had created the below video – enjoy!

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