How Long Will Celery Keep In The Refrigerator

Celery will keep in the refrigerator for about one to two weeks when stored properly.
 
That’s the short answer, and honestly, it’s pretty good news if you’re the kind of person who buys a whole head of celery for one recipe and then wonders what to do with the rest.
 
Celery is mostly water, though, so how long it keeps in the refrigerator depends heavily on how you store it.
 
If you just toss the bag in the crisper drawer and forget about it, you might get a week, maybe less.
 
But with a little bit of effort, you can stretch that celery to two weeks or even longer.
 
In this post, we’ll cover exactly how long celery lasts in the fridge, the best ways to store it so it stays crunchy, and how to tell when it’s time to let it go.
 
Let’s get into it.

How Long Celery Keeps in the Refrigerator

Celery will keep in the refrigerator for one to two weeks under normal conditions, and up to three or four weeks if you store it really well.
 
Here’s what affects that timeline.

1. The Way You Store It Matters Most

The single biggest factor in how long celery keeps in the refrigerator is how you store it.
 
Celery stalks are basically crunchy water tubes, and they lose moisture fast once they’re cut off from their roots.
 
If you leave celery loose in the fridge, it’ll go limp in just a few days.
 
But wrap it tightly in aluminum foil, and that same celery can stay crisp for three to four weeks.
 
The foil lets ethylene gas escape while keeping moisture in, which is pretty much the perfect environment for celery.

2. Whole Stalks Last Longer Than Cut Pieces

A whole head of celery will keep in the refrigerator longer than cut stalks or chopped pieces.
 
Every cut exposes more surface area, and more surface area means faster moisture loss and quicker spoilage.
 
So if you know you won’t use the whole bunch right away, keep it whole until you’re ready.
 
Chopped celery stored in an airtight container will usually last about five to seven days, which is still decent but not as long as the whole head.

3. Temperature and Placement in the Fridge

Celery keeps best at around 32 to 36 degrees Fahrenheit, which is why the crisper drawer is your friend.
 
That drawer is designed to hold humidity and keep produce at a steady, cool temperature.
 
Avoid storing celery near the back of the fridge where it might freeze, since freezing will turn those crisp stalks into mush once they thaw.
 
Also, keep celery away from ethylene-producing fruits like bananas and apples if you can, because that gas can speed up spoilage.

Best Ways to Store Celery So It Lasts Longer

If you want your celery to keep in the refrigerator as long as possible, try these storage methods.

1. Wrap It in Aluminum Foil

This is the gold standard for storing celery.
 
Wrap the whole head tightly in foil, leaving it unwashed, and place it in the crisper drawer.
 
It sounds strange, but foil-wrapped celery regularly lasts three to four weeks and stays wonderfully crunchy.

2. Use the Plastic Bag and Paper Towel Trick

If foil isn’t your thing, wrap celery in a dry paper towel and place it inside a plastic bag, squeezing out as much air as you can.
 
The paper towel absorbs excess moisture that would otherwise make the stalks slimy.
 
This method keeps celery fresh for about two weeks in the refrigerator.

3. Store Cut Celery in Water

For cut stalks, stand them upright in a jar with an inch or two of water, cover loosely with a bag, and refrigerate.
 
Change the water every couple of days.
 
Stored this way, cut celery will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks and stay satisfyingly crisp.

4. Blanch and Freeze for Long-Term Storage

If you have more celery than you can use, freezing is a great option.
 
Chop it, blanch it in boiling water for two to three minutes, then plunge it into ice water and drain.
 
Frozen celery won’t be crisp for snacking, but it’s perfect for soups, stews, and casseroles, and it’ll keep for up to a year.

How to Tell If Celery Has Gone Bad

Even with the best storage, celery will eventually go bad, so here’s what to look for.

1. Limp, Rubbery Stalks

If your celery bends like a noodle instead of snapping, it’s lost its moisture.
 
Slightly limp celery can sometimes be revived in ice water for 30 minutes, but if it stays floppy, it’s past its prime.

2. Brown or Slimy Spots

Brown patches, mushy spots, or a slick, slimy texture mean bacteria have moved in.
 
Toss the affected stalks, and if the slime is widespread, throw out the whole bunch.

3. A Strong or Off Smell

Fresh celery smells clean and slightly grassy.
 
If it smells sour or just plain off, that’s your cue to let it go.

So, How Long Will Celery Keep in the Refrigerator?

Celery will keep in the refrigerator for one to two weeks on average, and up to three to four weeks if you wrap it in foil and store it in the crisper drawer.
 
The key takeaways are simple: keep it whole, keep it dry, keep it cold, and keep it wrapped.
 
Do that, and your celery will stay crunchy long enough to actually use the whole bunch.