How Long Does Celery Last?

The shelf life of celery, like most other fresh vegetables may not have a sell by date, use by date, or best before date so you have to go with purchase date. The exception is the tiny packages that are pre-packaged for lunch boxes.

Because of its relatively low cost, low calories and high concentration of vitamins - celery is a great snack and an easy addition to many foods.

So, how long does celery last? When properly stored, the shelf life of celery past its puchase date is approximately...

Celery Expiration Date

Past Printed Date
Fresh (Whole) Celery lasts for 3-4 Weeks
Celery Packages last for 2-3 Days
Cooked Celery lasts for 1 Week

Of course, celery lasts for a shorter period of time if it is not stored properly.

How to tell if Celery is bad, rotten or spoiled?


You can usually tell by looking or feeling if celery is going bad. Firm light green stalks are the best. Some common traits of celery going bad are when the stalks begin to spread out from the bunch as they become soft and bendable. Old celery is also more whitish in color and becomes hollow in the middle.


How to store Celery to extend its shelf life?

To extend the shelf life of celery it is best to store it whole wrapped in a damp paper towel and then aluminum foil and store in the vegetable bin of the refrigerator. Celery can also be stored in a sealed plastic bag in the vegetable drawer of the fridge or a plastic container made for celery.

To re-crisp limp celery, simply wash them, cut them into strips and then place them into a container of ice water. In a few hours, your limp stalks will absorb enough water to be transformed into crisp, crunchy celery. You can then put the container into the refrigerator to enjoy crisp celery for several more days.

For a longer term option, celery may be frozen for 6-8 months, but it should be blanched first (see below) and then placed in a freezer safe container. Defrosted celery will be soft and is best used for cooking.


Interesting facts about Celery :

  • If you have limp celery that is otherwise fine, simply slice the stalks into sticks and place them in a glass of ice water. Place the glass in the fridge and in a few hours the sticks will be crisp and great for munching. They will last in the glass in the fridge for 2-3 days before getting water logged.
  • You can freeze celery to extend its shelf life but it should be blanched first.
  • Make a vegetable broth. Boil celery and other washed vegetables that are reaching the end of their shelf life in some water for a nice vegetable broth that will keep another 5-7 days in the fridge for use as a soup base or stock for making rice or other recipes.
  • Because celery takes quite a bit of chewing yet is mainly comprised of water, you lose about the same number of calories eating a stalk of celery as you gain from the celery.
  • How to use extra before your Celery goes bad?

    Celery can be added to most anything including soup, stir-fry, salads, etc.

    How long is Celery good for when prepared in a dish?

    How long does celery last? That depends. How long does chicken last? In general, celery lasts only as long as the quickest expiring ingredient in the recipe.

    What are our shelf life resources?


    *An important note about expiration dates...
