Never Buy Celery if You See This Red Flag at the Store

Celery is a veggie I almost always have on hand, as it's great for quick snacking with hummus, as the base of a delicious soup, or as a simple addition to a salad . However, on more than one occasion, I've bought a whole bunch of celery only to find it stringy, limp, or moldy just a few days later.

So, I spoke with a produce expert to learn how to choose better celery in the future and avoid this outcome. She shared one major red flag that I'll be looking out for from now on.

Never Buy Celery if You See This Red Flag

According to registered dietitian and produce expert Avery Zenker , celery with splayed, bowed, or thin endsis a major red flag. This is because it can indicate that the celery is stringy or closer to spoiling than other options. "Look at the outer stalks in particular since they're more likely to be stringy. Some signs celery may be stringy include stalks that are thin, bowed, twisted, or splayed apart with deep ridges," she explains. And while stringy celery can still be safe to eat, it's not the most pleasant.

Splayed or bowed ends may also indicate limp stalks, which may be more likely to go bad soon after you bring them home. "Limp celery is a sign that it's not well hydrated, and has lost some of its water content that keeps it crisp," says Zenker.

Thin, hollow celery stalks may also be a sign of a shorter shelf life. You can check for these characteristics by looking at the ends of the stalks and feeling the whole bunch. "Look inside the cut end to see if the center is dry, white, spongy, or porous. You can also gently press on the stalks—hollow celery stalks will have some give. Watch for stalks that look unusually broad or feel surprisingly light," she shares.

How to Choose the Best Celery

To avoid these types of celery at the grocery store, Zenker offers a few additional tips. "Fresh, high-quality celery should have stalks that are firm, thick, and plump. Celery should be a pale or bright green color and stalks should be relatively straight and uniform—and packed tightly together," she says. The celery bunch should also feel heavy, as this indicates a higher water content.

"If it has leaves, they should not be mushy or slimy and the bunch should have a faint, fresh scent." If the celery isn't bagged, she also recommends examining the root end, or bottom, of the bunch. "The cut base should look relatively fresh and moist, without browning or decay," she adds. I now feel much more equipped to find fresh celery at the grocery store. Here's how I'm going to store it so I can enjoy my favorite cream of celery soup this season.

Read the original article on Simply Recipes