Most everyone enjoys celery as a delicious and healthy part of a snack but did you know that it’s also a great component for a yummy juice? That’s right, you can – and should – enjoy celery juice often to get a load of great nutrients that will help your body.
But the tricky thing about celery juice is the amount of time you can store it after you make it. As good as it is, this unique juice has a definitive time limit that needs to be respected if you want it to taste great and provide your body with nutritional value.
You can certainly store your celery juice in the refrigerator and freezer in order to keep it longer.
Typically, it is recommended that you drink your celery juice right after you make it. The faster you drink it, the better for you because the juice is full of strong flavor and great nutrients. The longer you wait to consume it, the less it’ll have.
You are able to store both in the fridge and the freezer, although the amount of time you can keep your juice in both places varies. For a fridge, it is recommended that you only keep the celery juice in there for up to three days. When it comes to the freezer, you can keep it stored for up to six months but you should be warned that many of the nutrients that attract people to celery juice will be gone if it is kept frozen for that long.
Refrigerating celery juice is actually a very good idea because it will slow the bacterial growth and will also improve the shelf life of your juice.
Should You Store Celery Juice?
Storing celery is a very smart idea if you want to keep it for more than just a couple of hours. Many people will make their celery juice and then drink it directly after but if you want to enjoy it over a couple of days, storing is a great choice. You just need to know how long you want to store it for and then follow the proper instructions.
How Long Can I Store Celery Juice?
Fridge
Typically, you can leave celery juice or really any juice you make at home in your fridge for a time between 24 and 72 hours at the maximum.
The truth is that while you can store your drinks and juice in the fridge for that amount of time, it’s recommended that you enjoy celery juice or any freshly-squeezed juice as soon as possible. It is not usually a drink you should drink days after making it. That is because the longer you wait, the worse the flavor.
Freezer
Much like many other juices, you can store your celery juice for even longer than a few days if you keep it in a freezer. In fact, it is estimated that you can store it this way for up to six months. But it is important to remember that you need to make sure the juice is truly frozen when it’s in your freezer, or else it’ll be compromised long before that.
It is also important to remember that the juice will lose some of its nutritional value if you freeze it. When you decide to finally thaw out the celery juice after months of being in the freezer, you should let it sit in your fridge for at least 24 hours or let it sit in your sink for 15 to 20 minutes. If there is still ice on the juice after that, you can pour boiling hot water down on it to thaw it out even more.
Once you have defrosted your celery juice, do not refreeze it. Since the nutritional value has always decreased a lot due to the first freeze, it will only lose more upon a second freezing.
How Do You Properly Store Celery Juice?
The best way to properly store the celery juice you make is to put it in a glass mason jar and then keep a lid on it too. Some people use plastic bottles to store their juice but they are prone to breaking or normal wear and tear, meaning you will lose juice as it leaks out.
When you are storing your juice, whether in the fridge or freezer, you should be sure that it is as far away from the door as possible. This is because every time you open the fridge or freeze, air will get in and that can start the oxidation process because of even slight temperature shifts. Make sure you ensure that the air isn’t reaching the stored juice.
How far in advance can you make celery juice?
When it comes to celery juice, the best advice is to make it very soon when you want to drink it. This is not the sort of juice you can make far in advance. It is best to drink it as soon as possible. However, if you want to keep it for a few days, storing it is possible.
Generally, you will want to make the celery juice on the same day that you will drink it. If you do not finish it all on that day, then you can store it. But do not make it days in advance of enjoyment. If you do, the juice will be lacking most of its nutritional goodness when you drink it.
How do you tell if celery juice is bad?
If you notice that your celery juice doesn’t smell fresh, you can be sure that it has gone bad. Celery juice should smell exactly like the ingredients it is made from. If it smells even a little sour or off, it is likely bad.
The color should also be bright green, as you’d expect from celery. The vibrancy of the color will fade after a while but it will still be good to drink. But if you notice it has turned brown, it is time to throw it out.
Finally, the taste should tell you if the juice has gone bad. Anything that tastes less than fresh or sour is definitely bad celery juice and should not be enjoyed.
Conclusion
Celery juice is one of the best, healthiest, and tastiest drinks around. It is easy to make and it is also easy to store, you just need to make sure you are keeping it in the right location so it remains fresh and tasty for as long as possible. Storing your celery juice in the fridge or freezer is possible but it is still best to drink this concoction as soon as you can.