But aren't carrots also sold this way? They're both sold in packs at my local grocery and I just end up adding extra celery/carrots to dishes throughout the week and then cutting up the rest for dipping snacks throughout the week.

Some grocery stores in my area do sell celery by the stalk, but it's not a common practice. I usually just skip it (sometimes even when a single stalk is available) because you're right, it's often not essential, and the boyfriend isn't a fan at all.

Your celery will keep for a long time in an air-tight bag or container. Feel free to cut the whole thing in half to make it fit.

But why don't you ask the green-market manager at your grocery store if he would sell celery "splits." No one hesitates to break a bunch of bananas apart, so I think such a request is quite reasonable.

I've heard your celery will keep a long time in the fridge if you submerge one end in water... perhaps this is a good solution for when you do buy celery and have a few stalks remaining?

My grocery store sells prepackaged for snacks. I often buy those when I need a small amount of celery for a soup or chicken salad to avoid the waste.(Though not the cost outlay)

you can also throw whatever you don't use into the freezer, and then use that for vegetable stock. Although it takes up a lot of freezer space, and it still ends up being a lot of celery. But I really love the flavor that celery adds, so I'm not prepared to just do without!

I second @romancandles.

I figure it's better for me, anyway, to be tossing extra veggies into all my meals that week.

If you are going to boil the celery for soup, you can certainly freeze it. It doesn't thaw right for anything raw, but if you are going to sautee as an aromatic and then boil it, it's totally fine.

I got tired of chopping celery so often and having it last for almost no time at all. I finally decided to give freezing it a try and am glad I did. Now I can chop a large batch and have it keep for a very long time :D

I normally just make cream of celery soup with the rest, and then freeze the soup to add to casseroles later.

If I just need a little I try to get it from the salad bar. They don't always have it there though.

I never skip out on celery in soups because I think it tastes great (particularly in corn chowder, which I make often). But a lot of what I bring home I end up throwing away because I can't use it fast enough. Since my boyfriend moved in, he's been taking care of it. He's a bit of a browser. So that's my suggestion - adopt a browsing boyfriend, rabbit, guinea pig, or other cute pet.

I used to feel the exact same way, then I discovered the cream of celery soup recipe in the Joy of Cooking. It takes 20 minutes and it's insanely good - even my totally "cream of anything" averse husband has requested I make it again. Now I look for reasons to have "extra" celery around.

Whole Foods sells ribs!

Celery is typically sold by the pound. You don't have to buy the whole bunch, just pull off a few stalks and buy them, that's what I do, and it's never been a problem anywhere.

I noticed on a british tv show, As Time Goes By, that celery was in a jar of water on the kitchen counter. Is that how they store it in England?

I've noticed recently that stores in my area have started selling individual stalks. I never used to buy it for exactly the same reason, but now I buy just a stalk or two when I'm making chicken stock.

I have a long/square pasta jar that is the perfect size for storing celery. Anytime I buy celery, I slice about half an inch off the bottom and put it in the jar with an inch of water, cover, and store in the fridge. I refresh the water every few days. It keeps for a long time like this.

I've seen ribs before, but not frequently. Recently I saw our local Whole Foods had whole celery - meaning roots, stalks, and leaves all intact. I might have to buy some of that to make a celery-centric meal!

You can also usually buy chopped celery at salad bars--I will use this if I only need a cup or so.

we have celery sold by the stalk here in austin, at both whole foods and central market stores. whether i buy a rib, or a bunch, i chop off the bottom when i get home and put the individual stalks in a glass of water and then put that in the fridge. (just like mpheels says.) it stays nice and crisp for quite a while. in fact, make sure your container has some extra room - the celery will expand as it draws in the water!

i keep carrots the same way - cut off the tops and put the whole carrot root in water. i use a higher water level for the carrots - seems to keep them crisp longer. again, leave some room to grow - the first time i tried this they expanded enough that i thought i would have to break the glass to get them out!

Wrap the remaining celery in damp paper towels and then in aluminum foil... keeps fresh for WEEKS!

I agree with SashaCooks. I shop at a local grocery chain that will sell any quantity of fruit/vegetable you need (well, I've never tried to buy half a banana, but they do cut up cabbage heads for me!).

You could just ask where you shop if they would be willing to do the same.

I used to have this problem too until I discovered this recipe for Braised Celery: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/braised-celery-recipe/index.html
Delicious! Just plan to make it any week you need celery for something else.

I agree with I chop the ribs of mine and freeze them. All recipes I use ask for chopped celery and freezing doesn't destroy the quality of it like some veggies. Seems silly to not buy it because you can't think of what to do with the part you don't use immediately.

Am I the only one that thinks celery is absolutely disgusting?!

I can't stand it in anything! I can't even eat things like soup or stuffing that has celery in it because even that little bit of the flavor turns my stomach. I always just leave it out of recipes that call for it, or avoid those recipes entirely. It's also a good reason to make soup myself and not get canned - have you ever tried to find chicken noodle soup without celery? Impossible!

I agree that it would be nice to be able to buy only the amount that you need, though. With carrots and other veggies, too.

I chop it and freeze it. It doesn't quite give you the crunch you might like in a salad, but it works great for anything cooked.

I'm not a huge celery fan -- I like it in certain dishes, but others, like tuna salad, I don't. My solution to replace the crunchiness is cornichons. They also add a better flavor, IMHO. Also good in egg salad, whitefish salad, potato salad, etc. Just delicious.

I'm with kariwk, if I just need a little bit, I grab some at a salad bar.

Plus Marianne Campbell has a great recipe for celery & two bean soup which I LOVE. Alas, I just looked and can't find the recipe online but it's in "The Supper Book."

My Whole Foods sells single stalks, and single carrots. The Celery doesn't last as long - so just buy what ur using. I can often find pieces with leaves.

I just make the rest into ants on a log and then bring them in to work for lunch or have my son eat them.

I wash it and either cut the stalks in half, or go ahead and chop it, then freeze it. Pretty much everything I use it in, it is cooked, so I don't have to worry about the loss of the crunch factor.

I usually just chop up the extra and sautee them with onions and sometimes peppers. Then I freeze this mixture in soup batches because that's how I usually begin my soup prep anyways. Works like a charm!

I cut them and store the stalks upright in water - keeps them crisp. I julienne the heart of the celery (the bitter bit with the leaves that most throw out) and toss with olive oil and lemon juice, salt and pepper. Cook's treat!

store excess carrots, celery and other veggies in a baggie in the freezer to add when you make stock. Always have a bag of goodies to throw in with chicken bones post roasting!

celery will keep for a long time, like 2 weeks in some water in the fridge. You could add the extra to make veggie stock and then have the veggie stock in the freezer for when you want to make soup.

Also, a remedy for the crunch is to use water chestnuts. Same kind of crunch in things like tuna/chicken salad. I put them in spinach dip and dumplings it's great! I find they're flavor to be very mild/non-existent, I use them purely for crunch factor.

I have a similar frustration. What I usually do with the leftover celery is to cut it into sticks and then put it in a container submerged in water. This keeps it fresh for longer than just leaving it in the drawer. I will then bring celery sticks in my lunch, eat them as a snack, or I will use it for other recipes.

Also, while some Whole Foods stores may sell individual ribs, mine does not. They only sell individual carrots.

I think celery that has wilted makes great juice! Seriously, you can even juice the squishy cucumber with it for some very hydrating and good for you juice!

I was always was tossing out limp celery until I bought a Tupperware celery keeper. It now lasts at least 3 weeks and is as good as the first day in the crisper. I also keep any other hard veggie like radishes in the same keeper.

So funny you posted on this! I have recently renewed my relationship with celery. It really is delicious.

I used to haver the same problem but know I wrap my celery in aluminum foil and it stays crisp for weeks. Yes, weeks.

Eat it.

Oops! I meant to write: Eat it! It's filling and super low in calories.

huh, all the local stores here in denver sell it by the stalk. sometimes its a bit more expensive than buying the pack, but none goes to waste...

The simplest thing to do is to wrap celery in aluminum foil instead of plastic for storing in the fridge. It'll keep for up to 3 weeks. Also, start enjoying celery for snacks with various dips, cheeses, or peanut butter. It'll be tasty and healthy for you. Enjoy!

I always hit the salad bar for celery, it's not something I'd eat regularly and I usually only need a cup or so. Sure it's more expensive but I'd rather pay more than waste more.

If you want the flavor of celery without buying celery, try lovage. The perennial herb looks like parsley but tastes exactly like celery. It's fairly strong so you only need a bit of it to add celery flavor to anything you're cooking. It's delicious, and grows very abundantly once planted. I rarely buy celery now that I grow lovage.

Eat it! With peanut butter, or pimiento cheese, or cream cheese, or just plain. Yum yum. Store it in foil, or in a long tupperware container. CHop it and freeze for future use. We go through a lot of celery in our 2 person household, we both like the crunch and the saltiness of celery.

Yep I have often skipped it just like you do.

Not useful - but in Australia everywhere sells it by the stalk - much better! However, I do buy it here, use 3 stalks in a recipe and eat the rest with cream cheese, in salads/sandwiches and/or throw the rest away.

We've used this in our family for probably 25 years to keep celery crisp and fresh in the fridge for up to 3 weeks:
http://www.amazon.com/Tupperware-Vintage-Celery-Keeper/dp/B002WYYBY8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1314246280&sr=8-3

It's an old tupperware model, but there are plenty of companies who make celery keepers currently. A little water in there to cover the celery, and you're good to go. Does it take up a bunch of space? Yes. We usually keep it in our extra storage fridge in the garage, but it's easy to stack on and shove in the back of a drawer or shelf in a regular fridge and still get around it okay, so it's not the end of the world. You can put other things in there, like herbs or carrots, but we've always just stuck to using it for celery. Works like a champ, dependably.

If you cut an end of wilted celery, you can stand it in a glass of ice water, and it should perk up again in a half hour to an hour.

As illustrated by many above commentors, celery can be used for lots of different stuff. Do you make a meal plan? If so, just plan to make several meals through the week that happen to have celery in them. I only buy celery when I plan at least 2 recipes that call for it. And then, of course, Ants On A Log is always a hit! Lots of vegetables are like buying bouquets of cut flowers, they will last longer, look prettier, and keep crispier if you put them in water. I will try freezing some next time too. Thanks for the recommendation!

Another good thing about juicing and making green smoothies on a regular basis: you can use up leftover produce.

We substitute the stalks from chard. We grow swiss chard and fordhook giant. The fordhook giant makes huge ribs that have strings like celery, and can be chopped and used in soups and stirfry. The greens are also a great spinach substitute. And you can dry it. Milder flavors than spinach or celery, but very yummy!

MsTiggy, you are not alone! Celery is the one vegetable I truly loathe. Therefore my solution is to simply leave it out.

The coward's way: I buy celery sticks. the hero's way: make stock, any kind and freeze... that'll use up the bunch (but there again easy to put too much in. Or chop onion carrot and the celery into a mirepoix and freeze in bags. Alwaysuseful. Or braise celery, changes the game completely, lovely dish I wish I could claim I remember to make when i have too much of the stuff.

Tuna and chicken salads taste great with granny smith apple substituted for celery... Adds the same crunchy texture that celery does, and you can easily get away with buying just one apple at the grocery store.

Celery is the most disgusting food item on the planet. The other day there was a segment on it on The Splendid Table and I had to skip it or else I would have been nauseated all day. Bleeeegh!

This is a little odd, but my mom used to request from grocery stores for just the celery leaves. They gave them to her free.

We never use celery in our house. I'll use just onion, garlic and carrot for a mirepoix, and if I'm making tuna salad, I'll add a little chopped bell pepper and/or onion, since I always have those around. They add a great celery-like crunch and, at least with tuna, the flavors blend really well.

i have the same issue with celery. in the summer, it sounds amazing but it ends up being a 'last resort' in the fridge until it's flimsy.
maybe it's just sad in summer for me because there are so many other more exciting vegetables to choose from.

in the winter, i can't get enough of it though, because i add it to soups, stews, casseroles and anything else that deserves a little crunch. i think celery will always be a 'staple' grocery purchase for me, though.

Have you thought about dehydration? I dehydrate excess onion,celery and carrots, and make my own dried soup mixes. They are awesome for travel. Parsley also dehydrates well, and i find that when I've got it around, I use it more often!

Yes, I have a dilemma-it's called a husband who hates celery, who claims when he bites into it it 'wafts up into his sinuses and causes nausea'. Nice. SOOOO, I don't ever use it except for the occasional craving and then I eat it raw with PB. In it's place, I use nothing. It only adds celery taste and I've found that I don't miss it. If the recipe seems intuitively to need something, and it's appropriate, I use fennel.

I used to have this dilemma, until I saw an episode of Lidia's Italy in which she showed how to braise celery. The dish involves sauteeing a good amount of onions and garlic, then adding cut celery stalks and leaves and olives, and adding some boiling water and tomato paste. It's surprisingly good, and now I don't have the celery dilemma anymore.

I usually substitute fennel for celery in most recipes...it's a more manageable amount, and I like the flavor better so I'm more likely to use up the leftovers. (Not exactly cheaper, though!)

i dehydrate my leftovers as well - it's easier for me to toss a handful of dried celery in when i'm making a soup, & i like that i still get crunch.

when i use all the celery i need to for a recipe, i saute up the rest of the celery, onion, fennel, thyme and garlic in some olive oil until just barely brown (so the celery and fennel keep their crunch :) ) it's delicious as a side!

i usually play around with the seasoning with whatever i have on hand!

Really? Dumb post.

You can say this about just about anything fresh sold in stores. Just use, carefully save the remainder to use or eat again.

As a snack with peanut butter.

Or... bloody mary. :)

I don't know if you have a comment above that informed you that you can use ordinary foil to save your celery. I cut off the root end (set in water over night and plant if you like) then I use what I want and roll the rest up in the foil. When you need the celery its still crunchy for a long time I've never counted how long BUT its a good while. You'll have time to use it more than usual.