Do you have droopy celery? Rubbery carrots? Squishy potatoes? Think you need to throw them out? Don’t! You can revive them.
I’m embarrassed to let you see my celery in the photo above (but scroll down to see that same celery after it was revived). That’s some celery I had before I learned to store it tightly wrapped in foil.
The good news is that I had learned how to rejuvenate soft celery, carrots and potatoes a while back, so I didn’t have to throw it out.
As a kid, my mom had taught me to put limp veggies in ice water — or in water in the refrigerator — and they’d revive. And she was right.
The problem was that this doesn’t always work on a boat. I never had ice on board. And some boats don’t have a refrigerator. Or they have a small refrigerator and no extra space to chill a container of water and veggies.
I never like to throw food out. I particularly don’t like to when I’m on a boat, away from town and can’t immediately get more. So I decided that I needed to figure out how to revive my carrots, celery and potatoes without ice . . . and preferably without needing space in my refrigerator.
With a little experimenting, I learned that you can revive limp celery, carrots and even soft potatoes in room temperature water.
- Carrots: cut a bit off the top end before putting in the water. Place top (fat end) down in the water.
- Potatoes: Peel and cover with water.
Left whole, it will take 2 to 3 hours to make these veggies crisp again. That celery in the photo at the right is the same celery as at the top of this article, after 2 hours in the glass of water.
Note that if you cut the veggies into strips or 1″ pieces and totally cover them with water, it will take as little as 30 minutes.
Drain the water and use the veggies as you regularly would.Don’t throw the water out once the veggies have been revived — you can use it in other cooking.
SCIENCE PROJECT FOR BOATS WITH KIDS: If you have some wilted celery, put some food coloring (red works best — easiest to see) in the water, and make sure the celery stalks are partially out of the water (it’s even better if there are some leaves on the part out of the water). Watch as the color moves up the stalk and into the leaves. For more ideas on observations to make with this, see this science experiment.
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Shannon Scott says
What a great idea. I’ve have also found that cutting the ends off of asparagus and placing them in water also extends the life of the asparagus substantially. I will cover my celery in foil right away. Thanks.
dawn says
This also works with other root vegetables. I did this last night to some withered parsnips. I just them in half and peeled a little of the skin off and put them in a bowl of water in the fridge. They are revived and ready to eat! I am going to make some soup this afternoon with them.
MaryJo Boyle says
I’ve put celery and asparagus in water, but I’ve never heard of carrots or other root vegetables being revived. Great information!
Ed Robinson says
That’s a good one. You never know what cool tidbit you’ll learn from TBG.
The Boat Galley says
Thanks!
Diana Greene says
i also take green onions & put the bottom two inches into a glass of water and leave it on my counter….good for a couple of weeks, and use them as I need them as they keep on sprouting new shoots!
Carolyn Shearlock says
Yes! I’ve written about that too: How to Store Green Onions
Sharlyn Harley says
Wow. I had no idea. I’ve been tossing mine. But no more!! Thanks!!
Jeanette says
We have a wagon full of fresh carrots that have gone limp. Once revived, can I pressure cook them?
Carolyn Shearlock says
You don’t even need to revive them first — just cook (or pressure cook) them ! See Got Old Veggies?
Jeanette says
THANK YOU!!! I hated the idea of them going to waste. The ones that we already pressure cooked are so delicious. There’s still enough to give us enough jars to have carrots everyday for a year!
D and Don says
I find parsley and other herbs can be kept for days in a similar way. Recut the ends on a slant, put into water and cover the top with a plastic bag. I use a rubber band around the bottom of a small glass. If you don’t have a place for a small glass, then you can wrap the cut ends with a wet paper towel and insert into a zip lock bag or Lock and Lock container. This method works well for transportation from boat to boat.
Judith Nelson Cruzan says
I keep my celery in foil too but I put a wet cloth over the root end before I wrap it in foil.
Mike Gannon says
“Dammit, he’s dead Jim!”
Mike Macleod says
I’m a Skipper not a gardener!!
Amanda says
I keep my chop the celery up and put it in foil and I also foil cucumber, carrots, zucchini and they last weeks. I foil citrus too and keep it out of the fridge
Ellie Smith says
I’ll definatly try this!! I hate going to the triple of dinghy to a dock, then walking or biking to the store then realizing only a few days latter my veggies are already going limp. Thx!!
Linsey says
Why do you have to peel the potatoes before you soak them? What will happen if I soak them with the peeling on? I want to cook them with the peeling on. Yes, carrots, parsnips, even beets , turnips and rutabaga can be saved when soaked. I soak the whole vegetable. Completely submerged. It works.
Carolyn Shearlock says
You can soak them with the peel on. It’ll take longer to rejuvenate them, but it will work.
Linsey says
Thanks! I will soak my potatoes tonight!