How long can I keep collard greens in fridge?

COLLARD GREENS (COLLARDS) - FRESH, RAW

Shelf Life Tips

How long do raw collard greens last? The precise answer to that question depends to a large extent on storage conditions - keep raw collard greens refrigerated.
To maximize the shelf life of raw collard greens, refrigerate in plastic bag and do not wash until ready to use.
How long do raw collard greens last in the fridge? Properly stored, raw collard greens will last for 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Can you freeze collard greens? Yes, to freeze: (1) Wash greens thoroughly and cut off woody stems; (2) Blanch (plunge into boiling water) for three minutes and chill quickly in ice cold water; (3) Drain off excess moisture, package in airtight containers or freezer bags and freeze immediately.
How long do collard greens last in the freezer? Properly stored, collard greens will maintain best quality in the freezer for about 12 months, but will remain safe beyond that time.
The freezer time shown is for best quality only – collard greens that have been kept constantly frozen at 0°F will keep safe indefinitely.
How to tell if raw collard greens are bad or spoiled? The best way is to smell and look at the raw collard greens: discard any raw collard greens that have an off smell or appearance; if mold appears, discard the raw collard greens.

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Collard greens are a nutritious green, leafy vegetable that are related to cabbage, broccoli, and kale. Although most popular in the American South, collard greens can be found in many grocery stores across North America and beyond. Once you bring your collard greens home, you will need to store them properly, in order to guarantee that they remain fresh and delicious. This can be done in several ways, depending on when you plan on using them.

1
Do not wash the collard greens. If you plan on using your collard greens within the next week, don't wash them before refrigeration. Introducing water to the greens can promote decay, cutting the length of their freshness down dramatically.
- If you are concerned that your greens are too dirty to store in your refrigerator, know that they will be stored in an air-tight bag. Any dirt and grit will not get onto the surfaces in your fridge.
2
Place the collard greens in an air-tight plastic bag. Most greens should be stored in plastic bags and collard greens are no exception. Put the greens in a big plastic bag, as the greens themselves are very large. Be sure to push out as much air as you can before sealing.[1]
- Collard greens that are not put into a plastic bag, but are put into the refrigerator, will become wilted very quickly. Like other vegetables, uncovered collard greens get dehydrated. This causes them to go limp.[2]
- If you don't have a plastic bag that seals closed, wrap the greens in a damp paper towel. Then place the greens in an unsealed plastic bag. This should keep the greens crisp for several days.[3]
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3
Refrigerate the collard greens. Put the bag of collard greens in the crisper of your refrigerator. Keep them there until you are ready to use them. They should be used within 5 to 7 days of storage.[4]
- The amount of time your collard greens stay fresh will vary. It depends on the freshness of the collard greens to begin with and the quality of your refrigerator's chilling. Check on the collard greens daily to make sure that they are still suitable for eating.
- Spoiled collard greens will get soft, wilt, become slimy, or get discolored. They may also start to smell bad.
4
Wash before preparing. Once you have decided to use your greens, take them out of the fridge and wash them thoroughly. Collard greens are known to be relatively dirty and gritty. Take the time to soak the greens in fresh water and make sure that each leaf is clean.[5]
- If you don't have a bowl or kitchen sink that can be used for cleaning the greens, wash each leaf under running water.

1
Wash the collard greens. If you are going to store your collard greens in the freezer, you should wash them thoroughly before storage. Soak the leaves in a bowl or sink full of water or wash in running water. Make sure all grit and dirt is removed from the leaves before proceeding.[6]
- Collard greens that are stored in the freezer are cooked slightly and will have a softer consistency when defrosted. This would make washing once defrosted impossible.
2
Cut up the collard greens. Separate the stems from the leaves. This will allow you to cut the stems into smaller pieces that will cook faster. Cut the leaf portion into whatever shape you want. Many people like to cut them into strips.[7]
- You could keep the collard green leaves whole but that would make them hard to handle when blanching and packaging them for the freezer.
3
Blanch the collard greens. Put the greens, stems and leaves, into boiling water for three minutes.[8] The goal is to cook the greens slightly, while keeping their bright green color and not cooking them completely.[9]
- After the two minutes of cooking, put the greens straight into an ice water bath for a minute or two. This will stop the cooking immediately.
- Blanching the vegetables will stop enzyme action that can cause decay. This causes loss of color and flavor.[10] Blanching also cleans the surface of the greens really well, assuring that all dirt and organisms are removed.
4
Put the collard greens in an air-tight container in the freezer. Dry off any excess moisture and then put the blanched leaves into an air-tight container. This could be a plastic container or a freezer bag, whatever you have on hand.[11] Write the date on the package so you can track how long you have it. Then place the container into your freezer
- The more air you can get out of the packaging, the better.
5
Use within 10 to 12 months. Collard greens that are stored in the freezer can be used for a long time. They usually stay good for between 10 and 12 months, after which they should be thrown out.
- Collard greens that have been defrosted and then refrozen several times will stay fresh for less time. This usually happens due to a faulty freezer. One sign that your collard greens may have undergone this freezing and defrosting is excessive freezer burn. However, all foods that are frozen for long enough will develop freezer burn eventually.[12]

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Question
After storing fresh-cut collards in a zippered bag in the refrigerator for three days, they began to have an odor. They look fine and smell OK after washing. Should I still use them?

Yes. Plants sometimes do start to smell, but if the collards were bought and refrigerated for only three days, they should be fine.
Question
Can I wash them 2 days before cooking?

Connor Kelley
Community Answer
Yes, as long as you dry them before storing in the refrigerator. I'd also recommend storing them with some paper towels to soak up any residual moisture.
Question
How long can cooked collard greens last?

Cooked collard greens last up to a week when you keep them in the fridge. No more than 3 to 4 days is preferable.

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To store fresh collard greens, place the greens in an air-tight plastic bag without washing them first. Be sure to push out as much air as you can before sealing the bag! Next, place the bagged collard greens in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator and use them within 5 to 7 days. Don't forget to rinse the greens off thoroughly before you use them, since they tend to harbor a lot of dirt and grit. For tips on storing collard greens long-term in your freezer, read on!

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