How to freeze chard and keep it fresh for a long time

It is advisable to think about storage early on, as chard wilts quickly after harvesting. It is best to freeze any chard that you do not want to use in the near future.

Chard only stays fresh for around two days at room temperature. You should therefore consume it quickly after harvesting.

Stored in the refrigerator, chard stays fresh and crunchy for several days. You can store chard in the refrigerator for up to ten days. This gives you more time to try out great recipes. You can enjoy chard in salads or in a variety of stir-fries, for example.

If you harvest large quantities of chard, it is likely that you will not be able to consume the tasty vegetable as quickly as it loses its freshness. We therefore recommend storing it in the freezer compartment. Chard can be kept there for up to a year.

To do this, divide the quantity harvested right at the beginning. You can store some in the refrigerator for early consumption. Freeze the rest soon after harvesting when the chard is still fresh and crunchy.

It's so easy to freeze chard. Wash the leaves thoroughly under running water and then pat them dry with a kitchen towel. This keeps the leaves of the chard fresh and makes them less mushy when defrosting. Otherwise, any residual moisture in the chest freezer may induce the formation of ice crystals, thereby destroying the plant cells.

Next, cut off the dried stem ends of the chard leaves. Finally, simply divide into portions and store in a freezer-safe container in the chest freezer. You can use whole leaves, cut the chard into coarse strips or even chop it into small pieces. For example, you can later prepare pesto or various sauces from the frozen leaves.

Freezing chard raw allows you to save a few steps. However, once defrosted, the summer vegetable can take on a consistency that is more like that of creamed spinach. The chard still tastes excellent. You should only cook appropriate recipes in which the vegetables can be softer.