Does Kale Go Bad? How Long Does It Last?

If you are looking to add some nutrition to your meal, then you probably considered veggies. Kale is a leafy green that’s both tasty and nutritious. Many people also like adding some of it to their salads to give it an extra punch of health. But perhaps you got some extra leaves that you stored from your last dish. You ask yourself: Does it go bad?

Does kale Go Bad?

Your healthy green veggie does go bad, and kale is no exception.

Kale is a veggie and after it’s out from the farms, it starts to dry out and turn pale, this can make it an easy target for bacteria and mold wanting to take over it.

We can avoid this by storing our veggies efficiently, as well as taking notes of how long it lasts to ensure it doesn’t overstay in the fridge to the point of spoilage.

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How Long Does Kale Last?

Veggies never had a long shelf life to begin with. This is why it’s much better to consume kale as soon as you buy it from the fresh store.

Your leafy veggie can last around a week when you store it properly, it can even go up to 2 weeks when bought fresh and stored optimally.

Some packaged kale have a best-by date on the package, and once it’s opened the clock tikes faster on it. Try not to open the package unless you are sure to consume it soon.

Powder kale is much more long lasting thanks to the dry formfactor. Most dry powder has some expiration date. However, according to AmazingGrass, your powder can still be used beyond the date if it was stored properly.

as for the shelf life, It can last from 6 to 8 months, depending on storage conditions.

Kale Shelf Life [Full Chart]

How To Store Kale?

Now that we know that kale can go bad in a considerably short time, it’s important to learn how to store it in proper way.

Powder kale is a bit different from other variants in terms of storage, here is how:

Packages of kale

These can be a bit straightforward, simply try to keep them in their packages in a cool and dark place. The fridge works best for both types of your leafy green.

Inspect the leaves before storing and remove saggy and deformed leaves, this is going to ensure that the water from the soggy leaves spread to other parts of the package and cause faster spoilage.

Fresh kale

It comes with stems, which can be used in other recipes. You only need to find some plastic bag, put the kale inside and don’t seal it completely. Try to keep some open space for airflow inside the package.

If you plan on storing your leafy green, it’s suggested to avoid moisture. This means only wash the veggie if you are planning to use it immediately, and dry it out before storing it in the fridge.

Kale powder

kale powder, also known as dehydrated kale, is a much more resilent than it’s other variants. You don’t really need a fridge for this one. All you need is a cool and dark place in the pantry and it’s good for as long as you want.

Moisture can really mess this one, so try to add a package of silica gel inside the package. This will make sure that even if some pesky moisture found it’s way in your container, the silica will deal with it.

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Can You Freeze Kale?

If you bought a big amount of kale, and you plan on storing it for a pretty long time, perhaps it’s best to try freezing it instead of simply storing it in the fridge.

Here is how you can freeze your leafy veggie in the right way:

• Freezing bags work best for this, it’s suggested to make each bag a serving.
• Add the kale inside the bags. Avoid adding too much in one bag.
• Remove all the air from the bags, a vaccum would work best in such situation.
• Once the bags are free from air, put them in the freezer for storage.

Freezing can extend the life of your veggie for up to 8 months in the freezer.

How To Tell If Kale Has Gone Bad?

there is nothing worse than being unsure of your food health. If you are wondering if your kale is still edible, here are some signs that will keep you away from spoiled veggies:

Looks

A good kale is green and looks fresh and tasty. Once it starts to go bad you will realize a change in color into a bit of pale yellow. in advanced stages of spoilage it will start to become more brownish. At this point you are better off throwing it away for your own health.

Smell

the smell of fresh kale is earthly and feels rejuvinating, a spoiled one is another story. It will start to smell more like sulfer, and become almost hard to bear.

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Wrapping Up

Kale is an tasty veggie with a lot of potential for plenty of recipes. But knowing when it goes bad can help you make the most of your veggie. Make sure to store the veggie as we suggested and you will be surprised how long it lasts fresh for you.

If you have any questions concerning kale, feel free to write us a comment. We read every comment and we will make sure to reply as soon as possible.

Thanks for reading, and we wish you luck in your next cooking adventure.

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