Can You Freeze Celery Juice? 3 Easy Ways To Do It

Celery juice is an increasingly popular drink given its massive health benefits. If you've prepared a large amount of juice but you can't drink it all at once, what can you do?

Can you freeze celery juice? The answer to that question is yes.

You can freeze fresh homemade juice as well as store-bought celery juice. This is especially helpful because preparing fresh celery juice every single day can be extremely time-consuming. 

If you prefer to batch your production, freezing your juice is the best way to preserve it. For the best method for preserving your favorite frozen juice, keep reading.

The quality of frozen celery juice

While it's true that you can freeze celery juice, it's also true that you can expect its quality to decline slightly after you freeze and defrost it. It's also worth mentioning that its nutritional value will not be the same as that of fresh celery juice.

The main reason to freeze this juice is to avoid oxidation and to keep bacteria at bay.

When your juice comes into contact with the air, it can spoil the juice. When you stock your freezer with frozen celery juice, you can enjoy this incredibly nutritious drink whenever you want.

How to freeze celery juice: 3 ways

For the best results, you're going to want to freeze your celery juice in glass mason jars. The juice will oxidize faster in plastic bottles as they are porous, so glass containers are going to be your first option. Glass jars can also withstand extreme temperatures, both hot and cold, and do not allow the air to penetrate them.

Another option is to freeze it in an airtight container. It's always a good idea to place your mason jars or Tupperware containers inside freezer bags to provide extra protection.

When you pour the celery juice into the containers, be sure to leave space at the top as the juice will expand when frozen. If you don't leave enough room, your glass or bottles could break. It's also a good idea to put the date on the plastic Ziplock bag so you know how long the juice will last.

Another possibility for freezing celery juice is to use ice cube trays.

Simply pour the juice into the cubes while leaving a little bit of room at the top of each space for the juice to expand. You can use both plastic or silicone ice cube trays to do this.

You can leave them this way in the freezer or you can flash freeze them, waiting until the celery juice cubes solidify and then adding them to a container or a plastic bag for long-term freezing.

Here's a bit of advice: When you freeze your celery juice, freeze it in single portions. If you freeze it in large portions, you will need to defrost them all together and the celery juice that you don't drink right away will be susceptible to oxidation.

How long does celery juice last in the freezer?

Your juice can last for up to 6 months in the freezer. You should drink it within this time period to reap the most nutritional benefits. However, it's worth noting that once you freeze your celery juice, the vitamins will start to degrade.

When freezing your celery juice, you're going to want to place it at the back of the freezer where there are the fewest temperature changes. Exposing your juice to frequent changes in temperature can activate the oxidation process, so it's a good idea to minimize this as much as possible.

Short-term storage of celery juice

If you just prepared your juice and you don't want to drink it right away, you have a few options.

If you leave it out, at room temperature, you should drink it within 24 hours.

A better, longer-lasting option is to store it in the refrigerator. There it can keep for 24 to 72 hours in a sealed container. If you want to keep it super fresh, consider adding a bit of lemon or lime juice to give your drink an extra boost of vitamin C.

If you're going to take longer than a day to drink it, your best option is to freeze it using one of the three methods detailed above.

Using different juicers to make celery juice

Broadly speaking, we're talking about homemade celery juice, so it's important to consider the type of juicer you've used to make it.

If you're you're making cold pressed celery juice, which is generally more nutritious than juice produced from a centrifugal juicer, oxidation takes longer to occur.

Celery juice can also be made using a masticating juicer or a twin gear juicer.

How to defrost frozen celery juice

Keep in mind that oxidation begins as soon as you start to thaw your Frozen celery juice, and removing the top of the glass container or jar only speeds up the process.

So what's the best way to do it?

A great way to prepare your frozen celery juice for drinking is to simply allow it to defrost in the refrigerator. If you leave it out and allow the thawing process to continue at room temperature, you can speed up oxidation.

Once it has thawed, your best bet is to drink it without freezing it again. This can have a negative effect on the texture, nutritional content, and the taste of the juice and can also cause a loss of flavor.

Can you freeze celery for juicing?

Celery can be frozen and then used later to prepare celery juice. This is a great way to avoid food waste.

Although the freezing process might change this vegetable's texture, it doesn't really matter when its final destination is a juicer. In fact, it retains its nutritional value even after spending months in the freezer.

Before you freeze it, you'll want to remove the celery head and celery leaves and wash the celery stalks thoroughly. And it's a good idea to blanch the celery for about 3 minutes as this will help it retain its flavor, color, and nutrients. Once it cools, dry it off and cut it into small pieces.

Place the shop celery on the baking sheet with space between them and place them in the freezer for about 2 hours. Then you can place them inside freezer bags and remove all of the air before closing them as tightly as possible. You want to eat them within about a year.

To defrost your chopped celery, you can leave it in the refrigerator overnight or you could submerge it in cold water or even in a bowl of ice water until it is completely thawed. Then it's ready to be added to the juicer.

As celery has a high water content, ice crystals will form on it when you freeze it and may change its texture once you defrost it. With this in mind, the best place for your defrosted celery is in a juice or in a smoothie and not eaten raw.

Why celery is a superfood

Celery is an outstanding and versatile vegetable that you should incorporate into your diet. Not only is it rich in fiber, minerals, antioxidants, vitamins K and A, potassium, folate, and manganese, it has many other benefits.

Celery can help you stabilize your blood sugar, better digest your food, control blood pressure levels, and even reduce inflammation. You can eat it raw or you can add it as an ingredient to everything from broths and stews to sauces.

Drink your celery juice

Celery juice is a fantastically healthy drink and it is especially beneficial when you drink it fresh, first thing in the morning. If you want to extend the shelf life of celery juice, freezing is a great option.

 Don't be shy at the grocery store! Pick up a giant bunch of celery and bring it home so you can enjoy a glass of celery juice when you wake up.