Chives are a popular herb that add flavor to many dishes. Their grassy, onion-like taste makes them a great addition to eggs, potatoes, fish and more. But like most fresh herbs, chives are perishable. So how long do chives last in the fridge?
The shelf life of chives depends on how you store them. With proper storage, fresh chives can last 10-14 days in the refrigerator. For longer storage, chives can be frozen for 4-6 months. Read on for tips on maximizing fridge and freezer storage times for fresh chives.
How Long Do Fresh Chives Last in the Fridge?
When stored properly in the refrigerator, fresh chives will last around 10-14 days. Here are the expected fridge shelf lives for chives stored different ways
- Chives left raw and unpackaged: 1-2 days
- Chives wrapped in dry paper towels: 7 days
- Chives with stems in water: 7 days
- Chives wrapped in moist paper towels and plastic bag: 10-14 days
The key to maximizing fridge life is controlling humidity. Chives thrive in high humidity. Leaving them raw leads to faster drying and wilting. Wrapping in dry paper towels absorbs excess moisture. The moist paper towel method provides needed humidity while also absorbing excess moisture.
Monitor chives over their fridge life. Discard any that become slimy, mushy or discolored. Also toss any that smell bad or become moldy. With optimal storage, fresh chives keep their vibrant green color and fresh, grassy aroma.
Storing Chives in the Fridge
Follow these tips for storing fresh chives in the fridge
- Rinse chives just before using. Don’t wash until ready to use to avoid excess moisture.
- Dry chives thoroughly if washed before storage to prevent premature spoilage.
- Wrap in a dry or moist paper towel. Paper towels absorb excess moisture and provide humidity.
- Place wrapped chives in an unsealed plastic bag if using moist paper towels. This retains humidity while allowing some airflow.
- Store chives in the crisper drawer. The high humidity helps preservation.
- Keep fridge temperature at 32-41°F. Colder temps within this range extend shelf life.
Avoid storing chives near ethylene producing fruits like apples, melons and citrus, as this can hasten spoilage.
Extending Fridge Life of Chives
If you need your chives to last longer than 10-14 days in the fridge, there are a couple options:
- Dry the chives – Hang or air dry, dehydrate or oven dry chives to extend shelf life at room temperature for months.
- Freeze the chives – Frozen chives keep 4-6 months. Chop and freeze in airtight containers, or freeze whole bunches.
Dried and frozen chives have a more muted flavor than fresh. But they still add a nice onion, garlic flavor to dishes.
How to Freeze Chives
Freezing is an easy way to preserve a chives harvest or extend the life of store-bought bunches. Here are some tips:
- Wash and dry chives thoroughly before freezing.
- Chop chives before freezing for easier use. Whole bunches take up more space.
- Lay chives in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze initially. Then pack into airtight containers. This prevents clumping.
- Freeze in ice cube trays for portioned frozen chives. Pop out cubes and store in airtight containers.
- Label and date packages. Include any instructions like “chopped” or “whole.”
- Freeze at 0°F or below. Colder is better for preservation.
Frozen chives will keep for 4-6 months before losing flavor and aroma. They can still be safely used beyond this time.
Thaw frozen chives in the refrigerator before using. Add them straight to dishes, as thawing dulls the flavor.
How to Dry Chives
Dried chives have a more concentrated, intense flavor profile. Follow these tips for best results:
- Wash and dry chives thoroughly first. Any moisture shortens shelf life.
- Air dry small bundles hung upside down in a warm, dry spot out of sunlight.
- Oven dry at lowest temp, 100-125°F, for 2-4 hours.
- Dehydrate at 95-100°F until fully dried; about 5 hours.
- Check for crispness. Properly dried chives crumble easily between fingers.
- Cool fully before storing. Warm chives invite moisture and mold.
- Store in airtight containers in a cool, dark place. Glass jars or envelopes work well.
With optimal drying and storage, dried chives last up to a year. To use, simply crush or grind to a powder. Start with half the amount of fresh chives called for in a recipe.
How to Tell When Chives Are Bad
It’s important to monitor the quality of chives over their fridge life. Discard chives that show any of the following signs:
- Slimy, mushy or watery texture
- Dark or translucent areas
- Wilting or drying out
- Mold growth
- Off or foul smells
Discard any chives with these characteristics. If just part of a bunch shows spoilage, trim off the bad portions and use the rest right away.
Fresh chives should always have a fresh, grassy chive aroma. Their green color should be vibrant without any discoloration. They should feel crisp when raw.
Getting the Most from Your Chives
Here are some final tips for making your chives last:
- Buy small bunches since chives don’t store that long. Unless planning to preserve.
- Trim bottoms after purchasing and stand upright in water to hydrate if wilted.
- Wrap leftovers tightly in damp paper towels and plastic wrap to store.
- Use within a week for best flavor, or preserve remainder.
- Freeze extras not used within 10-14 days.
Following proper storage methods allows you to keep fresh chives on hand. And utilizing preservation extends shelf life so you can enjoy chives’ flavor all year long!
Expert Q&ASearch
- Paper towels
- Kitchen scissors or knife
- Baking sheet
- Freezer-safe container
- Parchment paper or silipat mat (optional)
- Salad spinner (optional)
- Cutting board (optional)
Drying Chives in the Freezer
- 1 Wash the chives and let them dry completely. Run the chives under cool water in the sink to remove any dirt. Then lay the chives flat on a paper towel and pat them dry with another paper towel. Let the chives sit on the towel until they’re dry.[14]
- If you have a salad spinner, this is a great tool for washing herbs. Rinse the chives in the sink first, then place them in the salad spinner. Turn the handle to spin the water off the chives. Continue spinning until there’s no moisture left on the chives.
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2 Chop the chives into pieces no bigger than 1⁄4 inch (0.64 cm). Use kitchen scissors or a paring knife to cut the stalks into the smallest pieces possible. Bunching the chives together in your hand before cutting so you can trim all of the stalks at once will make the process quicker.[15]
- If youre using a knife, always cut on a cutting board to protect your counters.
- 3 Spread the chives out on a baking sheet in a single layer. This allows the chives to freeze individually instead of clumping together. Try to make sure none of the pieces of chives are touching each other.[16]
- Placing parchment paper on the baking sheet before arranging the chives on it will prevent the chives from freezing to the baking sheet.
- 4 Place the baking sheet with the chives in the freezer for 30 minutes. Sit the baking sheet flat on a shelf so the chives dont move around. Leave the chives in the freezer until they’re completely frozen.[17]
- To test if the chives are frozen, pick a few up and run them through your fingers. They should be crunchy and crisp.
- 5 Remove the chives and scoop them into an airtight container. Do this immediately after taking them out of the freezer as they’ll begin defrosting quickly. Use a resealable bag, a container, or a jar. Whichever container you use, seal it tightly to keep out moisture.[18]
- If you used a sheet of parchment paper between the chives and the baking sheet, simply lift the paper off the baking sheet and curl it into a funnel for easy pouring.[19]
- 6 Store the container in a cool dry place for 1 year. Keep the chives out of direct sunlight and away from warm areas like on top of the stove or by the oven. A dark, closed cupboard is the best spot for keeping herbs.[20]
- Label the container with a permanent marker, noting the type of herb (chives) and the date that you dried them. This will help you know when the year is up and they need to be tossed.
- 7 Finished.
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How to Quickly and Easily Freeze Dry Your Chives for Long Lasting Flavor and Freshness
FAQ
How do you know if chives have gone bad?
- Appearance:
- Color: Fresh chives are vibrant green, but if they start to turn yellow or brown, it’s a sign they are going bad.
- Texture: Fresh chives are firm and crisp, but if they become wilted, soggy, or slimy, they are past their prime.
- Smell:
- If you notice an off or unpleasant odor, discard the chives immediately.
- Other signs:
- Mold: If you see any signs of mold, throw the chives away immediately.
How long will fresh chives last in the fridge?
Place the wrapped chives in the door of the refrigerator for up to 1 week. The compartments of the fridge door are the warmest spots in the refrigerator. Don’t place your chives in the back of the fridge where it’s colder because this dries them out and may cause them to partially freeze.
How to store chives so they last longer?
- Roll. Roll herbs in a damp paper towel.
- Place. Place chives in a Glad® Storage Zipper Bag. Do not seal the bag.
- Refrigerate. Place the bag on the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.
What is the lifespan of chives?
Chives are perennial, which means these plants have a long lifespan that consists of periods of active growth, flowering, and dormancy each year. They will regrow from the same roots year after year.
How long do chives last in the fridge?
When chives are cut and stored on the counter, they last for 8 to 20 hours before going bad when, if you keep them properly in their right conditions necessary at room temperature. Cut chives last in the fridge for 3 to 5 days before going bad, if you store them properly in their right conditions necessary in the fridge.
How long do hives last?
It varies significantly. Acute episodes of hives might last minutes, hours, or days. In the event of chronic hives, however, it can continue longer or reoccur over time. Some patients will suffer from them for months, if not years.
How long do chives last in a bag?
Seal the top of the bag with string and hang the chives inside the bag from the top. Using a bag prevents dust from gathering on the chives and keeps sunlight from bleaching out their green color. Leave them for approximately two weeks until they are brittle to the touch.
Can you freeze chives?
Store chives in the fridge. If you need them to last longer than a few days, wrap them with a damp paper towel and put them into a freezer bag. If you know you won’t finish the bunch within two weeks, freeze them. That’s the gist of it. Chives like cold temperatures between 32°F and 41°F (or 0°C to 5°C) and very high humidity.
Where should chives be stored?
The best spot for your chives is the back of the freezer, where it’s coldest. A freezer temperature of 0 °F (−18 °C) is ideal for keeping your food fresher for longer. Because the chives are so small, you don’t have to defrost them before using them in recipes.
How do you store dried chives?
Seal the jar and store the chives in a cool location away from sunlight. Now that you know all the best ways to dry chives, think about how to keep dried herbs for long-term storage. You can use plastic bags like Ziplocks, or small plastic containers like these. The most common storage is mason jars.