Use it up · Vegetables

Collards and chard

Have extra collards and chard? Here’s how to choose, store and prep collards and chard, plus 5 family recipes to use it all up, best matches first.

🍽 See the recipes 🧺 Pick a few things you have

🛒 Choosing it

Look for crisp, dark leaves without yellowing or holes.

Best season: Cool seasons: fall through spring. Timing varies by region.

🧊 Storing it

Fridge: 1 to 2 days for best quality
Freezer: 10 to 12 months (blanch first)

Keep the fridge at 40°F or below and the freezer at 0°F. Freezer times are for best quality; food kept frozen at 0°F stays safe. When in doubt, throw it out. Times from Rutgers Cooperative Extension.

🔪 Prepping it

Wash well in a big bowl of water. Strip out tough stems, slice the leaves, and simmer or sauté until tender.

🌱 Grow it

You can grow your own: collards and swiss chard. The Food Garden Planner shows how much to plant for your family and when it comes in.

🌱 Plan a garden with them →

📊 Nutrition per 100 g

Collard greens. 100 g is about 3 1/2 ounces.

Calories	32 kcal	2%
Protein	3.0 g	6%
Total fat	0.6 g	1%
Saturated fat	0.1 g	0%
Total carbohydrate	5.4 g	2%
Dietary fiber	4.0 g	14%
Total sugars	0.5 g
Sodium	17 mg	1%
Calcium	232 mg	18%
Iron	0.5 mg	3%
Potassium	213 mg	5%

% Daily Value for adults (FDA). From USDA FoodData Central 170406 (SR Legacy).

🍽 Recipes that use it up

5 recipes, the ones that use the most collards and chard first.

Plan them into your week in the meal planner, or find recipes for two or three things at once with the “What can I make?” picker.

Storage times and buying tips are general guides from the sources below; follow any date or instructions on the package. Cook meat, poultry, fish and eggs to the USDA safe temperatures in each recipe.