Green Chard Delivery or Pickup

Green chard, often called Swiss chard, is a large leafy green vegetable whose leaves and stem are sweet, delicate, and completely edible. Green chard lends itself well to saute, stir-fries, frittatas, and salads. You'll often see red Swiss chard and rainbow chard alongside green chard, and these are all in the same family. However, the flavor profile of green chard shines over colored versions of chard with its very sweet flavor, tender leaves and stalks, and mild saltiness.

Green chard is in the Amaranthaceae family, along with beets and spinach. The leaves of green chard bear a strong resemblance to beet greens. The main difference between these two plants is that beets grow a large bulbous root that's edible, and chard only grows small inedible roots.

Green chard grows prolifically in bunches that can grow up to 3 feet tall. When harvesting chard, there's no need to pull the whole plant up; simply snip the number of leaves you need for the meal you're cooking. Chard plants can grow year-round, and because you only pick the leaves you need without harming the plant's roots, green chard plants can grow for years.

While commonly called Swiss chard, green chard actually originated in the Mediterranean region thousands of years ago. Today, green chard is grown worldwide and is easy to grow in poor soil conditions with minimal amounts of water, making chard a valuable nutritious food source.

When picking out green chard leaves, look for bright green ones with snowy white stalks and white veins running throughout the leaves. Avoid leaves or bunches of chard that have wilted leaves, yellow tips, or brown stalks. Fresh green chard will have a vibrant look and feel heavy when you lift the bunch due to its high water content.

When you bring your green chard home, leave it unwashed until you're ready to use it. Put the bunch of chard in a plastic bag and store it in the refrigerator's crisper drawer for up to five days. When you're ready to add the chard to cooked meals or raw salads or when making a blended green drink, wash all the dirt off the leaves and stalks. Cut the very end tips of the stalks off and discard. Chop the stalks into small pieces and roughly chop the leaves. The stalks take a little longer to cook than the leaves, so when adding them to stir-fries, cook the stalks first.

It's easy to freeze green chard for future use. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the chopped stalks, and blanch for about one minute. Then, add the roughly chopped leaves to the water with the stalks and blanch for another two minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water, and air-dry for about 10 minutes. Put select amounts of chard in freezer bags and store in the freezer for up to six months.

Whether you want green chard to add to a stir-fry, sauté in avocado oil with garlic, or add to scrambled eggs, save time and make your day a bit easier when you order green chard through Instacart. Place your order for green chard via the Instacart app, and a shopper will pick out a fresh bunch and deliver it to you!