Chard Delivery or Pickup

A dark, leafy green chard is a versatile and nutritious vegetable you can prepare in many ways. You may recognize chard from Mediterranean cuisine, especially in Italian dishes like pasta, risotto, and even pizza. You'll find various chard types available, including red chard, golden chard, and Swiss chard, the latter of which is the best known of the bunch.

Chard's flavor depends on how you cook it, though you can generally compare the flavor to spinach. Chard, particularly Swiss chard, can have a bitter taste. Cooking chard usually cuts down on the bitterness so that you can enjoy a more pronounced sweet and earthy flavor that's similar to beets. Chard is also just as versatile as spinach, and you can easily use it in everything from salads to stir-fries to soups and more.

Chard is related to beets, with greens that appear similar to beet greens. However, you can't eat the root of chard. You can eat both the stem and leaves of this vegetable, though. You'll recognize the green leaves by their bumpy, grooved texture. The stem is thick and colorful.

Chard varietals have stems of different colors, and those hues span from purple to white. Chard with red, gold, or white stems are the most commonly found types. Swiss chard is the name for the variety with white stems, while rainbow chard refers to all those varieties packed together.

Like other dark, leafy greens, chard delivers plenty of nutrition. You'll get vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and vitamin K, along with iron, manganese, magnesium, and potassium. Chard is low in calories as well.

Make your day a little easier when you're shopping for chard by taking advantage of delivery available in as little as 2 hours via Instacart! You'll find a variety of your favorite chard products available via Instacart, including red chard, rainbow chard, and organic chard. Order chard on Instacart today!

Summer is the peak season for chard, though you can often find it throughout the year. You'll want to pick out chard that has colorful stalks and bright green leaves. Both the stalks and the leaves should be firm. Brown stalks and leaves wilting or turning yellow can indicate chard that is no longer at optimal freshness.

Chard will store best if you separate the stems and leaves. You can keep separated stems and leaves in the refrigerator for up to a week. If you leave the chard whole and wrap it loosely in plastic, it will keep in the refrigerator for around two days. You can store separated stems wrapped in plastic. First, store leaves on paper towels, then roll them into a bundle before you seal them in plastic bags.

You can either rinse chard right before you use it or wash before storing. If you first wash your chard, you'll just need to ensure it dries completely before you store it.

Chard is best when served fresh, but you can store frozen chard for up to a year. If you plan to freeze chard, you'll want to separate leaves and stems. Blanch each part in boiling water, the stems for two minutes, and the leaves for one, then drain well before you package in separate freezer bags. Remove as much air as you can from the bags.

You can also ferment chard stems in water and then store them in a jar for three to six months in the refrigerator. This storage method creates a good topping for a salad.