To choose your Swiss chard, you should look for leaves that are bright and bushy, not browned, wilted, or damaged. The stems of Swiss Chard are delicate so you should look for stems that are firm and unbruised. Though there are a variety of Swiss chard forms, any type of shard should look healthy, full, buoyant, and not wilted or droopy., There are several varieties of Swiss chard. Their ribs, which are the parts of the stems that extend up into the leaves, can be red, white, or yellow. The varieties have different tastes, so experiment to find which kind you prefer. Swiss chard with red ribs is often a little sweeter, with less bitter undertone than Swiss chard with white ribs. All the varieties of chard can be prepared the same way, but they can have a different flavor.

The ribs of different varieties of Swiss chard are different widths. Some people prefer the ribs of the Swiss chard and some like the leaves best. If you prefer the ribs, choose Swiss chard with wide ribs. If you like the leaves best, choose Swiss chard with thinner ribs.
 Before you cook the chard, you'll need to wash it. The first thing you should do is wash it well, by rinsing it in a sink full of cold water. You can even drain the water and repeat, unless the chard is free of dirt. If you got the chard at a farmers' market, it will be extra fresh and more likely to have dirt on it, so wash thoroughly. Don't wash the chard until right before you're going to cook it, or it will wilt., Small leaves of Swiss chard can be left whole or added to salad, and larger leaves with thin ribs can also be left whole for cooking. But if you're cooking Swiss chard with thick ribs, then you should separate the ribs from the leaves by tearing the leaves away from the ribs, because the ribs will need to cook for a few more minutes since they are tougher than the leaves.
Choose a healthy Swiss chard.
Choose from a variety of Swiss chard.
Wash the chard.
Decide whether to separate the chard or leave it whole.
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