Any tips on keeping lettuce fresh?

[Texasgal]

Any type really, although I prefer romain. My husband and I like a tossed salad with dinner but not every night, lately I've found that my lettuce tends to go bad quickly and it seems wasteful!

Any tips?

[cbayer]

1. I like to buy the packs of romaine hearts when I can.

I think they last longer than anything else. A pack of three can last 3 weeks.

Otherwise, I buy just enough from the market when they are selling it loose.

[Texasgal]

3. That's what I've been buying is the pack of three.

Still seems to go bad early though.

Loose only tends to last for a few days. I only buy that when I know I'll be making a salad. Wish it lasted longer!

[cbayer]

4. I bought these rubbermaid containers a few years back and have been pretty impressed with them.

They have a small grate on the bottom to keep the produce out of any moisture and are vented on the top. They are called "produce savers"

They really do seem to make a big difference.

[Texasgal]

6. Hmmm. I'll have to check that out!

Thank you!

Hope things are well for you... still in Mexico?

[cbayer]

13. Things are very well.

Still in Mexico until May, then going to cooler climes. Hope you are well!

[raven mad]

2. If you grab a head of iceberg -

immediately toss the core, and outer leaves. Keep it wrapped in breathable plastic (I know that sounds like a contradiction in terms...) and keep it cool, but not cold - not in the area of the fridge where you keep meat.

So much of our stuff up here has to last a long time - can't grow for another month or so!

[Texasgal]

5. Thanks Raven.

What kind of wrap do you use? Like just saran?

[raven mad]

7. Saran, or gladwrap - just don't block the air!

Seriously, it works - not in the cold part of the 'fridge, just the normal areas.

[Retrograde]

8. To perk up wilted lettuce

Soak for about 30 minutes in acidulated cold water: I add about a tablespoon (actually, a glug) of white vinegar to a bowl of water, separate the lettuce leaves and let sit. Then I spin the leaves to get the excess water out. Works most of the time - especially for romaine.

And it that doesn't work I have some soup recipes that use lettuce....

[Texasgal]

9. Never heard of this!

Thank you!

[eridani]

10. Romaine is probably the only option

With just two of us, I exercise my urge for salad variety strictly at restaurants. I think the other posters have pretty much covered everything.

[Warpy]

11. Romaine's easy, just separate the leaves and slosh them up and down in a basin of water

to clean any grit and critters off it. Then arrange the leaves with the water shaken off on paper towels, rolling them up as you go. Put the roll into a plastic bag in the fridge. I've had all leaf lettuces keep for 2-4 weeks this way, extending salad season beyond the point leaf lettuce bolts and becomes inedible. The damp paper towels can be reused.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

12. Don't cut across multiple leaves unless you're using them all.

Only tear off the leaves you're planning to use, leaving the rest intact. If we cut up a head of lettuce for salad, it browns up quickly. When we just take leaves separately we can make the head last a lot longer.

[dolphinsandtuna]

14. lasts longer

I find iceberg lettuce lasts longer if I immediately get rid of the outer leaves and section the head into wedges (I can pull apart the wedges later to get leaves or smaller chunks) and put the wedges into hard plastic containers I saved from before the grocery store salad bar went green. They have hard plastic lids as well.

I never buy bagged lettuce, it seems to come pre-browned.

If I do put other prepped vegetables in those containers, I put a couple of layers of paper towels in the bottom, but the lettuce doesn't seem to need that.

I store all these just above the vegetable bins in the fridge.

Anything I don't prep promptly seems to just rot away in the fridge until I toss it; I am bad that way.

[SheilaT]

15. I live alone, I like salads,

and I like the lettuce to me a mixture of red leaf, green leaf, and romaine. I buy the real thing, not the bagged stuff. As someone else has pointed out, that seems to come pre-browned.

I rinse the lettuce well, let it drain for a bit, then dry off more with paper towels. Getting rid of excess moisture is the key, in my opinion. I then make the salad: about half or a third of the greens, depending on just how large the heads are, cucumber, zucchini, red pepper, and red onion is my current favorite mix. You may prefer some other combination. I don't dress the salad or add croutons until I'm eating it. The amount of salad I make gives me about five salads, and the rest of the ingredients remain just fine in the fridge until I'm ready to make up another salad.

Oh, and I keep the various greens and veggies in plastic bags -- if they're closed up too tightly moisture accumulates and accelerates going bad. The already made-up salad goes into a plastic container with a top on tight.

It's my opinion that iceberg lettuce goes bad faster than some other kinds. Anyway, I'll repeat that making sure the lettuce isn't wet, just barely damp, when you store it, is crucial.

[hippywife]

16. I like green leaf lettuce...

I only wash what I pull off as I need it and then leave it in the produce bag from the grocery, slightly twisted so there's some air circulation and keep it on the upper shelf of the fridge door.

[dem in texas]

17. Here's how I do it.

Rinse the head of lettuce really well, doesn't matter what at type, Ice berg, Romaine, Bib, etc. After the rinse, place the head upside down in a colander and allow to drain about ten minutes. If you are using some of the lettuce, break off the leaves for your salad. Wrap the head of lettuce in some paper towels, fairly good amount. Place the lettuce wrapped in the paper towels in a plastic bag and keep in fridge. I saw a show with Mary Sue Finnegar of Two Hot Tamales and Border Grill and she explained how she kept her lettuce and it was the same way as I do mine. It will keep for a long time this way and will stay crisp

[MrMickeysMom]

18. Here's what I do… It's the best method I found yet...

I followed Rachel Ray's advice by washing the (Romain, in my case), removing the thick end of stalk, putting it in a spinner, then laying my leaves in a large zip lock that has a folded clean paper towel in the end. I press the air out of it pretty well and zip it before tossing in the fridge.

Really lasts at least a week this way.