Lettuce is the perfect addition to any crisp salad or tasty sandwich but it can be frustrating when it begins to wilt only days after being bought.
Amy Cross, a cook who teaches people how to save money on food shopping on her website The Cross Legacy, has said lettuce spoils quickly if it is not stored properly before being placed in the fridge.
She said: “It seems like when you buy a large amount of lettuce from the store, at least one of them is doomed to die (or at least start the process) before you get a chance to use it.
“Often, those bad leaves tend to spread their love to other heads of lettuce as well, and then it’s a race against the clock to eat that lettuce. Always a good time!”
Leafy salad greens have a high water content and are prone to attracting bacteria or even mould. Taking five minutes to prepare them with a protective layer will help make lettuce as well as other vegetables such as spinach last weeks instead of days.
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How to store lettuce to make it keep fresh for weeks
To stop lettuce from spoiling you need to limit its exposure to bacteria, which is why soaking it in a solution of water and a small amount of white vinegar helps keep it fresh.
Vinegar helps remove bacteria and dirt which helps prolong the freshness of the lettuce, and will not affect the taste of your leafy greens.
To begin, cut the end of the lettuce and give it a good wash under a tap, and then submerge the lettuce in a bowl filled with water and around 60ml of vinegar.
Leave the lettuce to soak for two minutes, and then rinse the leaves again to get rid of any loose dirt that might still be on the leaves.
Next, you need to make sure your lettuce is completely dry again before storing it in the fridge, as moisture is a big contributing factor to spoilage.
You can lay lettuce out on a paper towel to dry for a couple of hours, making sure to turn them occasionally or use a salad spinner which will dry them much more quickly.
Amy said: “Just this past year, I purchased the best salad spinner from OXO. It speeds up the process, but for years I did it without a spinner.”
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Once the lettuce is completely dry, store it in a glass container. Glass is more resistant to temperature changes than plastic which helps keep food fresh.
Then, place a paper towel or cloth inside the glass container as it will help collect any excess moisture, and your lettuce will keep fresh for around six weeks.
Amy said: “I was averaging six weeks with this container when I was testing it out. You can choose to put it in a ziplock bag with a piece of paper towel, but it won’t last as long.”
She added: “It is worth the extra effort to know we have fresh lettuce anytime we want a salad.”
