There is nothing better than crispy fresh lettuce in a salad or on top of a burger, but this leafy green is infamous for turning brown, soggy and wilted only days after being bought.
Lettuce often spoils quickly as it has a very high water content, which means it can attract microorganisms such as bacteria or mould which tend to multiply quickly if lettuce is not stored properly.
It is also highly sensitive to temperature and is more likely to rot in the summer as warmer temperatures will cause lettuce to lose moisture, wilt and decay at a faster rate.
However, Laura Fuentes, a food storage expert from Momables has shared that lettuce will keep fresh for much longer if you take a few minutes to prepare it before storing it in the fridge.
She said: “By spending about 10 minutes prepping one head of lettuce ahead of time, it can now be conveniently available to you when you need it.”
How to keep lettuce fresher for longer
The best way to keep lettuce fresh for seven to 10 days longer is to wash it in a solution of water and white vinegar.
Although it may seem strange, the simple kitchen vinegar you put on your chips has natural antimicrobial properties as it contains acetic acid, which means it can kill any bacteria, fungus or mould lurking on the lettuce surface.
All you have to do is fill a bowl with three parts water and one part vinegar then set a timer for two minutes and submerge your lettuce for exactly two minutes.
Make sure not to let the lettuce soak for any longer than two minutes, otherwise, you risk having a lingering vinegar taste of your salad greens.
After you have washed the lettuce leave it to dry before storing it in the fridge as any moisture left on the leaves for a long time will eventually harbour bacteria.
You can use a salad spinner to dry the leaves out faster but you can also simply leave the leaves to air dry on some paper towels or a clean dish towel.
Laura said: “Lay the lettuce leaves out on a clean dish towel until completely dry then store in a zip bag with a paper towel in the fridge.”
Place the lettuce leaves in a ziplock or sandwich bag along with a paper towel as it will be able to absorb any excess moisture the lettuce may produce to stop it from becoming soggy and spoiled.
Storing lettuce in a sandwich bag with a paper towel also acts as a protective barrier and will reduce the risk of bacterial contamination.
Laura said: “Place the lettuce in a gallon plastic zip-top bag along with a paper towel. Squeeze all the air out of the bag and refrigerate.”
Taking 10 minutes to wash and store lettuce will help it stay fresh for seven to 10 days longer than it normally would.
