Lettuce is such a great leafy vegetable that compliments the best of sandwiches, salads and burgers.
Topping tuna, bacon, or sausage sandwiches with lettuce adds an element of earthy flavour and elevates a simple butty into more posh nosh.
An essential base for most salads, lettuce is a key ingredient for a multitude of dishes, which is why you don’t want to discover a soggy and wilting one in the fridge.
Thankfully, there is a simple way to enhance the longevity and freshness of romaine lettuce, to be precise, with a key food storage hack.
Hitchcock Farms recommended a simple “trick” that can “keep romaine lettuce crisp for as long as 30 days”.
The tip is to “wrap individual heads or hearts tightly in aluminium foil”, which is said to “extend the refrigerated shelf life of fresh romaine by a month or more”.
First, however, it’s good practice to make sure the lettuce you’re buying from the store is fresh.
Check that the leaves are crisp and firmly bunched around the heart before buying, and beware of any signs of discoloured leaves, wilting, or mildew spots.
Once home from the supermarket, the best place to store romaine lettuce is the fridge drawer at the bottom.
Be aware that fruits such as papayas, peaches and cantaloupes emit ethylene gas that causes leafy greens to ripen too quickly, so keep them away from lettuce.
What about shredded lettuce?
Shredded lettuce is only going to last a few days, around three days maximum, and this is only if you roll up the shredded lettuce in a clean kitchen towel and it’s secured with a rubber band.
Help! My lettuce has wilted
Wilted lettuce can be rescued with an “ice-water bath”; this involves submerging the lettuce in cold water for at least five minutes, then patted dry.
Hitchcock Farms explained: “This is often enough to shock the leaves back into shape so that you can use the lettuce for a few more dishes.”
Freezing lettuce
Did you know that fresh lettuce can be stored in the freezer for “up to six months”?
Hitchcock Farms elaborated: “Wash and dry the lettuce, separate the leaves from the head, and freeze in airtight bags. When thawed, it works well in casseroles and as a substitute for spinach.”
Iceberg lettuce, on the other hand, must be “wrapped tightly in plastic” which will increase its lifespan for up to 12 days in the fridge.
It’s also key not to wash iceberg lettuce before storing it in the fridge as this will lead the leaves to wilt faster.
