topic Re: Keeping lettuce fresh in Kitchen

Keeping lettuce fresh

goldensrbest — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 14:07:27 GMT

How to keep fresh, and spinach?

Re: Keeping lettuce fresh

kittyloo — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 14:23:01 GMT

lock n lock is your friend. i use the big container with the removable grate on the bottom. keeps lettece/spinich from sitting in moisture. you can also wrap it in a cotton tea towel. (not a terry kitchen towel) moisture is what wrecks it.

i have sucessfully kept mixed greens for up to 10 days this way

Re: Keeping lettuce fresh

Harpa — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 14:30:38 GMT

My answer is totally the opposite! For leaf or Romaine lettuce, a bit of moisture does keep mine fresh, and not tightly closed in the original bag it comes in. Put in the refrigerator crisper. For head lettuce, I try to maintain its original packaging, but also will wrap that in Press n' Seal.

For spinach, though, I keep dry, and in the plastic bin or bag it comes in.

And always-always check the dates on the packages to make sure the dates are best if used by in the future.

Re: Keeping lettuce fresh

Marp — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 14:34:29 GMT

I wrap refrigerated produce in paper towels then put it in "green bags", leaving the top open. I've kept celery and cabbage, for example, fresh for weeks using this method.

Re: Keeping lettuce fresh

shoptilyadropagain — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 14:36:18 GMT

I keep mine in those Debbie Meyer Green Bags and put them in the crisper drawer of the fridge. I think there are Debbie Meyer Green Boxes now too but I still have quite a supply of the bags so I've never looked into them.

Re: Keeping lettuce fresh

PickyPicky3 — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 14:42:31 GMT

This is the question I ask myself 365 days a year.

Re: Keeping lettuce fresh

SaveTheTurtles — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 14:46:10 GMT

I try to eat it before the expiration date on the container. If it's iceberg or another type of lettuce not in the container then a slightly damp paper towel in a zip lock bag works just as well as my lock in locks or green bags. I've tried them all.

Re: Keeping lettuce fresh

brandiwine — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 14:48:43 GMT

Debbie Meyer Green bags

Re: Keeping lettuce fresh

addtothis — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 14:56:07 GMT

Debbie Myer large green box also!

Re: Keeping lettuce fresh

Imaoldhippie — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 15:02:28 GMT

Years ago I bought a Rubbermaid lettuce keeper with a air filter in the lid on Amazon. It still keeps lettuce & spinach and also veggies fresh for a very long time. I wish they made it in a larger size. I highly recommend it.

Re: Keeping lettuce fresh

Shem — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 15:12:29 GMT

Wrap in foil. Works great!!

Re: Keeping lettuce fresh

ciao_bella — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 15:23:07 GMT

I agree with wrapping completely in foil. If you wrap celery completely in foil and a rubberband to keep it closed, celery will stay crisp and useable for weeks.

Re: Keeping lettuce fresh

Scooby Doo — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 15:53:50 GMT

I wrap it in a paper towel to absorb the moisture then wrap it in a gallon size plastic bag. It stays fresh for several weeks. But if you buy packaged salad it doesn't work. You have to eat that right away.

Re: Keeping lettuce fresh

Mindy D — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 16:45:46 GMT

@shoptilyadropagain wrote:
I keep mine in those Debbie Meyer Green Bags and put them in the crisper drawer of the fridge. I think there are Debbie Meyer Green Boxes now too but I still have quite a supply of the bags so I've never looked into them.

@shoptilyadropagain @I bought those bags years ago and must have been using them wrong. I read the directions before use but I never had luck with them. I'm glad they work well for you.

Re: Keeping lettuce fresh

Melzie — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 16:59:24 GMT

I also use the long L&L container with the removable grate at the bottom. Through trial and error over time, what works for me is to separate all the leaves. I then put a paper towel at the bottom of the container, then lettuce leaves, paper towel, lettuce leaves, etc. ending with a paper towel.

Then I read a post from someone here on the forums that she puts a cloth on top to absorb moisture so I started doing that with microfiber towels and that has been working out really well. Every time I take out lettuce I replace the towel if it feels damp and the paper towels as well if they are too damp. My lettuce lasts two weeks or more. I no longer have mushy lettuce that I have to throw out before I can't use it up before it goes bad.

And as for using a lot of paper towels, they are essentially still clean so I use those to clean up little messes around the kitchen. I haven't tried using just microfiber towels instead of paper towels yet but I'll try that at some point.

Re: Keeping lettuce fresh

Icegoddess — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 17:03:54 GMT

About the moisture, I have one of those containers for storing produce that has a little vent on it. It tells you, depending on the produce, whether to leave the vent open or closed and whether to add a little water which goes down into the bottom lid, so not on the produce itself. For lettuce, I believe it's add water and vent.

However, I'm trying out a new method. Oxygen is the enemy, and vegetables give off oxygen. So, I'm trying out a large ziploc bag which I close off but leave open just enough to fit a SodaStream nozzle in. Add CO2 to the bag and finish closing the bag.

Re: Keeping lettuce fresh

simplyfriends — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 17:10:31 GMT

@goldensrbest For both romaine and iceberg I wash it when I get home from the store. Dry it on paper towels and then put it in a ziplock bag with a damp paper towel.

Re: Keeping lettuce fresh

ECBG — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 17:16:59 GMT

I rinse the head of lettuce in cool water and "smash" it on the counter to remove the core.

The head is rinsed and I fill the core with water.

Covered in paper towels, it drains for an hour or so.

I store the lettuce in a gallon zip lock with a paper towel spread flat as I can manage.

This method works very well for us and the lettuce stays crisp.

Re: Keeping lettuce fresh

Shihtzursqmom — Wed, 06 Dec 2023 00:42:44 GMT

I use the press and seal also