Kitchen

[WORKING GAL]

@CatsyCline- I not only wash my watermelons but also any other melons and the outside of pineapples.  I feel better when I place them on my flexible cutting mat to cut them.  Hopefully I am cutting down on any bacteria.  I use a veggie brush when cleaning them.

I haven't had a problem.  I am looking forward to the summer fruits and hoping the quality is good and the prices are reasonable!

[layla2450]

I NEVER eat bagged salads. I buy romaine lettuce or iceberg lettuce and wash it thoroughly. Bagged salads are frequently recalled. I eat FRESH vegetables, rarely frozen ones, and NEVER canned ones.

[Imaoldhippie]

I find it odd that you wash your produce with dish soap.  Im thinking that if not rinsed properly you could have side effects such as diarrhea.  There is a product that is a wash for produce.  I think you can find it near the produce area.

You may be more comfortable with buying organically grown produce.  Its more expensive but may give you peace of mind.

[Mindy D]

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@drizzellla wrote:

I continue to buy bags of Romaine Lettuce at Sam's Club. I have never known the lettuce to have been recalled. The same company also makes different bagged salads. I always buy them too.

I watched the show "Inside the Factory". They compared different fresh vegetables to frozen.vegetables. There were minor differences but as a rule they were the same. Freezing ensures that a majority of nutrients, including vitamins and minerals, are preserved. Because they were picked and frozen the same day.

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@drizzellla @ I believe that Sam's just had a recall of bagged heads of romaine lettuce in March, but I'm not positive about this. They had a huge recall of lettuces which included romaine in 2019 for the deadly strain of E. coli O157. They were part of a recall of Dole lettuces in 2022. 

[shoptilyadropagain]

I don't know which is healthier.  I thought frozen vegetables were flash frozen shortly after being harvested but don't know that for certain.

I'm not fond of the bagged salads because the taste and texture is altered from the preservatives no matter how much I rinse it.  I buy Romaine and chop it myself.  I store it in those Debbie Meyer green bags and I can make it last for a long time.  

[mimomof4]

I have been eating bagged salads for YEARS with no issues.  Despite all the recalls which I take with a grain of salt.  Never stopped and NEVER will.  Bagged salads make my lunch sooooo much easier.  I do NOT go through the cleaning process which you do.  That cleaning may actually cause your stomach issues along with an unhealthy anxiety you created in regards to fresh vegetables.

Fresh, Frozen and Canned vegetables are ALL healthy options as long as the canned and frozen do not have added salt or unnatural ingredients added.  

[Nightowlz]

I wash red grapes in a bowl of water with vinegar. I let them sit 10-20 mins & rinse well. I cannot taste the vinegar. The wash will clean plus remove some pesticides from the outside but nothing can remove them from the inside. 

I don't eat bagged salad. I think the stuff is nasty slimy.

I get iceberg, romaine etc. I wash it all before eating. 

DIY Vegetable Wash

Ingredients

• 3 cups water
• 1 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)

Materials

• Spray bottle
• Bowl
• Colander

Steps

1. Mix water, distilled white vinegar and lemon juice.
2. Put the mixture in a spray bottle.
3. Mist produce and let sit for 5 minutes. Heartier produce like broccoli, cauliflower and squash can be soaked in a bowl for 20 to 30 minutes before draining with a colander. Leafy greens and berries should be soaked for 2 to 3 minutes before draining.
4. Rinse thoroughly with water before eating.

Variation: Replace 1 cup of distilled white vinegar and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice with 1 ½ teaspoons of baking soda. Soak produce for 15 to 20 minutes before draining.

[kitty60]

Agreed, we worry way too much about everything.

[lynnie61]

I have never heard of washing vegetables with soap and water.  I do rinse melons well, as my knife is going through the rind and touching the portion we are eating.  Berries, other fruits and lettuce, just rinse very well.  I have not rinsed bananas.  

[Carmie]

I buy fresh lettuce and the fixings to make a salad.  I wash everything by spraying it with a fruit and veggie wash, then rinsing it and running it through a salad spinner.  I put it in a large Tupperware bowl with a paper towel on the bottom and store with the lid on.  I do this once or twice a week, so I always have salad mix available.  Often, I add cucumbers right before I serve along with tomatoes.  Those items do not keep well mixed with the greens beforehand.

Bagged salad has a horrible odor, it doesn't last long and it's expensive and ends up getting thrown out more often than not.

I prefer fresh veggies/ fruits...then frozen and lastly canned.  I do use canned beets and sometimes "lentil like" beans, but canned green beans...yuck!  Most canned veggies are too salty and mushy.

Fresh is best, frozen is next best if no additives are in there and canned is usually the least healthiest due to additives like salt, sugar, preservatives and artificial color.