Kitchen

[Tink814]

A few weeks ago I prepping my salads for the upcoming week. I typically rinse the greens off and dry them in my salad spinner, but I was feeling lazy that weekend. The kale I bought claimed it was pre-washed and ready to use. I was measuring out the amount I needed when I came across a large dead bug. I just wanted to share my story in case anyone out there eats greens right out of the packaging without washing it.

[Goldengate8361]

Oh my goodness! That freaks me out a bit. I tend to not wash my greens that come in the bags. Maybe I will just give up greens!

[jannabelle1]

Good recommendation to rinse all greens (I can't say that I actually "wash" them). I'd mention though, I'm 73 and have been buying bags of greens for years and have never found any bugs or anything else gross in any of those bags.

[Tink814]

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@jannabelle1 wrote:

Good recommendation to rinse all greens (I can't say that I actually "wash" them). I'd mention though, I'm 73 and have been buying bags of greens for years and have never found any bugs or anything else gross in any of those bags.

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This was my first time ever seeing a dead bug in a bag of greens. I'm sure it's very rare, but I just wanted to warm people.

[ID2]

I don't buy my produce ever from the supermarket. Yuck. I buy from local farms. (gotta help my locals!). I have to wash my produce because its freshly picked. I go home from the farmers markets and spend a good hour cleaning. Delicious! 

[depglass]

I use organic spinach for my morning salad  (eaten as part of a warfarin blood thinner regimen).  It has supposedly been washed three times and I've never had one problem with it in three years.  I guess I would find a bug whether I washed it or not.  Any other greens like a pepper, etc. would at least get a rinse.

[amyb]

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@ID2 wrote:

I don't buy my produce ever from the supermarket. Yuck. I buy from local farms. (gotta help my locals!). I have to wash my produce because its freshly picked. I go home from the farmers markets and spend a good hour cleaning. Delicious! 

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I do this too...all summer until our farmer's markets close in October. Then, unfortunately, I'm back to regular grocery.

I look forward to and love getting the, much more fresh and delicious, produce all summer (I'm in CT), and I love knowing I'm supporting our local farmer's who I'm so grateful to have. I'm always sad when it goes away for the next 8 months.

I do live near a local farm and they have an all-year indoor market, (vs. the outdoor summer ones), but even there, due to us being in the Northeast...they offer many commercial greens from elsewhere in fall/winter. But they still have many good items too.

Anyway...to OP's point...interesting and gross...and I guess it can happen, rare as it might be. I buy the boxed organic greens, and never prewash them, especially since they are the tender greens that really get water-logged, even though I too use a spinner. Never have had a problem, that I know of!... but....food for thought. 

[kitty60]

I always wash my produce.  

Wil never forget being at a function and taking a fork of salad to find a large tomato worm on top.  Lost my appetite.

[Sooner]

It's food.  Most of it is grown in the dirt in open air.  Bugs are all over unless you spray it for pesticides.  Corn?  If there are no worms it's because thre's lots of pesticide.

People harvest food wearing muddy boots and their hands get dirty.  Equipment gets dirty.  Food is a dirty business.

So yes, wash.  And grown local or corporate farm raised neither is inherintly more free of dirt.  Frankly, probably corporate grown has less dirt and bugs involved if you really break down the proess.  

But bugs and worms gotta eat too!  

[Caaareful Shopper]

It does not matter -- local farm produce or grocery store -- you always have to wash your greens or any vegetables.  Even those grocery store greens in bags or containers that market theirs as "Triple Washed!" must always be washed yourself.  I've never had dead bugs, but I have had the pebbly brown grit a time or two.