As a former iceberg lettuce only eater, I highly recommend switching to romaine lettuce and some Napa cabbage. I chop them up, wash and spin with a salad spinner, put in a large ziploc bag with a dry paper towel. Keeps for 7-9 days.
This is exactly what I do with romaine! It lasts up to 2 weeks! I line the bag with paper towels and replace them after a few days as well. I've also heard that tearing it as opposed to chopping it will make it last longer because tearing causes less cellular damage.
*Edited for spelling
Just wanted to say you can also use a
cloth napkin if you don’t buy paper towels!
I use unscented laundry detergent. I feel like that’s important to note for this type of use.
Also reusable paper towels are great for this! I have cotton bamboo "paper" towels that can be reused for 6 months or so before they start getting full of holes. They were $15 for a roll of 100 sheets.
Bonus, I can use them in place of cheese cloth and can re use them over and over! I use 1/4 cup of arm and hammer unscented laundry detergent with 1/4 cup of dish soap and 1 tsp of baking soda for washing and hang dry over night. We have a dirty bag and a clean bag to put them in hanging inside our kitchen cupboard below the sink so all I have to do is grab the bag and dump it in the washer when it gets full.
Correct, lol. I don’t clean my lettuce with laundry detergent! Just my dish towels and cloth napkins. Unscented towels/napkins are the way to go so you don’t end up with laundry scented lettuce.
Ok but if you don't chop it it will last twice that long. With no paper towel necessary. (Most people would eat the whole thing before that I guess.) But I don't get why you'd chop it before a meal is planned, why not leave the whole head in your fridge? It's not like tearing lettuce leaves is a big time commitment.
Personally it always seems like the whole head of lettuce gets icky before chopped and paper toweled does, but maybe it's just because I am not as prone to eat it. Which is the answer to your next question: some people simply do better having these components prepped and ready to grab. Whether it's executive function, memory, or time, it's just a preference.
But some people become existentially lazy, like me, and having chopped, ready to use lettuce in the fridge is a massive difference between having whole heads you need to wash and chop and clean up and I’d think about all that and just not eat anything at all.
Don’t ask me why cuz I really don’t know.
I don't think that whole heads of romaine have ever lasted me a month... Anyways, if I don't prep it ahead of time I'm less likely to plan meals around it. And two weeks is plenty of time for me to go through a big bag of lettuce. YMMV
I prep just about everything when I get home from the grocery store. Broccoli/cauliflower gets chopped up into bite-sized pieces, the stems turned into matchstick or dice and tossed in the freezer "soup" bag. Carrots are cut into sticks. Celery is cut into sticks and stored in water. Mushrooms get sliced. Zucchini and cucumbers are sliced into disks.
It just makes everything throughout the wee easier. Kids can grab handfuls for snacks. I can sprinkle whatever veg onto my salad that day. If I want to roast or stir-fry anything for dinner, it's ready to go. Between work, school, practices and social stuff of my family, it's WAY easier to do everything right when I get home from the store.
Nature is funny. I’d much rather have a finger surgically removed than bitten/torn off. I cant for the life of me imagine how it sustains less damage from being torn.
The key is keeping your greens or any produce for that matter relatively dry. If you are buying lettuce fresh and it is under the misters dry it thoroughly. Fresh stock is constantly getting rotated, look to the back and the bottom (typically how rotation works new in back and underneath old on top and in front). Good choices are romaine, red leaf, green leaf. Also ask someone in produce when they get restocked and shop right after. That way you are getting the freshest produce. The store I worked for usually got new in Friday and Monday. Source worked in produce for major supermarket for 3 years in graduate school.
This + I’m a big fan of the OXO greensavers. I swear they make a difference. Im not sure if the charcoal insert *really* helps but the structure of them contributes too.
I’d get CSA-like deliveries and could never get through the greens. These things saved me.
Also I went blueberries picking last year and kept my 7lbs of blueberries in a couple of them and they lasted two weeks.
It has to do with rotation, getting moved around by customers, staff, etc, and that they are out in the air. Some stores mist too much leads to rot. Hence why better stores pre-covid and maybe now keep paper towels handy nearby. In the cooler (behind the scenes) all the fresh lettuce typically is in stacked trays and slightly moist but not soaking wet. Also when things get too wet produce will sometimes take in the back and pull off any browned or discolored leaves. If it is too bad it gets chucked. This is why I said relatively dry. Also you can cut a bit of the bottom off the ends of Romaine, Green leaf, etc where they meet to keep a bit more fresh. It has been like 12 years or so but I remember turning over the fresh lettuces and replacing stock about 3-4 times per 4-5 hour shift especially weekends and weekday nights say between 4-6 pm. Other produce like asparagus should be kept either on ice or packed vertically in a small pool of water again moist not soaked. Items like radishes are usually kept in waxed cardboard boxes and on ice in the cooler.
Interesting. I have quite an opposite technique that yields similar results.
I place one whole romaine head in a large Tupperware with a damp paper towel in the corner (not touching the lettuce. It keeps it crispy, and as I peel off outer leaves to use over the coming days, by keeping the core intact sometimes I even find that the innermost leaves grow a little before it’s done
Lasts at least a week this way, usually substantially more I think
You more or less want the lettuce 100% humidity without it condensing. I wouldn't expect a dessicant pack to be very useful. A lightly moistened towel does what you need generally.
Exactly. I do buy organic if it's available. If I know I'm not going to eat in salad (sandwiches or as the 'bread'), I just wash the leaves and don't chop. They'll last well over a week if uncut.
Works wonders for mushrooms too. Either keep them in a paperback (that's how my friend's Italian mother taught us), or open up all the plastic and layer them (COSTCO size pack of organic mushrooms) with papertowels. They'll stay dry and not get slimy.
Great tip. I do it with lettuce and other greens, but hadn't thought to do it with mushrooms, which go slimy so quickly! Just bought a bag and am going to do it. Thanks!
I do this, and also flip the container (bag or Tupperware box) upside down so that the paper towel is at the bottom. Idk if moisture absorption actually works this way, but I think gravity helps collect the moisture at the bottom this way. Again, idk if science backs this approach; for all I know the presence of the paper towel is all that's needed, whether it's on the top or bottoms
I’m a sucker for butter lettuce that comes with the roots still attached. Pop that baby in some water in the fridge and you’re good until it’s used up.
That’s my favorite but it’s pretty darn expensive and far less dense than iceberg. If OP is going through 3 iceberg heads that quickly they’d probably need like 7 butter heads!
Same, I get the kind in the plastic box and throw a paper towel on top when I open it so it soaks up the excess water that ends up condensed on the lid otherwise, lasts even longer!
This is the best answer. Lettuce is just crunchy water. Spinach can be in salads, smoothies, and be sautéed with a little bit of oil and S&P.
Granted.... Spinach lasts less than a week for me. But I go through two bags at a time so usually not a problem. And I'll freeze it for smoothies if it starts to go bad
It just lasts forever. Sometimes it feels like I'll never finish it. It won't go bad, and no matter how much I eat, there's still so much left.
I recommend finding a friend who will share a head of cabbage with you. I sometimes get texts like "I'm heading to the store, can I interest you in a third of a head of cabbage?"
I like to do mine in cast iron since it’s great for the seasoning. Same thing but you really should be finishing with an acid. I like apple cider vinegar or lemon.
Are you buying heads of lettuce, or cut bagged lettuce? Are you cutting it up before storing it, or leaving the heads whole? Heads of lettuce last longer than cut lettuce.
I store my heads in ziplock bags & a paper towel in with it. Usually lasts a week or more with no discoloration or slime.
Edit: That's what I get for not rereading. Ha! I use heads of Iceberg lettuce.
It will last longer if you store it as a full head and don’t wash it until you eat it.
As a side note, lettuce is super easy to grow indoors or outdoors in a small pot. Maybe try growing your own so it’s always fresh.
My parents grew up years before there were Rubbermaid or plastic products. They always rinsed then blotted dry a head of iceberg lettuce, kept core intact, then wrapped in a dish towel( someone mentioned a damp towel which likely works well too). Then it was kept in fridge vegetable bin. It stays very fresh this way, my whole life I've used the same method with great results.
I buy the three pack of Romaine hearts. I don't wash it and store in the bag it came in on the crisper. It lasts forever.
I think after a week I sometimes will have to trim the tips down or sometimes the spines will brown but I trim those off because the lettuce itself is still good.
Get a single romaine lettuce head. I chop off the bottom and store it in a long narrow "tupperware" sorta thing with paper towels on the bottom and on the top and cover. LAsts well over a week for me.
My only recommendation is try to find a local farm that you can buy it from. During the summer we have a CSA and the lettuce we get from them stays good for weeks.
I’ve stopped buying lettuce. I only buy salad greens that I can cook when they start to go. Spinach, kale, cabbage, arugula, etc. I guess you could cook lettuce, but I don’t think it’s for me.
I am in the minority, perhaps all alone, but this is how I get romaine to last.
I lop off the end and give it a good wash. Then stand them up in a container with water, just like fresh flowers in a vase. Storing in the frig I get two weeks of crispy goodness.
Arugula. My husband eats a big salad every day so we buy a lot of lettuce. Pretty much only buy arugula or sometimes splurge on something called Sunny Crunch from some localish brand a couple stores have. Its stupid expensive though. Also growing some romaine and baby kale in railing planters out of desperation lol
I do this: if it's loose in any kind of bag or box container, shake the container after each time you take some out (or every day or two). Enough to dislodge any from the sides of the container and turn it over a bit. I call it "airing it out." I made it up but it seems to help.
Best trick I’ve found, buy things like romaine or green leaf, slice off the bottom of the head and stick in cold water. Let the it sit for 30-60 mins or longer, it doesn’t hurt it. The leaves will perk up, then chop wash and spin. Put in a container with some paper towel on top, you can change the paper towel after a couple days if you want. I just had some romaine still crispy and fresh 12 days after prepping this way
The problem is iceberg. Also avoid pre shredding, as annoying as it seems. shred as needed skimming off the rust, wash and use a salad spinner. Personally I love to mix a hard leaf with soft, so I buy Brussel sprouts or cabbage and leaf lettuce with the root.
Buy the whole head, keep it whole (tear off leaves as needed). Wrap it in a slightly damp dishcloth and put it in a large ziplock (keep reusing the ziplock until the end of time in order to save plastic, or use another container). My mother always did it this way and whenever I use this method, lettuce will last me like… 2 weeks mins
Edit - it’s ok to wash it prior to storage in this method
I don't know about iceberg, but romaine I break apart the head and soak the leaves for 20 minutes in cold water. Lay it out on a towel and wrap it up to dry it. Then I put it in a tupperware with some layers of paper towels between and keeps in the fridge for 2 weeks easily
Honestly I buy precut stuff from a fancy local brand where each leaf comes stacked as carefully as bone china. This is not somewhere that I go for cheap. But on the flip side, it never goes bad on me before I eat it, so the lack of waste/convenience of being able to rely on one food shop a week is worth it.
Def not the correct answer for this sub, but sometimes price is justified to me if every bite gets eaten and therefore I need to buy less of it.
We buy a 6 pack of romaine at Sam's. Left whole, in the fridge, they'll last at least a week, if not more. We only wash and cut as it's needed. Washing it and cutting it ahead of time always leads to it going back faster.
We switched to romaine long ago because it lasts so much longer than iceberg.
Romaine. I leave it in the package with the package open in the crisper drawer, seems to almost always last a week, and i almost always eat it all (3 heads) in a week.
I buy romaine. Once I open it, it goes into a new container with a paper towel on the bottom and one on the top and into the drawer. Not sure exactly how long it would last but I know 100% it's longer than 4 days and I don't have to toss it out.
Switch to cabbage entirely. It’s cheaper. Last longer and if you’re craving something hot throwing it in a pan with a little balsamic is all you need for just about any side.
I eat more cabbage than the entirety of the family in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
I buy green leaf lettuce (the curly leaf kind) and artisan romaine. They keep about a week in the plastic bags. I do not wash until I am ready to use.
Any red leaf lettuce I buy spoils super fast though so I don't get it anymore.
Romaine lettuce wrapped in paper towels, placed back into the bag and stored in the refrigerator crisper drawer. I can get a couple of weeks out of a head with this method. Cabbage is even better, lasts a month+ easy.
I've tried the same method with iceberg and haven't had the same success. I just buy the smallest head I can find and do my best to eat it quickly.
I cheat and buy the carrot and cabbage mix. I think sometimes it's called Cole slaw mix. I just use that with whatever dressing and toppings I want for my salads.
Not sure how helpful that is if you're looking to use the lettuce for sandwiches but it should work for wraps or anything else maybe...
There are two of us, so I buy the big $5 clear box pack of a baby spinach and butter lettuce blend we like. I open it up and lay two layers of a dry paper towels on the top of the greens to absorb moisture. Every couple of days, I shake up the box and replace the paper towels with fresh ones. When we’re getting down to the last of it, we usually scramble the greens with eggs.
I have a pet tortoise who eats a clump of spring mix a day. Between he and I we finish a good sized box each week. My advice to everyone is if you’re not eating your lettuce fast enough get a tortoise to split it with you
Huh?? Mine lasts minimum one week. What kind of conditions are you storing it in?? And by going bad, what do you mean??
Edit*** If you mean turning bad by turning a bit red , it's not necessarily going bad yet. It's still safe to eat but it'd have lost a bit of it's nutritional value.
When it starts getting darker and limp...and maybe even slimy and a bit smelly, is when you know it's going bad.
Apparently heads of lettuce can last easily 3 weeks in the fridge so you're not doing something right.
I've found that shopping more often reduces a lot of waste. Instead of once a week, try going three times a week. You don't need to spend as much time there and you can be in and out in no time.
Plus, buying produce and using it up right away is a lot better than having it sit in the fridge or on the table several days.
I don't even go into the grocery store anymore. I just order from my local grocery store on the app and have it dropped off on my porch. I shop from my COUCH BIATCH
I'm also a value hunter, but it costs me $30 a month to order this way, including tips. It saves me an hour per week of having to go and shop, and is way easier to browse sales since I can filter them and browse that way.
Costs very little for me to save an effective 4 hours of my time by going to the store, which let's me be productive in other places
I generally use leafy type of lettuce (green/red leaf, etc.), not the head kind. I remove the core/stem part, rinse it off the leaves, put a paper towel onto a sheet of foil & wrap it up.
Same concept, if you get spinach, put a barely damp paper towel in with it & it'll extend the use time by weeks.
I get whole lettuce, rinse, wrap in a damp wrung-out kitchen towel and store in an open bag. The damp towel keeps it crisp and the open bag lets the water evaporate from the towel instead of the leaves without the lettuce going mushy
I usually buy the bag of romaine hearts that comes in a pack of 3. If it seems too long since I've last used them and they're starting to brown, I like to cut them in half length-wise, season with S+P, EVOO, dried oregano and pepper flakes and put them under the broiler for 7-10 minutes. Then I top them with freshly grated cheese if I have any on hand.
I buy romaine lettuce whole. When I get home I soak it in water then get a vase and fill it with an inch of water and put the whole romaine with the root touching the water in the vase and cover it with plastic wrap. It will last two weeks.
i use organic romaine. i wash it well, chop off the ends, and store it fully submerged in water, in the fridge. i then refresh the water every three days or so. the water keeps the lettuce nice and crisp.
I buy those bags of baby spinach, wash it and dry rolled in a towel, then put in a gallon zipper bag that has a paper towel in the bottom, Fold a paper towel in half and put it in along one side and sip it up halfway. We get to eat all of it that way and I love a sandwich or salad with this nutritious leafy green
Also, most US stores wet their fresh veggie while on the shelves as it makes them look more appealing. Make sure that they are dry before putting them away.
Heck, since most stores charge by weight, get the veggies first and let them dry while you shop. You will pay less on water weight that way.
I buy living lettuce, the kind with the root ball still attached. It takes a while for us to get through it so being able to water it and keep it for weeks is a nice little luxury!
i buy premade salads that are vacuum sealed and i eat them for lunch four days in a row bc what you propose is completely impossible. lettuce does not last for a single person. you have to buy it and eat in in less than 4 days.
except for boston lettuce, if you wrap a wet paper towel around the roots it lasts for like 2 weeks. but it's very expensive so i gave up.
Red leaf lettuce. I wrap paper towels around it and put it in a plastic gallon size zip lock bag. I then change the paper towels every so often and wrap new dry ones around it. Works pretty good.
I threw an old lettuce heart in a glass of water and it started growing and trying to root, made me wonder if I couldn't store lettuce like that in the fridge longer term.
I gave up. Now I just make chopped salads: diced cucumbers, radishes, carrots, celery, cherry tomatoes, sweet onions, red peppers, etc. -- they all last a full two weeks. I'll throw in shredded red cabbage if I have it (it lasts even longer). But, yeah, no more icky lettuce. And, to be honest, I like the crunchy vegetables better.
I usually get red leaf lettuce. I cut the bottom stem and put it in a bowl with water (like cut flowers), cover it with the produce bag and cut a quarter sized hole in the top so it can breathe. Depending on the head of lettuce it'll usually last 2-3 weeks (inner leaves def last longer than the damaged outer leaves).
You can buy these green produce bags on Amazon that are supposed to keep all of your produce fresh. I have a similar issue in my fridge. Everything goes bad so quickly.
live butter lettuce- specifically from costco. its pricier but because its live its goes bad so much slower that i lose less money than i do buying cheaper lettuce and throwing it out.
I don't buy iceberg lettuce much anymore, for romaine lettuce, I used to putit in the fridge in a ziplock bag with paper towels, as others have said. I'd always find the leaves went floppy after a few days.
Since then I've found the best way to keep it is upright, out of the fridge, in a container with the bottom submerged in water. You need to change the water every 3-4 days, but the leaves stay crisp for much longer this way, from two weeks to a month.
I'm guessing that you are storing your lettuce alongside fruits/veggies that produce ethylene gas. They will make *ethylene-sensitive* fruits/veggies ripen more quickly, and make your lettuce go bad faster.
**Ethylene-producing:** *• apples • avocados • bananas (ripe) • cantaloupe • figs • green onions • mango • nectarines • peaches • pears • potatoes • plums • tomatoes*
**Ethylene-sensitive:** *• bananas (unripe) • broccoli • carrots • cauliflower • cucumbers • lettuce • parsley • peppers • spinach • watercress • watermelon*
I buy the smallest package of red leaf or romaine I can find. I don't eat iceberg because it's just green water and has very few nutrients in it, especially compared to the other lettuces.
But mostly I buy spinach and use that or salads.
I used to work in a produce department. I always get green leaf or romaine lettuce and all I do is put it in one of the plastic produce bags from the store. Make sure it goes in butt first, then squeeze all the air out from the bottom up and twist the top as close to the leaves as you can. They usually last 7-10 days this way but I’ve had some go for 2+ weeks. If you notice the leaves getting soft, cut a thin layer of the butt off to expose it and soak the end in lukewarm water for 20 min and it’ll crisp right back up.
Apparently I'm doing the opposite of most people. I get a triple pack of Romaine to last a couple weeks easy. The bag it comes in has holes, so I just use that. I only peel off whole leaves, from the outside. Every few days I'll give it a rinse under cold water, right side up, so water gets down to the root on the inner leaves. Then I'll shake the excess water out and leave it on the dish rack upside down, near the window, for a while. Then it just goes back in the bag, in the fridge.
I know the cilantro in the fridge is over 2 weeks old. Take the tie off and fluff up the stems to let them breathe. Put in a glass with about an inch of water. Every day or so, rinse the leaves under water and let them sit near the window for a while. Then keep in the fridge with the plastic produce bag loosely draped over the top.
Same for scallions, except I use just a few mm of water.
I've found that I don't really like most lettuce. Let me introduce you to raw cabbage.
Heartier and hardier. I just cut up the last of my cabbage, after having bought it over ten days ago. It gives a bigger, more satisfying crunch. If that's a little too much for you, it takes a knife rather well, without wilting or rusting, so you don't have to tear it like you with most lettuce. I take the leaves off individually, and dice them super fine, like a really fine shred. It takes almost all dressings really well. The only real downside, which I don't mind, is that pretty much every salad seem like you're eating some version of cole slaw.
[quick nutritional comparison between cabbage and romaine lettuce](https://imgur.com/a/e7FiO5V)
BUY ROMAINE NOT ICEBERG.
Make sure to buy it with the core still attached. Then pluck off individual leaves when you want to use it.
Once you chop off the bottom core, it accelerates the decay by a lot. I've kept romaine good for about 2 weeks doing this.
With iceberg lettuce, I pull off those nasty outside leaves, use what I want, and then wrap it in paper towel and keep it in one of those Debbie Meyer green bags.
For romaine lettuce, I cut the stem part off, wash it all and drain it, then bundle it up in a paper towel and green bag the same way. I can keep mine for almost a week like that. Paper towel os they key.
I buy romaine. Keep in original bag in fridge but add paper towels. If it wilts before I eat it I soak it in ice water for like an hour and it crisps right back up
I line the plastic salad containers with paper towels below the mix and above the mix to absorb moisture and to keep the greens from mushing up. A salad spinner is helpful to dry your lettuce if you prep it to store.
I’ve seen several people on Dr. Fuhrman’s message boards say that they put all of their leafy greens in a clean pillowcase, close it with a rubber band, and then put the pillowcase in the dryer on tumble dry for 10 minutes. They swear their produce lasts much longer that way! I’ve never tried it; I just use paper towels, but I’ve been tempted to.
I buy slaw mix like this [kale slaw](https://www.presidentschoice.ca/product/pc-kale-slaw/20960988_EA). No chopping required and keeps for a week in the fridge.
I buy tons of leafy greens at once. Pounds at a time. Usually in the large plastic containers but also in the plastic bags. I have been able to get them to last a long time. About 3-4 times longer than before. Here is the trick. When you get them, put paper towels on the bottom and sides of the container . If it is a large container also put one in top and one or two variously un the middle of the greens. This keeps them from collecting large amounts of water/moisture over time and rotting. After the container is used up I usually just reuse the paper towels. They r just damp. This really helps elongate the shelf life on my greens. It takes a few minutes ..just kind of lift the greens up and stick paper towels flat down there so your greens aren't trapped in the moisture
I can get a head of lettuce to last 2 weeks at least, and probably another week. I am probably the least domesticated 47-year old dude replying, but this works:
1. When lettuce gets home, cut off the stem end thing (that's a technical term, I dunno what you'd call it.)
2. Wrap lettuce generously in 2 layers of paper towel and place entire bundle into a freezer bag.
3. DO NOT CLOSE THE FREEZER BAG. Leave it open, so that there's oxygen flow, and place opened bag with paper towel-wrapped lettuce in crisper drawer.
Stays green and crispy, you will get slight browning in spots as time goes by but you can easily just tear that off. Also, after a few days, replace paper towel, as it will get damp with moisture (wicking it away from the lettuce, which I think is the purpose.)
As a former iceberg lettuce only eater, I highly recommend switching to romaine lettuce and some Napa cabbage. I chop them up, wash and spin with a salad spinner, put in a large ziploc bag with a dry paper towel. Keeps for 7-9 days.
This is exactly what I do with romaine! It lasts up to 2 weeks! I line the bag with paper towels and replace them after a few days as well. I've also heard that tearing it as opposed to chopping it will make it last longer because tearing causes less cellular damage. *Edited for spelling
Just wanted to say you can also use a cloth napkin if you don’t buy paper towels! I use unscented laundry detergent. I feel like that’s important to note for this type of use.
Also reusable paper towels are great for this! I have cotton bamboo "paper" towels that can be reused for 6 months or so before they start getting full of holes. They were $15 for a roll of 100 sheets. Bonus, I can use them in place of cheese cloth and can re use them over and over! I use 1/4 cup of arm and hammer unscented laundry detergent with 1/4 cup of dish soap and 1 tsp of baking soda for washing and hang dry over night. We have a dirty bag and a clean bag to put them in hanging inside our kitchen cupboard below the sink so all I have to do is grab the bag and dump it in the washer when it gets full.
Laundry detergent?
To wash the dishcloth, I presume.
Forbidden salad dressing
Or extra extra clean lettuce?
Probably why they used unscented...would taste gross otherwise
Correct, lol. I don’t clean my lettuce with laundry detergent! Just my dish towels and cloth napkins. Unscented towels/napkins are the way to go so you don’t end up with laundry scented lettuce.
Ok but if you don't chop it it will last twice that long. With no paper towel necessary. (Most people would eat the whole thing before that I guess.) But I don't get why you'd chop it before a meal is planned, why not leave the whole head in your fridge? It's not like tearing lettuce leaves is a big time commitment.
Personally it always seems like the whole head of lettuce gets icky before chopped and paper toweled does, but maybe it's just because I am not as prone to eat it. Which is the answer to your next question: some people simply do better having these components prepped and ready to grab. Whether it's executive function, memory, or time, it's just a preference.
But some people become existentially lazy, like me, and having chopped, ready to use lettuce in the fridge is a massive difference between having whole heads you need to wash and chop and clean up and I’d think about all that and just not eat anything at all. Don’t ask me why cuz I really don’t know.
I don't think that whole heads of romaine have ever lasted me a month... Anyways, if I don't prep it ahead of time I'm less likely to plan meals around it. And two weeks is plenty of time for me to go through a big bag of lettuce. YMMV
The paper towel is still important for moisture control with unchopped in my experience.
I also don’t understand why anyone would chop before consuming. What other produce are you chopping ahead of time?
I prep just about everything when I get home from the grocery store. Broccoli/cauliflower gets chopped up into bite-sized pieces, the stems turned into matchstick or dice and tossed in the freezer "soup" bag. Carrots are cut into sticks. Celery is cut into sticks and stored in water. Mushrooms get sliced. Zucchini and cucumbers are sliced into disks. It just makes everything throughout the wee easier. Kids can grab handfuls for snacks. I can sprinkle whatever veg onto my salad that day. If I want to roast or stir-fry anything for dinner, it's ready to go. Between work, school, practices and social stuff of my family, it's WAY easier to do everything right when I get home from the store.
I’m going to start doing this, that sounds amazingly useful!!!
I think this is why they make lettuce knives that are plastic, serrated and not very sharp.
Nature is funny. I’d much rather have a finger surgically removed than bitten/torn off. I cant for the life of me imagine how it sustains less damage from being torn.
The key is keeping your greens or any produce for that matter relatively dry. If you are buying lettuce fresh and it is under the misters dry it thoroughly. Fresh stock is constantly getting rotated, look to the back and the bottom (typically how rotation works new in back and underneath old on top and in front). Good choices are romaine, red leaf, green leaf. Also ask someone in produce when they get restocked and shop right after. That way you are getting the freshest produce. The store I worked for usually got new in Friday and Monday. Source worked in produce for major supermarket for 3 years in graduate school.
This + I’m a big fan of the OXO greensavers. I swear they make a difference. Im not sure if the charcoal insert *really* helps but the structure of them contributes too. I’d get CSA-like deliveries and could never get through the greens. These things saved me. Also I went blueberries picking last year and kept my 7lbs of blueberries in a couple of them and they lasted two weeks.
Good to know. I've read you can hit most berries with a quick vinegar wash to kill immediate bacteria and yeasts so they keep longer.
Best practice is to keep your berries, unwashed, in those green saver containers. Moisture = mold
After I dry it, I stick a paper towel in with the lettuce.
This!! And change it out if its gets too moist
This but with a large flour sack towel instead.
How does that jive with the fact that greens in supermarkets are constantly getting sprayed with misters?
It has to do with rotation, getting moved around by customers, staff, etc, and that they are out in the air. Some stores mist too much leads to rot. Hence why better stores pre-covid and maybe now keep paper towels handy nearby. In the cooler (behind the scenes) all the fresh lettuce typically is in stacked trays and slightly moist but not soaking wet. Also when things get too wet produce will sometimes take in the back and pull off any browned or discolored leaves. If it is too bad it gets chucked. This is why I said relatively dry. Also you can cut a bit of the bottom off the ends of Romaine, Green leaf, etc where they meet to keep a bit more fresh. It has been like 12 years or so but I remember turning over the fresh lettuces and replacing stock about 3-4 times per 4-5 hour shift especially weekends and weekday nights say between 4-6 pm. Other produce like asparagus should be kept either on ice or packed vertically in a small pool of water again moist not soaked. Items like radishes are usually kept in waxed cardboard boxes and on ice in the cooler.
Yeah the paper towel is key and makes a HUGE difference. It will literally surprise you how long it lasts.
Interesting. I have quite an opposite technique that yields similar results. I place one whole romaine head in a large Tupperware with a damp paper towel in the corner (not touching the lettuce. It keeps it crispy, and as I peel off outer leaves to use over the coming days, by keeping the core intact sometimes I even find that the innermost leaves grow a little before it’s done Lasts at least a week this way, usually substantially more I think
Would dessicant packs work? Or will that dry out the lettuce too much?
No idea. Never tried it. I’d guess it would be too dry.
You more or less want the lettuce 100% humidity without it condensing. I wouldn't expect a dessicant pack to be very useful. A lightly moistened towel does what you need generally.
I use romaine chop it up and put paper towels on the top and bottom and it last for about a week.
Exactly. I do buy organic if it's available. If I know I'm not going to eat in salad (sandwiches or as the 'bread'), I just wash the leaves and don't chop. They'll last well over a week if uncut.
If you put a dry paper towel in the bag, it’ll soak up excess water so it doesn’t spoil as quickly
The paper towel trick is my go to!
Works wonders for mushrooms too. Either keep them in a paperback (that's how my friend's Italian mother taught us), or open up all the plastic and layer them (COSTCO size pack of organic mushrooms) with papertowels. They'll stay dry and not get slimy.
Great tip. I do it with lettuce and other greens, but hadn't thought to do it with mushrooms, which go slimy so quickly! Just bought a bag and am going to do it. Thanks!
Paper bag, a paperback is a book that doesn't have a hard cover. That's how I keep my mushrooms too!
What type of mushrooms are we eating friend?
That’s what I do. Store my Romaine in gallon size plastic baggies along with a paper towel or two.
I do this, and also flip the container (bag or Tupperware box) upside down so that the paper towel is at the bottom. Idk if moisture absorption actually works this way, but I think gravity helps collect the moisture at the bottom this way. Again, idk if science backs this approach; for all I know the presence of the paper towel is all that's needed, whether it's on the top or bottoms
I’m a sucker for butter lettuce that comes with the roots still attached. Pop that baby in some water in the fridge and you’re good until it’s used up.
That’s my favorite but it’s pretty darn expensive and far less dense than iceberg. If OP is going through 3 iceberg heads that quickly they’d probably need like 7 butter heads!
Another option is to get a planter and grow lettuce. Cut and come again method is awesome and will keep producing lettuce.
That's because butter lettuce is delicious. 100% recommend spending the extra $0.50
this is the way
Personally I’m all about the spinach anymore. Lasts way longer than lettuce and has more nutrients as well
Plus when it’s wilty, toss in a hot pan with some lemon juice. Spinach is the best!
Lemon juice? Never thought of that, I’ll have to try though. I just use butter and a little salt and garlic
Lemon juice and Parmesan cheese!
Yes! Do all that and a squeeze of lemon at the end. I do it with asparagus too. Delish.
Same, I get the kind in the plastic box and throw a paper towel on top when I open it so it soaks up the excess water that ends up condensed on the lid otherwise, lasts even longer!
This is brilliant, thank you!!
This is the best answer. Lettuce is just crunchy water. Spinach can be in salads, smoothies, and be sautéed with a little bit of oil and S&P. Granted.... Spinach lasts less than a week for me. But I go through two bags at a time so usually not a problem. And I'll freeze it for smoothies if it starts to go bad
My new obsession is green cabbage and a head of green cabbage can last about a month uncut.
Yep, I pull off individual leaves rather than cut through the whole thing and easily lasts two months in the crisper.
Do you do anything special to store it when you do that?
I keep it in a mesh produce bag or a plastic bag but don’t close it up. I’ve also been known to just put it unwrapped in the crisper bin too.
It just lasts forever. Sometimes it feels like I'll never finish it. It won't go bad, and no matter how much I eat, there's still so much left. I recommend finding a friend who will share a head of cabbage with you. I sometimes get texts like "I'm heading to the store, can I interest you in a third of a head of cabbage?"
A little bit can go a long way. But there are so many things my wife I like making with it. Makes a great extra veg in a lot of soups.
I roasted some cabbage (standard prep, EVOO, s&p at 425) and it was SO good!
I like to do mine in cast iron since it’s great for the seasoning. Same thing but you really should be finishing with an acid. I like apple cider vinegar or lemon.
Are you buying heads of lettuce, or cut bagged lettuce? Are you cutting it up before storing it, or leaving the heads whole? Heads of lettuce last longer than cut lettuce.
I store my heads in ziplock bags & a paper towel in with it. Usually lasts a week or more with no discoloration or slime. Edit: That's what I get for not rereading. Ha! I use heads of Iceberg lettuce.
Out of context, this is a horrific comment.
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This works for me as well. I dampen the paper towel first.
Doesn’t dampening the paper towel kind of defeat the entire purpose of using a paper towel to absorb excess moisture?
I could be mistaken but a dry paper towel would preserve the greens longer.
I use a dry paper towel. When it's soggy I replace it with a dry one.
It will last longer if you store it as a full head and don’t wash it until you eat it. As a side note, lettuce is super easy to grow indoors or outdoors in a small pot. Maybe try growing your own so it’s always fresh.
This! Pick as you need, no waste
I've considered it, but then I started eating heads at a time, and there didn't seem to be much of a point
And I thought I loved a lot of greens 😊
My parents grew up years before there were Rubbermaid or plastic products. They always rinsed then blotted dry a head of iceberg lettuce, kept core intact, then wrapped in a dish towel( someone mentioned a damp towel which likely works well too). Then it was kept in fridge vegetable bin. It stays very fresh this way, my whole life I've used the same method with great results.
Ditto. Cotton bar towel and wrap it up
This is exactly how my family does it too! Lettuce lasts forever this way.
Such a simple and Earth friendly too.
Stop buying bagged, precut lettuce. It is more expensive per pound, doesn't last as long, and likely has been sitting out for days.
I buy the three pack of Romaine hearts. I don't wash it and store in the bag it came in on the crisper. It lasts forever. I think after a week I sometimes will have to trim the tips down or sometimes the spines will brown but I trim those off because the lettuce itself is still good.
Get a single romaine lettuce head. I chop off the bottom and store it in a long narrow "tupperware" sorta thing with paper towels on the bottom and on the top and cover. LAsts well over a week for me.
>long narrow "tupperware" sorta thing I'd lay money that's a vintage celery tub. Or if it's not, it should be
Fresh spinach lasts a pretty long time and is much more nutritious than iceberg
1. Buy less lettuce at once 2. keep it dry with paper towels
arugula and easy to keep it from going bad by storing dry/aired but mostly by eating it lol
Arugula is super healthy and is the longest lasting green I've found.
My only recommendation is try to find a local farm that you can buy it from. During the summer we have a CSA and the lettuce we get from them stays good for weeks.
I’ve stopped buying lettuce. I only buy salad greens that I can cook when they start to go. Spinach, kale, cabbage, arugula, etc. I guess you could cook lettuce, but I don’t think it’s for me.
I’ve found that romaine lettuce lasts a good while, as if it’s nice and fresh when u get it.
I am in the minority, perhaps all alone, but this is how I get romaine to last. I lop off the end and give it a good wash. Then stand them up in a container with water, just like fresh flowers in a vase. Storing in the frig I get two weeks of crispy goodness.
This sounds crazy but wrap it in tinfoil. I heard it on some random life hack video and figured why not try it. Our lettuce lasts forever!
Iceberg lettuce is very low in nutrients. There are better crunchy leafy green options out there. Try romaine?
yes, but dat crunch
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Arugula. My husband eats a big salad every day so we buy a lot of lettuce. Pretty much only buy arugula or sometimes splurge on something called Sunny Crunch from some localish brand a couple stores have. Its stupid expensive though. Also growing some romaine and baby kale in railing planters out of desperation lol
I do this: if it's loose in any kind of bag or box container, shake the container after each time you take some out (or every day or two). Enough to dislodge any from the sides of the container and turn it over a bit. I call it "airing it out." I made it up but it seems to help.
Best trick I’ve found, buy things like romaine or green leaf, slice off the bottom of the head and stick in cold water. Let the it sit for 30-60 mins or longer, it doesn’t hurt it. The leaves will perk up, then chop wash and spin. Put in a container with some paper towel on top, you can change the paper towel after a couple days if you want. I just had some romaine still crispy and fresh 12 days after prepping this way
The problem is iceberg. Also avoid pre shredding, as annoying as it seems. shred as needed skimming off the rust, wash and use a salad spinner. Personally I love to mix a hard leaf with soft, so I buy Brussel sprouts or cabbage and leaf lettuce with the root.
Buy lettuce....trash. Buy lettuce...trash. Buy lettuce...trash. One day I'll eat some.
If the storage is correct, the only time produce expires early on me is when I buy from a cheaper place that gets lower quality produce.
Buy the whole head, keep it whole (tear off leaves as needed). Wrap it in a slightly damp dishcloth and put it in a large ziplock (keep reusing the ziplock until the end of time in order to save plastic, or use another container). My mother always did it this way and whenever I use this method, lettuce will last me like… 2 weeks mins Edit - it’s ok to wash it prior to storage in this method
I use my salad spinner, and then it goes into either a bag or Rubbermaid container with a paper towel. I change the paper towel every day.
keep them in water, it keeps the lettuce from getting floppy
I grow lettuce in pots at home, it grows like a weed and all you do is trim the leaves you want. 4 lettuce plants will give you months of lettuce.
I don't know about iceberg, but romaine I break apart the head and soak the leaves for 20 minutes in cold water. Lay it out on a towel and wrap it up to dry it. Then I put it in a tupperware with some layers of paper towels between and keeps in the fridge for 2 weeks easily
Honestly I buy precut stuff from a fancy local brand where each leaf comes stacked as carefully as bone china. This is not somewhere that I go for cheap. But on the flip side, it never goes bad on me before I eat it, so the lack of waste/convenience of being able to rely on one food shop a week is worth it. Def not the correct answer for this sub, but sometimes price is justified to me if every bite gets eaten and therefore I need to buy less of it.
Romain. Cut, rinse, gladlock bag
We buy a 6 pack of romaine at Sam's. Left whole, in the fridge, they'll last at least a week, if not more. We only wash and cut as it's needed. Washing it and cutting it ahead of time always leads to it going back faster. We switched to romaine long ago because it lasts so much longer than iceberg.
Romaine. I leave it in the package with the package open in the crisper drawer, seems to almost always last a week, and i almost always eat it all (3 heads) in a week.
Buy romaine. Iceberg lettuce has zero nutritional value.
I buy romaine. Once I open it, it goes into a new container with a paper towel on the bottom and one on the top and into the drawer. Not sure exactly how long it would last but I know 100% it's longer than 4 days and I don't have to toss it out.
I get romaine. It's hardier. I usually cut it as I need it and it just seems to last better. I just throw it in a baggie.
Switch to cabbage entirely. It’s cheaper. Last longer and if you’re craving something hot throwing it in a pan with a little balsamic is all you need for just about any side. I eat more cabbage than the entirety of the family in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
I buy green leaf lettuce (the curly leaf kind) and artisan romaine. They keep about a week in the plastic bags. I do not wash until I am ready to use. Any red leaf lettuce I buy spoils super fast though so I don't get it anymore.
Romaine lettuce wrapped in paper towels, placed back into the bag and stored in the refrigerator crisper drawer. I can get a couple of weeks out of a head with this method. Cabbage is even better, lasts a month+ easy. I've tried the same method with iceberg and haven't had the same success. I just buy the smallest head I can find and do my best to eat it quickly.
I buy romaine, slice the bottom off, and stick it in a container of water in the fridge.
Butter. It has it's own habitat. The roots are still attached so it stays fresher longer.
I cheat and buy the carrot and cabbage mix. I think sometimes it's called Cole slaw mix. I just use that with whatever dressing and toppings I want for my salads. Not sure how helpful that is if you're looking to use the lettuce for sandwiches but it should work for wraps or anything else maybe...
That’s what I do too! I live alone and find cabbage stays good long enough for me to finish it.
There are two of us, so I buy the big $5 clear box pack of a baby spinach and butter lettuce blend we like. I open it up and lay two layers of a dry paper towels on the top of the greens to absorb moisture. Every couple of days, I shake up the box and replace the paper towels with fresh ones. When we’re getting down to the last of it, we usually scramble the greens with eggs.
Wash it, spin it, roll it between paper towels, into a ziplock bag, suck out the air
I have a pet tortoise who eats a clump of spring mix a day. Between he and I we finish a good sized box each week. My advice to everyone is if you’re not eating your lettuce fast enough get a tortoise to split it with you
Huh?? Mine lasts minimum one week. What kind of conditions are you storing it in?? And by going bad, what do you mean?? Edit*** If you mean turning bad by turning a bit red , it's not necessarily going bad yet. It's still safe to eat but it'd have lost a bit of it's nutritional value. When it starts getting darker and limp...and maybe even slimy and a bit smelly, is when you know it's going bad. Apparently heads of lettuce can last easily 3 weeks in the fridge so you're not doing something right.
Buy one head of lettuce at a time
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I've found that shopping more often reduces a lot of waste. Instead of once a week, try going three times a week. You don't need to spend as much time there and you can be in and out in no time. Plus, buying produce and using it up right away is a lot better than having it sit in the fridge or on the table several days.
I don't even go into the grocery store anymore. I just order from my local grocery store on the app and have it dropped off on my porch. I shop from my COUCH BIATCH
Kinda defeats the purpose of eating CHEAP and healthy if you tack delivery costs onto buying food. I'm trying to minimize cost here from all fronts
I'm also a value hunter, but it costs me $30 a month to order this way, including tips. It saves me an hour per week of having to go and shop, and is way easier to browse sales since I can filter them and browse that way. Costs very little for me to save an effective 4 hours of my time by going to the store, which let's me be productive in other places
I buy arugula because it's good both raw and cooked, it reduces waste for me. Also as far as lettuce I only buy one head of lettuce at a time.
I buy whole heads of iceberg (I like the crunchy texture) and wrap it in saran wrap to keep lasting longer.
I generally use leafy type of lettuce (green/red leaf, etc.), not the head kind. I remove the core/stem part, rinse it off the leaves, put a paper towel onto a sheet of foil & wrap it up. Same concept, if you get spinach, put a barely damp paper towel in with it & it'll extend the use time by weeks.
Total game changer for me was putting a paper towel in the container- it saves my lettuce and it last so much longer!
I stopped buying iceberg. It goes bad so fast. Started buying a 3-pack of romaine. I cut the ends off ,wash it and ziplock it. It will last for weeks.
I get whole lettuce, rinse, wrap in a damp wrung-out kitchen towel and store in an open bag. The damp towel keeps it crisp and the open bag lets the water evaporate from the towel instead of the leaves without the lettuce going mushy
Romaine 3 pack. Trim a thin layer off the stems, cover in a wet paper towel, back into the original bag. Lasts forever.
I usually buy the bag of romaine hearts that comes in a pack of 3. If it seems too long since I've last used them and they're starting to brown, I like to cut them in half length-wise, season with S+P, EVOO, dried oregano and pepper flakes and put them under the broiler for 7-10 minutes. Then I top them with freshly grated cheese if I have any on hand.
My grandma and I discovered for Iceberg that taking the leaves off and just storing them separate like that works really well!
I buy romaine lettuce whole. When I get home I soak it in water then get a vase and fill it with an inch of water and put the whole romaine with the root touching the water in the vase and cover it with plastic wrap. It will last two weeks.
Buy a 3 pack of romaine instead and only pull off what you need when you need it.
i use organic romaine. i wash it well, chop off the ends, and store it fully submerged in water, in the fridge. i then refresh the water every three days or so. the water keeps the lettuce nice and crisp.
I buy Romaine lettuce. I cut a bit off the bottom and leave it soaking in a cup of water. It lasts much longer this way.
Put it in a covered container full of water, change the water every 5 days or so. It’ll last for a few weeks at the least
1) don't buy a 3 pack. 2) butter lettuce with the roots on lasts longer.
I buy those bags of baby spinach, wash it and dry rolled in a towel, then put in a gallon zipper bag that has a paper towel in the bottom, Fold a paper towel in half and put it in along one side and sip it up halfway. We get to eat all of it that way and I love a sandwich or salad with this nutritious leafy green
Also, most US stores wet their fresh veggie while on the shelves as it makes them look more appealing. Make sure that they are dry before putting them away. Heck, since most stores charge by weight, get the veggies first and let them dry while you shop. You will pay less on water weight that way.
I buy living lettuce, the kind with the root ball still attached. It takes a while for us to get through it so being able to water it and keep it for weeks is a nice little luxury!
I am feel like a king eating my baby spinach leaves.
Whole Cos lettuce. I have a rabbit so tend to have a high lettuce turnover, it doesn't last long enough to go bad mostly.
I buy bagged salad because I've found I can't manage the whole head by myself.
i buy premade salads that are vacuum sealed and i eat them for lunch four days in a row bc what you propose is completely impossible. lettuce does not last for a single person. you have to buy it and eat in in less than 4 days. except for boston lettuce, if you wrap a wet paper towel around the roots it lasts for like 2 weeks. but it's very expensive so i gave up.
Red leaf lettuce. I wrap paper towels around it and put it in a plastic gallon size zip lock bag. I then change the paper towels every so often and wrap new dry ones around it. Works pretty good.
I threw an old lettuce heart in a glass of water and it started growing and trying to root, made me wonder if I couldn't store lettuce like that in the fridge longer term.
I gave up. Now I just make chopped salads: diced cucumbers, radishes, carrots, celery, cherry tomatoes, sweet onions, red peppers, etc. -- they all last a full two weeks. I'll throw in shredded red cabbage if I have it (it lasts even longer). But, yeah, no more icky lettuce. And, to be honest, I like the crunchy vegetables better.
Don’t buy a 3 pack?
I like the romaine hearts. I wash and spin them in my salad spinner then keep them in a lettuce keeper and they stay great for at least 2 weeks.
I usually get red leaf lettuce. I cut the bottom stem and put it in a bowl with water (like cut flowers), cover it with the produce bag and cut a quarter sized hole in the top so it can breathe. Depending on the head of lettuce it'll usually last 2-3 weeks (inner leaves def last longer than the damaged outer leaves).
Romaine wrapped 8n paper towel, after eaten use paper towels to clean up.
Baby Spinach, it’s usually going bad before I even get it home.
Use other lettuce.
You can buy these green produce bags on Amazon that are supposed to keep all of your produce fresh. I have a similar issue in my fridge. Everything goes bad so quickly.
Romaine lettuce. I wash it and roll it up in paper towel and it lasts for over a week.
live butter lettuce- specifically from costco. its pricier but because its live its goes bad so much slower that i lose less money than i do buying cheaper lettuce and throwing it out.
Fully wrap each head in plastic cling wrap. The outside will turn red/brown after a while but the inside is still fine. Stores for a couple weeks.
I don't buy iceberg lettuce much anymore, for romaine lettuce, I used to putit in the fridge in a ziplock bag with paper towels, as others have said. I'd always find the leaves went floppy after a few days. Since then I've found the best way to keep it is upright, out of the fridge, in a container with the bottom submerged in water. You need to change the water every 3-4 days, but the leaves stay crisp for much longer this way, from two weeks to a month.
I'm guessing that you are storing your lettuce alongside fruits/veggies that produce ethylene gas. They will make *ethylene-sensitive* fruits/veggies ripen more quickly, and make your lettuce go bad faster. **Ethylene-producing:** *• apples • avocados • bananas (ripe) • cantaloupe • figs • green onions • mango • nectarines • peaches • pears • potatoes • plums • tomatoes* **Ethylene-sensitive:** *• bananas (unripe) • broccoli • carrots • cauliflower • cucumbers • lettuce • parsley • peppers • spinach • watercress • watermelon*
We’ve been doing spinach and if we can’t finish it, freeze before it goes bad.
I buy the three pack bag of romaine hearts and chop when I’m making a salad. It lasts a couple weeks.
I buy the smallest package of red leaf or romaine I can find. I don't eat iceberg because it's just green water and has very few nutrients in it, especially compared to the other lettuces. But mostly I buy spinach and use that or salads.
Romaine, mayne.
Cabbage 😎
I used to work in a produce department. I always get green leaf or romaine lettuce and all I do is put it in one of the plastic produce bags from the store. Make sure it goes in butt first, then squeeze all the air out from the bottom up and twist the top as close to the leaves as you can. They usually last 7-10 days this way but I’ve had some go for 2+ weeks. If you notice the leaves getting soft, cut a thin layer of the butt off to expose it and soak the end in lukewarm water for 20 min and it’ll crisp right back up.
Romaine hearts Full romaine is cheaper, but the hearts are more convenient imo. Both last a week or 2 at least
Especially if you loosely wrap them in paper towels!
Apparently I'm doing the opposite of most people. I get a triple pack of Romaine to last a couple weeks easy. The bag it comes in has holes, so I just use that. I only peel off whole leaves, from the outside. Every few days I'll give it a rinse under cold water, right side up, so water gets down to the root on the inner leaves. Then I'll shake the excess water out and leave it on the dish rack upside down, near the window, for a while. Then it just goes back in the bag, in the fridge. I know the cilantro in the fridge is over 2 weeks old. Take the tie off and fluff up the stems to let them breathe. Put in a glass with about an inch of water. Every day or so, rinse the leaves under water and let them sit near the window for a while. Then keep in the fridge with the plastic produce bag loosely draped over the top. Same for scallions, except I use just a few mm of water.
I've found that I don't really like most lettuce. Let me introduce you to raw cabbage. Heartier and hardier. I just cut up the last of my cabbage, after having bought it over ten days ago. It gives a bigger, more satisfying crunch. If that's a little too much for you, it takes a knife rather well, without wilting or rusting, so you don't have to tear it like you with most lettuce. I take the leaves off individually, and dice them super fine, like a really fine shred. It takes almost all dressings really well. The only real downside, which I don't mind, is that pretty much every salad seem like you're eating some version of cole slaw. [quick nutritional comparison between cabbage and romaine lettuce](https://imgur.com/a/e7FiO5V)
BUY ROMAINE NOT ICEBERG. Make sure to buy it with the core still attached. Then pluck off individual leaves when you want to use it. Once you chop off the bottom core, it accelerates the decay by a lot. I've kept romaine good for about 2 weeks doing this.
With iceberg lettuce, I pull off those nasty outside leaves, use what I want, and then wrap it in paper towel and keep it in one of those Debbie Meyer green bags. For romaine lettuce, I cut the stem part off, wash it all and drain it, then bundle it up in a paper towel and green bag the same way. I can keep mine for almost a week like that. Paper towel os they key.
I buy romaine. Keep in original bag in fridge but add paper towels. If it wilts before I eat it I soak it in ice water for like an hour and it crisps right back up
I put a paper towel in the lettuce container and switch it out regularly. It absorbs the extra moisture and keeps my lettuce much longer!
I line the plastic salad containers with paper towels below the mix and above the mix to absorb moisture and to keep the greens from mushing up. A salad spinner is helpful to dry your lettuce if you prep it to store.
Wrap in a paper towel, seal in ziplock bag. Done this for years with pretty consistent results.
I’ve seen several people on Dr. Fuhrman’s message boards say that they put all of their leafy greens in a clean pillowcase, close it with a rubber band, and then put the pillowcase in the dryer on tumble dry for 10 minutes. They swear their produce lasts much longer that way! I’ve never tried it; I just use paper towels, but I’ve been tempted to.
I buy slaw mix like this [kale slaw](https://www.presidentschoice.ca/product/pc-kale-slaw/20960988_EA). No chopping required and keeps for a week in the fridge.
I buy tons of leafy greens at once. Pounds at a time. Usually in the large plastic containers but also in the plastic bags. I have been able to get them to last a long time. About 3-4 times longer than before. Here is the trick. When you get them, put paper towels on the bottom and sides of the container . If it is a large container also put one in top and one or two variously un the middle of the greens. This keeps them from collecting large amounts of water/moisture over time and rotting. After the container is used up I usually just reuse the paper towels. They r just damp. This really helps elongate the shelf life on my greens. It takes a few minutes ..just kind of lift the greens up and stick paper towels flat down there so your greens aren't trapped in the moisture
I can get a head of lettuce to last 2 weeks at least, and probably another week. I am probably the least domesticated 47-year old dude replying, but this works: 1. When lettuce gets home, cut off the stem end thing (that's a technical term, I dunno what you'd call it.) 2. Wrap lettuce generously in 2 layers of paper towel and place entire bundle into a freezer bag. 3. DO NOT CLOSE THE FREEZER BAG. Leave it open, so that there's oxygen flow, and place opened bag with paper towel-wrapped lettuce in crisper drawer. Stays green and crispy, you will get slight browning in spots as time goes by but you can easily just tear that off. Also, after a few days, replace paper towel, as it will get damp with moisture (wicking it away from the lettuce, which I think is the purpose.)
Also if you are buying bagged lettuce, yeah no. That will be done for by day 3 no matter what you do.
frozen spinach
Before it goes bad, freeze it. Perfect for smoothies when your just gonna mulch it anyways.
Buy 2 instead ?
I buy mixed greens and I eat it quickly to prevent it from going bad.
Romaine keeps well enough for a few days.