how do you keep lettuce fresh?

vlagrl29 · May 2014

I use to use ziploc produce bags with the tiny holes in them. They worked really well for me. Problem is the stores here don't carry them anymore so I'm wondering if they stopped making them. I'm having problems with keeping my veggies as fresh as I use to. What do you guys use?

HoneyBee973 · May 2014

If anyone has an answer for this question, I would love to know also.

I got tired of throwing out fruit and vegetables that we were not able to eat fast enough. I stop by the store twice a week for fresh produce. Its a pain in the a$$, but better then throwing money away.

jessica490 · May 2014

For lettuce- I'll rip it up in pieces, clean and spin it dry, then store it in a tupperware container and it lasts for a whole week in the fridge for salads.

For veggies- I just put them in a small plastic container or regular zip lock baggies and that works pretty well for the week in the fridge.

I do have some fruit though that does go bad. Strawberries go bad if I don't them within a few days so I usually only buy 1 container at a time. I think it's just a matter of buying too much fruit and it's not all eaten within the week so I've learned to get small amounts of different varities. We only go to the store once a week so I never make second trips for fresh items (im lazy)

cbee817 · May 2014

With lettuce, I don't wash it until I use it.. I make a salad for work every day so I wash it at night when I'm making my lunch. With berries and small things that the girls like to pop in their mouths, I bought small colanders that I rinse everything with and then just put the colander in the fridge. For the most part though, I don't wash anything until I use it- seems to help keep it fresh for the week. DH sometimes does a small trip back to the grocery store on Wednesday or Thursday each week- I don't like to buy things like asparagus, spinach, or kale on a Sunday if we're not going to use it until Friday.. doesn't really seem to keep well for me.

SmrBrd2012 · May 2014

For berries I have heard that if you wash them in a vinegar/water mix, it helps keep them fresh longer. I have always been way too lazy to do this but maybe it's worth a try.

For lettuce, I've noticed that romaine tends to last way longer than iceberg so I try to avoid iceberg...also it's not the greatest lettuce nutritionally.

For either, I've also noticed washing/prepping/storing in airtight tupperware also makes them last a little longer.

IAmSherlocked · May 2014

We don't really have too much of a problem with food going bad, but here are some tips I've picked up. Whenever things do start to look a little limp, they either go into the compost pile if they're salvageable or if the veggies aren't too far gone I freeze them (along with other veggie scraps like onion tops and skins). Once I have enough frozen veggies I turn them into a veggie broth--just add water, some peppercorns, any herbs you want and simmer on low for a long while (or sometimes I throw it all in the crockpot to cook away while I'm at work. Makes the house smell yummy). You can even compost these cooked leftovers depending on what kind of composting your doing.

For lettuce, I tend to wash a bunch at a time, dry it reaIly well (I'll use my salad spinner and then also lay all the leaves on the counter to air dry for a bit). Then I store them in a bag or tupperware with a paper towel or cloth to soak up any left over water. I change the towel out every day or every other day and the lettuce seems to keep for a while.

For berries, I like to give them a very quick soak in a water/vinegar solution, then dry them (extremely) well and store them in the fridge. I've kept berries good for 2 weeks this way (not that they usually last that long in our house). I tend to wash a lot of our produce like this after I get home from the grocery store--celery, cherries, grapes, apples, citrus, mangos, peppers and other fairly thick skinned produce tend to hold up well this way, and plus then they're just ready to snack on whenever you want.

DH likes to nibble on celery and it always went limp after a few days, but I learned that if I wash and chop it, then store it in the fridge in a container filled with water (so the celery is submerged) it seems to keep for awhile (I've also done this with carrots).I've heard you can also wrap celery in aluminum foil to keep it fresh longer but I've never tried it and don't know if that really works.

Those are the only tricks I can think up off the top of my head. Hope that helps somebody!

Edited because I can't spell. Must be time for more coffee!

vlagrl29 · May 2014

Thanks everyone! I've been using a gallon size bag instead, but it's still going bad sooner than it use too. I will try tupperware. I'm almost at the point of buying those ziploc bags on amazon but they are a lot of money now.

maple2 · May 2014

I have found that spinach lasts longer than lettuce, so that is pretty much all we buy these days. Usually it is fine for a whole week, though we try to plan meals so that it is gone before then. In general we try to eat the more perishable fiord first and save more easily stored foods for later. So, for example, veggie burgers with sweet potatoes and peas would be an end of the week meal while salad would be dinner earlier in the week. Same with fruit--the girls might get berries for a treat early in the week but they are stuck with apples or pears in some form later in the week.

brij2006 · May 2014

I put our lettuce in a tupperware container with a paper towel in it. The paper towel soaks up the extra moisture and keeps it crisp for longer.

We also buy the heads of romaine in a 3 pack and I will cut 1 head at a time. Usually those will keep in the fridge for 2 weeks.

how do you keep lettuce fresh?

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