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How often have you tossed out produce that wilted before its time?
If you’re like most home chefs, figuring out how to keep lettuce fresh is a constant kitchen challenge.
In this blog, we're sharing our top storage tips to extend the freshness of romaine, iceberg, and other lettuce varieties.
9 Simple Ways to Keep Lettuce Fresh Longer
1. Start With Fresh Heads
That lettuce in the produce section looks fresh, but you want to be sure. Know what to look for, and trust your nose too.
Iceberg Lettuce – Heads should be snugly wrapped with crispy-edged leaves. Avoid iceberg heads with wilted or brown-tipped leaves. The base stem should be a fresh shade of light green.
Romaine Lettuce –The leaves on fresh romaine heads should be crisp and firmly bunched around the heart. The head should feel solid when handled. Wilting, discolored leaves or mildew spots are signs of less-than-fresh romaine.
Both types of lettuce have a pleasantly faint, earthy fragrance when they're fresh. Pungent odors are a bad sign.
Insider Tip: Bring home the freshest leafy greens available by always purchasing premium produce supplied by trusted growers like Hitchcock Farms.
2. Store Lettuce in the Crisper Drawer
Unless you plan on prepping the lettuce right away, put it in crisper drawer of your fridge, set on high humidity. This will keep the fresh greens crisp and safe for later use.
Designate one crisper drawer as a lettuce-only zone. Simply adjust its vent to create a high-humidity environment, and you're done.
Insider Tip: Fruits release ethylene gas that causes leafy greens to ripen too quickly, so put some distance between fruits and lettuce. Keep papayas, peaches and cantaloupes away from fresh lettuce.
3. Keep Produce Fresh by Puffing
Extend lettuce life with a simple version of a preservation technique used in the produce industry.
Open the lettuce bag, blow into it until it’s puffed up, and then twist and secure the top with a rubber band.
The carbon dioxide in your breath slows down the ripening process.
4. Protect Tender Greens With Plastic
Salad storage containers are ideal for mesclun mixes because they help protect tender endive, watercress and arugula in the crisper drawer.
Keep delicate greens from bruising and drying out by layering their leaves between paper towels nested in plastic storage containers.
If you use smaller clamshell containers, place loose leaf greens in the clamshell, cover with paper towels, then just close and flip.
This upside-down trick can extend freshness for 15 to 20 days.
5. Wrap Up Shredded Lettuce
How long is shredded lettuce good for your best tacos and quesadillas?
It keeps for two or three days if you dry it and wrap it up.
Spread freshly chopped or shredded lettuce over a clean kitchen towel, roll it up, and secure your homemade package with rubber bands.
6. Pack Lettuce in Paper Towels
Grab a few paper towels, and you’re ready for another easy trick that preserves lettuce for a long time.
Lay out clean, dried leaves on paper towels. Carefully fold and roll, and place in a plastic bag.
Press out any air, seal tight, and store in the lettuce-only drawer for a week to 10 days.
7. Roll Up Romaine in Foil
If you've ever wondered, "Does wrapping lettuce in foil keep it fresh?" you have to try this trick. It can keep romaine lettuce crisp for as long as 30 days.
Simply wrap individual heads or hearts tightly in aluminum foil. Remove as many crispy leaves as you need for a recipe, and re-bundle the remaining lettuce.
This hack can extend the refrigerated shelf life of fresh romaine by a month or more.
8. Rescue Wilted Lettuce
Sometimes, the best tips for making lettuce last just aren't enough. As well as we take care of our produce, wilted lettuce happens in the best of kitchens.
Before you throw out that sad head, try rescuing it with an ice-water bath. Completely submerge the lettuce, leave it in the water for 5 minutes, and then pat dry.
This is often enough to shock the leaves back into shape so that you can use the lettuce for a few more dishes.
9. Freeze It for Another Day
Fresh lettuce can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months. This tip works best with sturdy-leafed greens, such as romaine and butterhead.
Wash and dry the lettuce, separate the leaves from the head, and freeze in airtight bags. When thawed, it works well in casseroles and as a substitute for spinach.
You can also puree fresh lettuce, pour the liquid into ice cube trays, and freeze it to add extra nutrition to soups and smoothies.
How to Keep Iceberg Lettuce Fresher Longer
Whether it’s butterhead or baby iceberg, don’t wash this type of leafy lettuce before storing it in the fridge.
Its high water content helps preserve its crispness, but external moisture can make leaves wilt. Hold off on washing the lettuce until you're ready to use it.
Regular iceberg heads, wrapped tightly in plastic, keep for 10 to 12 days in the refrigerator. Baby iceberg lettuce stays fresh for up to a week in a perforated plastic bag.
Insider Tip: You can purchase restaurant-grade perforated bags for storing lettuce at many grocery stores and through online suppliers.
How to Keep Romaine Lettuce Fresher Longer
Unlike iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce can be washed before putting it away in the fridge. However, if you’re in a hurry, unwashed romaine keeps just as well in a loosely closed plastic bag.
If you prefer to wash romaine before putting it away, separate the leaves from the heart.
After a gentle rinse, pat the lettuce dry, tightly seal in a plastic bag, and store in the crisper drawer. Whole romaine heads last 10 to 20 days in the fridge, while romaine hearts stay crisp for a week to 10 days.
How to Keep Loose Leaf Lettuce Fresher Longer
Loose leaf lettuce is a great time-saver in a busy kitchen. However, it stays fresher longer with a little extra care. Whether it's bagged or boxed, the lettuce is usually pre-washed, but treat it to a final rinse.
This ensures the lettuce is ready for the refrigerator and free of sand, dirt and organic contaminants. Dry the clean leaves by patting with paper towels.
Return the lettuce to its original container, and keep it chilled in the crisper drawer. Loose leaf usually stays fresh for three to five days.
Insider Tip: Speed up the drying process by giving loose lettuce leaves several swirls in the salad spinner.
How to Enjoy Fresh Lettuce: 5 New Recipes
Now that you know how to pamper your lettuce, let's dish up new recipe ideas for the leafy greens. These five are some of our favorites. We're sure you'll enjoy them too.
1. Jalapeno and Cilantro Caesar Salad
Turn up the heat in this classic salad with chopped jalapenos, fresh cilantro and lime juice.
Blend the spicy ingredients into a store-bought Caesar dressing, and drizzle over crisp romaine hearts.
Culinary Inspiration: Put extra crunch in your Caesar salad by substituting chunks of napa cabbage for the endive.
2. Crunchy Apple and Romaine Wedges
Sliced apples and candied walnuts pair together perfectly.
Bathe the crunchy combo in homemade blue cheese dressing, and you've stirred up a fabulous filling for fresh romaine wedges.
Culinary Inspiration: Complement wholesome romaine wedges with toasted slices of gluten-free baguette or whole grain bread.
3. Sweet and Hot Pork Lettuce Cups
Iceberg baby lettuce leaves make perfect cups for serving a flavorful Thai stir-fry.
Sauté pork seasoned with traditional Thai flavors, spoon into the lettuce cups, and garnish with peanuts and scallions.
Culinary Inspiration: Side the delicious iceberg baby lettuce cups with low-carb zucchini noodles or cauliflower rice.
4. Baby Iceberg Lettuce Stacks
We give this salad five stars for its photogenic good looks and irresistible flavors.
The colors and textures of baby iceberg, cucumbers, chickpeas and bell peppers stack up beautifully on salad plates.
Culinary Inspiration: Make this special salad your very own by sprinkling it with homemade crunchy flake salt.
5. Veggie Lover's Sandwiches
Elevate ordinary sandwiches into a yummy meal that celebrates your love for fresh vegetables.
Layers of iceberg baby lettuce, Persian cucumbers and avocados make this simple sandwich simply mouthwatering.
Culinary Inspiration: Create healthy variations of the veggie sandwich with slender slices of roasted carrots, mushrooms or sweet potatoes.
Proud to Do Our Part
From topping grilled burgers and crafting perfect Caesar salads to wrapping up chipotle steak cups, lettuce serves up all kinds of fresh goodness.
Use our tips to preserve your leafy greens’ peak flavors and textures, and enjoy them in favorite recipes year-round.
Whether you’re cooking for two at the house or running a busy commercial kitchen, you can count on the nation’s produce growers to keep your pantries, walk-ins and refrigerators stocked with the best.
Here at Hitchcock Farms, we’re proud to do our part.
