Seven Simple Ways To Keep Your

Salad Leaves

Fresh And Crisp For Days

A fresh green salad features different types of salad leaves, ranging from crisp lettuce to peppery arugula. These leaves are delicate and full of water, so excess moisture and bruising can cause them to wilt quickly. Additionally, if the leaves get crushed in a flimsy bag, it is even worse, as it lets bacteria in and speeds up spoilage. However, the right salad storage habits can add days to their life. The solution is simpler than you had expected; follow these tips now. 

Washing the salad leaves is important to remove dirt, debris and microorganisms, but the timing matters. Washing too early can add moisture that shortens the shelf life of your greens. Plan your week and buy in small batches if you are struggling to handle them properly. Look for vibrant and crisp leaves when purchasing. In conclusion, if you are not using them right away, wait to wash them until just before eating.  

Washing is only half the battle, and drying is equally important. Excess water clinging to the leaves in a lettuce salad is a recipe for disaster. In this situation, a salad spinner can be your best friend, as its centrifugal force effectively removes water without bruising or damaging delicate greens. If you don't have a salad spinner, you can pat the greens dry with clean paper towels or a lint-free kitchen towel. Spread the greens out on the towel and gently blot them dry. Repeat as needed until the greens are as dry as possible. 

One bad apple spoils the bunch; the same is true for salad leaves. One slimy leaf really can spoil the rest, so check your greens every couple of days and pull off anything that’s starting to turn brown and wilt. Before handling the salad leaves, wash your hands, surfaces, and utensils thoroughly with soap and warm water as an extra precaution. This mindful sorting, essential for optimal storage of salad greens, can extend the life of store-bought greens by days or even weeks. 

Don’t mix dressings, wet ingredients and dry ingredients until just before serving. Keep the dressing separate at all times. The acid in most dressings will quickly break down the cell walls of the salad leaves, resulting in a slimy, wilted salad. For sorted salad, consider separating ingredients based on their moisture content. For example, store tomatoes and cucumbers separately from salad leaves, as they tend to release more water over time. 

Be it a lettuce salad or a spinach salad, packing the leaves before storing is necessary to maintain their freshness. Avoid airtight containers, as completely sealed food storage containers trap humidity. Choose perforated containers, as they allow for air circulation, preventing moisture buildup. Alternatively, you can line a regular container with a paper towel to loosely nestle your salad leaves inside, topped with another paper towel, to absorb excess moisture.

Place the salad leaves inside loosely. Do not cram or crush them. You want air to circulate slightly between leaves. If you stuff the container too full, then the leaves in the middle get crushed, their cells rupture, and the released cell sap becomes the focal point for rot. For leaves like spinach or arugula, consider adding a slightly damp paper towel on top before sealing the container to maintain optimal humidity without oversaturating the leaves. 

Store the salad greens in the crisper drawer. This drawer is designed to maintain an even temperature along with a higher humidity level. If the vent on the refrigerator can be adjusted for high humidity, then adjust it accordingly. Avoid storing the greens near fruits like apples, bananas, and tomatoes, which produce ethylene. Ethylene is a natural plant hormone that accelerates ripening and can cause your salad greens to wilt faster.