How to Keep Salad Fresh for Longer
There’s nothing worse than opening your crisper to discover brown, wilted lettuce. Eating a salad isn’t always the most appetizing choice (especially when there’s chocolate cake), so it’s always disappointing to have to throw out the bag just when you’d finally worked up the willpower to eat it. Not to mention it feels like a complete waste of money. Here are a few tricks to keep your salads crisp and crunchy.
What are the health benefits of salad?
Not only are salad greens a source of fiber themselves, but there are also an abundance of healthy toppings you can add to increase your daily intake. High-fiber foods like carrots, bell peppers, black beans, and chickpeas will keep you feeling full longer.
Beyond just health benefits, salads, especially bagged salads, are a lifesaver when you’re looking for a quick meal prep. Throw in some protein and drizzle on your favorite dressing and you have a dinner that’s ready in minutes.
Whether you buy your produce fresh at the grocery story or grab your salad from a bag, here’s how you can get the longest shelf life out of your greens.
MUST-SEE: What Are Acai Bowls? Get the Scoop on the Healthy, Delicious Breakfast
Wondering how to keep salad fresh?
Try using a paper towel. Before you toss your half-used bag of lettuce, stop and grab a paper towel from the roll. Insert it in your opened salad bag, seal it, and place it back in your refrigerator. The paper towel absorbs the excess moisture, which keeps your lettuce from getting slimy.
Store it in the salad spinner. As mentioned, excess moisture can lead to bacteria on your greens and that icky slime. A salad spinner, like a colander for pasta, has a basket with holes through which moisture can evaporate. And, let’s face it, it’s also one less dish to wash.
MUST-SEE: 12 Chia Pudding Recipes That Do the Seeds Justice
Empty out your crisper drawer. If you have some extra space in your crisper drawer, why not story your salad there? Make sure you’re wiped down the drawer before lining it with paper towels. The place your lettuce right on top. Voila! It doesn’t get much easier than that.
Keep salad cold and crisp in a cast iron pot. Maybe you’ve noticed at barbecues that your salad has started to wilt before the guests have even arrived. That’s because the salt in the dressing is sucking the moisture from the leaves. So wait until right before guests have arrived before adding dressing to the mix. Better yet, keep it in a cast iron pot, which can retain the cold and keep your salad chilled.
RELATED:
