How to Keep Salad Fresh

We used to struggle with keeping our salad beautiful and crisp. We would buy it from the store and it always seemed to go bad before we could use it all.

This was so frustrating because not only was I wasting money but I never seemed to have fresh lettuce when I needed it. We finally came up with some clever tips that have helped us save a ton of money.

Start doing these simple tricks today and see how simple it is to make your Spinach Strawberry Salad and Easy Caesar Salad Recipe stay fresh.

Follow These Tips to Keep Salad Fresh

Salad is one of those things that is easy to last longer if you spend a few extra steps.  Try these tips with your leafy greens to see how much it helps to keep everything crisp and fresh.

Everyone loves to save money and these simple tips definitely help to make your salad last longer, tasting great with delicious crunch and save more money. Yeah!

How Do You Keep Salad Fresh in the Refrigerator?

We love to buy bag salad, kale salad, baby spinach, arugula and romaine at the grocery store to make a healthy Side Dish to serve with many recipes. You can easily add vegetables, bell peppers, radishes, dice avocado, berries, onions, quinoa, egg, chicken and bacon for a filling salad recipe.

Following these easy steps allows me to meal prep easily for lunches for the week which keeps me salad greens fresh.

1. Buy Darker Green Lettuce

The lighter green lettuce like iceberg tends to go bad faster. By buying darker green leaves you will actually save more money. Not only is the darker lettuce healthier for you, but they last longer in your fridge.

Make sure to remove any wilted salad leaves or damaged leaves. This helps to keep the spoilage from spilling over to the other leaves.

2. Store Your Lettuce in a Small Storage Container that is Sealed

Don’t keep your lettuce in a bowl. Instead use a container that you can seal. I also recommend “cramming” your lettuce into a smaller container.

In our experience, when you can keep as much air out, your veggies will last longer. If you want, you can get a food storage to seal your plastic containers and really get the air out, or you can just buy some nicer Rubbermaid containers to help keep the air out. We have also used mason jars to keep the iceberg lettuce fresh.

A plastic bag will also work as long as you can seal it well or keeping in the crisper drawer.  Taking this extra step will help keep your salad fresh. Easy!

3. Add a Paper Towel in your Container

This tip is really easy! Keep a layer of folded up dry paper towel in your container. Just fold up a paper towel and place it on top of your salad before you place the lid on.

This paper towel will help absorb the excess moisture and keep it off your wash lettuce and keeping it more fresh.  I have been doing this tip for years and it works like a charm every time!

4. Keep Other Salad Ingredients Separate

Don’t add your dressing, tomatoes, cucumbers, cheese, carrots, and other ingredients to your salad before you store it. You want to keep them separate.

These kinds of food will quickly wilt your lettuce so I always make sure to keep these in a different container.

5. Buy Organic

If you can, try to buy organic lettuce. Organic lettuce tends to be on the shelf for less time than the regular lettuce.

Since it is sitting in the store less, that means it will simply last longer in your fridge.

6.  Use a Salad Spinner

Washing your delicate greens gets rid of all the dirt but the salad spins and gets it dry so it will last longer. This extra step to eliminate excess water only takes a few seconds and works great at prolonging the freshness of your lettuce.

More Ideas for Salad

• homemade croutons 
• Caesar salad dressing recipe 
• Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix Recipe
• Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix
• Poppyseed Dressing Recipe

Now that you know how to keep your lettuce fresher longer, try a new salad dressing and enjoy salads for a quick lunch.