Salads are an easy way to add greens and other produce to your diet. They’re extremely versatile and — when done right — delicious. The biggest challenge in making a salad at home is keeping the greens crisp. Somehow, they never quite match the crunch of a restaurant salad unless you’re using produce you bought…
The Paper Towel Method
Start by chopping and washing your lettuce. Dry it well using a salad spinner — any excess surface moisture will significantly shorten its shelf life. Next, line the bottom of an airtight container with a paper towel. Place your lettuce on top, add a second paper towel over it, put the lid back on the container, and store it in the fridge.
This trick can keep your lettuce fresh for up to a week, though exactly how long depends on your refrigerator’s temperature and humidity settings. Store your container in the crisper drawer, which maintains higher humidity than the rest of the fridge. While this might sound contradictory, lettuce needs a humid environment to prevent the water inside its cells from evaporating — the primary cause of wilting. The paper towels are simply there to wick away condensation, which can lead to rot.
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Other Tips for Keeping Salad Greens Crisp
When you first bring your greens home, remove any wilted leaves immediately, as contact with them can cause the rest of the batch to spoil more quickly. As the week goes on, keep an eye on moisture levels. Because excess surface moisture causes rot, removing it is key to maintaining freshness. You may need to change out the paper towels every day or two if they become damp. Additionally, avoid storing other ingredients in the same container, as they often introduce more moisture.
