Discolored, limp leaves can now be a thing of the past if certain precautions are taken after purchasing a head of lettuce. Enjoy fresh lettuce by following these simple tips to ensure that the leaves remain crisp, moisture-free and tasty.
Instructions
1. Buy the freshest head of lettuce available at the grocery store.
2. Check your refrigerator's temperature and humidity. Avoid extremely cold or warm refrigerator temperatures. Make sure that the humidity is not high; high humidity can speed spoilage by encouraging the lettuce leaves to develop moisture.
3. Unwrap the lettuce from its package and use paper towels to absorb excess moisture from the lettuce leaves.
4. Wring the absorbed water out of the paper towel.
5. Wrap the wringed paper towel around the head of the lettuce or separate lettuce leaves.
6. Replace the lettuce's original plastic wrapping over the lettuce so that the plastic is covering the lettuce and the paper towel.
7. Make room in your refrigerator's vegetable crisper drawer for the lettuce. Because lettuce is a delicate vegetable, it needs to be protected from neighboring vegetables or fruits that could bruise it.
8. Inspect the lettuce bag for accumulating moisture when retrieving portions of lettuce to eat. Empty out excess water in a sink to extend the shelf life of lettuce even longer.
Tags: head lettuce, lettuce leaves, paper towel, your refrigerator