How to Keep Lettuce Crisp

Last Updated: August 22, 2022 Tested

Lettuce is a nutritious staple to keep on hand, but it can easily become limp, tasteless or rotten. Use these methods to keep a head of lettuce fresh or a tossed salad (without dressing) fresh.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Keeping a Lettuce Head Crisp

1
Take the lettuce out of its original packaging. Unless it states that it is sealed for freshness and designed to protect the lettuce from spoiling, it will need to be crisped before storage.
2
Fill a sink or large bowl with cold water from the tap.

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3
Separate the leaves from the core. Place them in the cold water bath for 5 minutes. If your lettuce was already limp, this should make it crisp again.
4
Remove the leaves one by one. Shake them to remove water along the ridge.
5
Lay the leaves in a salad spinner. You can buy a salad spinner online or at box stores, like Target and Walmart. Ensure you don’t pack the leaves in too tightly; you may need to do several batches.
6
Turn the crank on the salad spinner. It will force the extra water off of the leaves and into the basin at the bottom.^{[1]
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7
Place the leaves on a dry kitchen towel. Stack them in one to two rows. Pour the water out of the basin at the bottom of the salad spinner.
- Repeat the process until all of your lettuce is dry.
- You can also use paper towels if you don’t have a kitchen towel you can spare.
8
Roll or wrap the lettuce up in the towel. Insert the wrapped lettuce leaves into a gallon-sized freezer bag. Seal it.
9
Place it in the crisper drawer in your refrigerator. Remove the leaves as needed.
- Leave the rest to store for one to two weeks.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Keeping a Salad Crisp

1
Follow the directions in the first method to clean and crisp your lettuce.
2
Divide the leaves into smaller sections and place them in a large bowl. Toss different types of lettuce, such as green, red and cabbage for an even healthier side salad.
3
Place a folded paper towel on top of your tossed salad. The paper towel will absorb excess moisture, keeping the salad from wilting.
4
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Put it in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
5
Remove the bowl from the fridge. Pour some salad into another bowl. Toss it separately.
- Make sure you don’t season it while it’s in the storage bowl. Salt will make the salad wilt faster, because it will draw moisture out of the lettuce leaves.
6
Replace the paper towel every few days and store the remaining salad for up to 1 week.^{[2]
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Community Q&A

Question

If I have no fridge, how do I keep lettuce crisp and fresh in a moist place, and how many days will it last?

Community Answer

Soak a kitchen towel with vinegar and cover the lettuce with with it. When you want to use it, just rinse it with cold water. It will keep four days. You can probably stretch that to a week if you use apple cider vinegar.
Question

Would washing, drying and wrapping the head with tin foil keep it crisp?

Community Answer

No. The aluminum will react with the water in the lettuce, causing it to turn brown faster.
Question

What can I do to preserve a lettuce wrap for a school lunch?

Community Answer

Try putting an ice pack in your freezer and simply wrapping the wrap in plastic and leaving it on the ice pack.