1. Lettuces and Greens: Wrap lettuce and greens in a dry paper towel and place in plastic bag in the fridge. The paper towel will absorb any excess moisture that makes the lettuce rot and will keep it fresher for much longer.
Try the paper towel trick.
Rip a fresh paper towel from the roll, slide it into the bag of greens, and seal with a chip clip. The paper towel will absorb moisture that would otherwise lead your leaves to rot. This will help the greens stay fresh, giving you more time to use up the bag.
To store a full head of lettuce, wrap in a damp paper towel and put the head inside a plastic bag. Store in the refrigerator. If you're storing individual lettuce leaves, spin them dry after washing and place in a lettuce keeper in the fridge. A container is best to avoid bruising and bacteria buildup.
To keep your greens fresh, all you need to do is open the container, stick a paper towel on top of the greens, shut it, and store it upside down in the fridge. If you think about it, it does make sense.
Here's how to do it: Place a clean dish towel or paper towels over a rimmed baking sheet (or just right on your table). Spread the leaves over the towel and let them air dry for about half an hour or or so. That's it.
Here's why: When the lettuce is cut or damaged, oxygen enters its cell walls. When this happens, an enzyme is released, resulting in the lettuce turning a red color. Lettuce can also turn red when it's exposed to ethylene gas—typically from storing it alongside fruits and veggies that emit ethylene as they ripen.
This tip comes from food blogger Lama Bazzi, who says it helps her keep lettuce fresh for weeks at a time. It really couldn't be easier: Bazzi puts lettuce in a mason jar, fills it entirely with water, puts the lid on the jar, and places it in the fridge. That's it!
They Use Perforated Container
The use of perforated bins is the key to keeping lettuce fresh and crisp at all times. Restaurants keep them in perforated containers to allow air circulation in the refrigerator. What is this? To keep its crispness, lettuce requires air and a small amount of moisture.
The damp towels prevent the lettuce from drying out, while airflow keeps it crunchy.
You can protect your cool season crops (including lettuce, which is more easily injured than other greens), by throwing a blanket or row cover over the plants.
Lettuce seeds must be exposed to light to grow into seedlings. You can sprinkle them on soil or vermiculite and then cover them with a thin layer of soil or vermiculite. Carrots: much like lettuce, to get carrot seeds to germinate, expose them to light by sprinkling them on the surface of the soil.
Lettuce must be dry before storing it, as moisture contributes to spoilage. Use a paper towel or salad spinner to remove all excess water after washing the lettuce. Lettuce with less oxygen exposure will stay fresh longer, so plastic bags or containers are better for long-term storage than the initial packaging.
Proper air circulation and a small amount of moisture will keep your lettuce crisp and fresh. The easiest (and most effective) way to do this is to line a sturdy glass or plastic container with a few paper towels, then scatter your greens on top. Top with a matching lid and refrigerate.
Lettuce can turn pink. The discoloration could be caused by several factors, including exposure to ethylene gas emitted by produce stored with the greens, fluctuations in temperature or exposure to too much oxygen. But, the lettuce is still entirely edible.
Don't despair! There's good news: a little brown lettuce doesn't necessarily mean that the whole head is bad. Professional chefs call these spots “rust,” and they simply remove them before making a salad. Don't throw that perfectly good lettuce away!
Bitter tasting lettuce is most often caused by hot weather. But there are other reasons lettuce gets bitter including maturity, bolting, and poor growing conditions. I love growing lettuce and fresh homegrown lettuce really does taste so much better then what is available in most grocery stores.
Drying Method: Salad Spinner
About this method: In every restaurant I've worked in, there has been a salad spinner. The difference between the home spinner and a restaurant spinner is about three feet in height and electricity. Restaurant spinners need to accommodate enough greens to feed a big crowd.
Dry Well. Spin the greens dry or lay them out on a clean kitchen towel. Dry greens stay fresh longer and are easier to dress. Now your lettuces or greens are ready to be dressed and enjoyed.
Lettuce wilts because it loses water, so the key to reviving it is to put the water back in. We've had success simply soaking the wilted leaves in ice water for 30 minutes.