Lettuce in a Bag?

I eat a lot of lettuce. I make salad all the time for work lunches. In the supermarket, I see tons of people buying prewashed and chopped lettuce in a bag. It's shipped in from CA and by the time it reaches Chicago, it's brown and not very fresh. And it's expensive. So, I prefer to buy a whole head of lettuce. Once you wash and cut lettuce, you need to use it before it starts to oxidize and loses its freshness. All it takes is 10-15 minutes to wash, dry, and pack clean lettuce.

I can't go without my salad spinner. My favorite is the OXO brand because it's sturdy. I've had it for a long time.

To wash lettuce leaves.

1. Cut the bottom to free the leaves from the core.
2. Rinse the leaves with cold water over the basket insert.
3. Place the basket back in the bowl and dry with the spinner. Try not to overfill.
4. Pack the leaves for the refrigerator in a resealable plastic bag with paper towels to absorb moisture.

To wash spinach, herbs and other greens.

1. Fill a bowl with cold water.
2. Places spinach leaves, herbs, chard or other greens in the water.
3. Let stand for 5 minutes to let the sand and dirt fall to the bottom of the bowl.
4. Pull the greens out of the water and put in the basket to drain most of the water.
5. Dry with the salad spinner.
6. Pack the lettuce leaves in a resealable plastic bag with paper towels to absorb moisture.

Not only are you saving money by buying the whole heads of lettuce, but it will be fresher longer.